Move-In Cleaning in Toronto: A Clean Start Before You Unpack
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Moving into a Toronto home is a race between the movers, the elevator booking and the first night in a strange bed. The last thing most people plan for is the state the previous occupant left behind: grease on the range hood, soap scum on the shower glass, and dust inside the cupboards where the plates are about to go. A move-in cleaning handles that before your boxes arrive, so you unpack into a clean home instead of spending your first week scrubbing someone else’s build-up.
A move-in clean starts at $228 for a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo, before 13% HST. The final price depends on the size of the home, its condition and the extras the job needs, and you see it on the booking form before you book. Nothing is added without your approval.
Move-in cleaning prices in Toronto
A move-in clean is priced by the size of the home and the condition it is in. These are the starting prices the live booking form returns, before 13% HST.
| Home size | Starting price |
|---|---|
| 1 bed / 1 bath condo | from $228 |
| 2 to 3 bed home | from $291 |
| 4+ bed home | from $434.50 |
Prices are the same across Toronto and the GTA, so there are no travel fees. Oven, fridge and cabinet interiors are add-ons chosen at booking, and every add-on is itemized on your booking before the cleaner arrives. The booking form also shows the estimated time for your home. The Toronto and GTA price list shows the standard rates and the extras in one place.
What a move-in clean includes
Every move-in clean is a detail clean of an empty home, worked through room by room:
- Kitchen: counters, sink and faucet descaled, stovetop degreased, cabinet fronts wiped, backsplash scrubbed, garbage and recycling taken out.
- Bathrooms: toilets cleaned inside and out, tubs and shower glass de-soaped, sinks descaled, mirrors left streak free, tiles and grout lines scrubbed, exhaust fans wiped.
- Bedrooms and living spaces: surfaces dusted including shelves and window sills, baseboards, door frames and switch plates wiped, vents cleaned, closets wiped down inside.
- Floors: vacuumed throughout with edges and corners included, then mopped everywhere it is safe to mop.
- Detail spots: inside closet and wardrobe shelves, behind large appliances where they are accessible, and a final pass on the top of the fridge, the microwave interior, the oven door glass and the shower grout lines. Interior window cleaning, including glass, tracks and sills, is an add-on at booking.
Supplies and equipment come with the visit at no extra cost.
Move-in cleaning vs move-out cleaning
The checklist is nearly the same. What changes is the purpose and the timing.
| Item | Move-in clean | Move-out clean |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Clear the previous occupant’s build-up before your boxes arrive | A detail clean of the empty home, planned around your landlord’s checklist |
| Best timing | After you get the keys, before the movers arrive | After the unit is emptied, before the key handover |
| Starting price | from $228 | from $228 |
Both are detail cleans and both are booked the same way. The guide to what a move-out clean costs in Toronto covers the move-out side in detail.
Why it pays to clean before you unpack
An empty home has no furniture to work around, so cupboards, closets, baseboards and floors get a full pass instead of a partial one. Dust and residue from the previous occupants are removed before they reach your clothes, bedding and kitchenware. The EPA indoor air quality guide and Asthma Canada’s indoor trigger page explain why dust removal, ventilation and moisture control matter.
How to time a move-in clean
- Book for a date after you have the keys and before the movers unload. Cleaning around stacked boxes is slower and less thorough.
- Reserve the service elevator or move-in window with your building first, then book the clean around it.
- Leave access instructions with the concierge or a lockbox. Most clients are not home during the visit, and every visit is logged.
- If the home was recently renovated, add a post-renovation pass first so drywall dust does not settle back onto clean surfaces. The move-in and move-out service page has the full checklist.
Extras you can add at booking
| Extra | Price |
|---|---|
| Inside fridge or inside oven | $50 each |
| Inside cabinets (kitchen and bathroom) | from $61 |
| Interior windows (per room) or wet-wipe blinds (per window) | $22.50 / $15.50 |
| Hand-wiped baseboards or interior walls | from $33.50 / from $157.50 |
| Laundry and folding (per load) or dishwashing | $33.50 / $33.50 |
| Finished basement | $88.50 |
| Heavy-duty cleaning or additional time | from $55.50 / $51.50 per extra hour |
Homes with heavily shedding pets need the pet-hair extra: add it on the booking form.
How to book a move-in clean in Toronto
Pick your date around the key handover, enter your home size on the online booking page, and the price updates as you add extras. Prefer to talk it through? Call (647) 558-0932. Cleaning Hive serves Toronto and the GTA, including Downtown, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, East York, Leaside, Leslieville, Yorkville, Mississauga, Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham, and the Toronto house cleaning services overview shows how a move-in clean fits with regular and deep cleaning. Payment is by Visa, MasterCard or American Express on the day of the cleaning, and Ontario’s consumer protection guidance covers your rights if a service asks for full prepayment. Tenants can review the home and housing rules on leases, keys and condition reports.
Frequently asked questions
How much does move-in cleaning cost in Toronto? A move-in clean starts at $228 for a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo, $291 for a 2 to 3 bedroom home and $434.50 for a 4+ bedroom home, all before 13% HST. Your exact price depends on size, condition and extras, and you see it on the booking form before you book.
Should I book before or after my furniture arrives? Before. The visit works best on an empty home, so book after you get the keys and before the movers unload. Cupboards, closets and floors get a full pass when nothing is in the way.
Do you clean inside the fridge, oven and cabinets? Those are add-ons selected at booking: inside the fridge or oven is $50 each, and inside cabinets start at $61. They are itemized on your booking before the visit.
Do I need to be home during the visit? No. Most clients leave a key, a lockbox or instructions with the concierge, and every visit is logged. Cleaners are background checked, the company carries $5,000,000 liability insurance, and the minimum booking length is 3 hours.
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