By Kathy Clean Houston Team ·
How Much Does Move-Out Cleaning Cost in Houston?
Move-out cleaning in Houston costs $285 to $719 flat-rate by home size: $285 for apartments under 900 sq ft, $379 for a 2,000 sq ft house, $495 for 3,000 sq ft. Move-in cleaning uses the same grid. The price is fixed before the team arrives and excludes Texas sales tax (8.25%).
Move-Out & Move-In Prices by Home Size
| Home Sq Ft | Move-Out / Move-In |
|---|---|
| 0–900 | $285 |
| 901–1,200 | $295 |
| 1,201–1,500 | $329 |
| 1,501–1,800 | $359 |
| 1,801–2,100 | $379 |
| 2,101–2,300 | $399 |
| 2,301–2,600 | $415 |
| 2,601–2,900 | $445 |
| 2,901–3,500 | $495 |
| 3,501–4,100 | $549 |
| 4,101–4,700 | $599 |
| 4,701–5,300 | $649 |
| 5,301–6,000 | $719 |
Per-visit, flat-rate. Excludes Texas sales tax (8.25%). Homes over 6,000 sq ft are quoted individually. All services: Houston pricing guide.
The Deposit Math
Houston security deposits commonly run one month's rent, and cleaning deductions are among the most frequent charges on move-out statements. When a landlord hires the cleaning after you leave, you pay their vendor's rate plus handling — typically more than booking it yourself. A $329 move-out clean on a 1,400 sq ft rental is cheap insurance against a several-hundred-dollar deduction from a deposit that may be $1,500 or more.
Want to know exactly what property managers inspect? Work through our Houston move-out cleaning checklist — it's the room-by-room list this service is built around.
What's Included (and What Isn't)
Move-out cleaning happens in an empty home, which is what makes the full-detail scope possible: inside cabinets and drawers, baseboards, door frames, switch plates, and heavy build-up removal in kitchens and bathrooms. Inside the oven and inside the refrigerator are included at no extra charge — worth noting, because those are exactly the two items landlords check hardest and many Houston services bill as add-ons. Move-in cleans include them too. See the complete scope in our move-in/move-out guide.
Not included: trash hauling and junk removal, carpet shampooing/steam extraction, wall painting or repairs, and exterior work. If your move follows storm damage or an insurance turnover, read what cleaning covers after storm season — remediation and restoration are a different trade.
Timing Your Clean Around a Houston Move
The clean should be the last thing that happens before the walkthrough — after the movers, after utilities transfer, with the home empty. End-of-month dates and the May–August moving peak book up first across the metro, so lock your date as soon as you know your lease-end or closing date.
Get Your Move-Out Quote
Flat-rate, deposit-ready cleaning — tell us the square footage and your date, and the price is locked.
GET A QUOTEFrequently Asked Questions
How much does move-out cleaning cost in Houston?
Move-out cleaning in Houston costs $285 to $719 flat-rate by home size: $285 for units under 900 sq ft, $329 for 1,201–1,500 sq ft, $379 for 1,801–2,100 sq ft, and up to $719 for homes of 5,301–6,000 sq ft. Move-in cleaning uses the same grid. Prices exclude Texas sales tax (8.25%).
Is move-out cleaning worth it for getting a deposit back?
Usually, yes. Houston security deposits commonly run one month's rent, and cleaning-related deductions are among the most frequent charges landlords make. A $285–$415 professional move-out clean on a typical rental is often cheaper than what a landlord deducts for cleaning, because landlords bill at their vendor's rates plus admin.
What's included in a move-out clean that a regular clean skips?
Move-out cleaning is done on an empty home and covers what landlords actually inspect: inside cabinets and drawers, baseboards, door frames, light switches, and detailed bathroom and kitchen build-up removal. Inside the oven and inside the refrigerator are included at no extra charge — many services bill those as add-ons.
Do you clean the home before I move in?
Yes. Move-in cleaning uses the same flat-rate grid and scope — it's the same full-detail clean, done before your boxes arrive, so you start from a genuinely clean baseline.
How far in advance should I book a move-out clean in Houston?
A few days to a week ahead is comfortable for most dates. Book earlier around end-of-month lease turnovers and the summer moving peak, when demand across Houston is highest.