Common Area & Turnover Cleaning Checklist

Pull the work order from AppFolio or Buildium and verify whether this is a routine common-area service, a vacant unit make-ready, or a post-eviction deep clean. Scope drives crew size, supplies, and the punch-list at the end.

If a third-party cleaner is dispatched, confirm the certificate of insurance lists the property as additional insured and has not lapsed. A lapsed COI on a slip-and-fall in the lobby leaves the manager personally exposed.

Clear the front entry, breezeways, and any walkway leading to leasing office. Curb appeal at the path-of-travel is the first thing a prospect or owner sees on a drive-by.

Spot-treat oil stains in parking stalls and gum on sidewalks. Schedule pressure washing on a weekday morning to minimize tenant complaints about noise and water spray on parked cars.

Pull leaves and debris from gutters, downspouts, and any building storm drains. A blocked downspout in a winter freeze is the most common cause of avoidable interior water damage claims.

Cut back any growth blocking sidewalks, signage, or unit windows. Overgrowth touching the building is a CPTED issue (creates concealment) and a moisture issue against siding.

Flag any heaved or chipped paver creating a trip hazard. Photograph the defect, log it in the work-order system, and rope it off if you can't fix same-day. Trip-and-fall claims start here.

Hit baseboards, door frames, mailbox alcoves, and the tops of fire-extinguisher cabinets. Use a HEPA vacuum on carpeted corridors — standard vacuums redistribute fine dust into unit doorways.

Use a neutral pH cleaner on LVT and a sealed-stone product on marble or terrazzo lobbies. Acidic cleaners etch natural stone — the repair quote will outweigh a year of cleaning savings.

Wipe elevator buttons, handrails, mailroom counters, package-locker keypads, laundry-room appliances, and gym equipment. Use an EPA List N disinfectant and observe the product's dwell time — a quick wipe doesn't disinfect.

Pull liners from lobby, mailroom, gym, and any breezeway receptacles. Wipe down the bin itself before re-lining — odor complaints almost always trace to a never-cleaned bin, not the trash.

Top to bottom: ceiling fans, vent registers, blinds, window sills, baseboards, then floors. Pull closet shelving and vacuum corners — prospects open every closet on a tour.

Pull the oven racks and clean inside; degrease the range hood filter; wipe inside cabinets and drawers; clean the refrigerator including the gasket and drip tray. A dirty oven on a move-in walk-through is the #1 trigger for an immediate punch-list complaint.

Scrub tub, tile, grout, toilet base and bolts, vanity, mirror, and exhaust fan cover. Re-caulk any moldy or pulling-away bead at the tub-to-tile joint; mold complaints from incoming tenants escalate fast under warranty of habitability.

Most states require working smoke and CO detectors at every move-in. Replace batteries, press the test button, and log the date on the detector itself. A failed detector during a fire incident is a habitability defense and a major liability exposure.

Walk the unit or common area with a printed punch list. Anything caught here is a fix the cleaning crew handles before they leave the property — anything missed becomes a maintenance ticket and burns vacancy days.

Re-dispatch the original crew when possible — a different crew rarely understands what the coordinator flagged. Set a same-day or next-business-day rework window so marketing photos and showings aren't pushed.