Dubai alone registered more than 513,000 new tenancy contracts in 2025, a 10 percent rise on the year before, according to the Dubai Land Department. Every one of those is a household collecting keys to a home someone else lived in, and Sharjah, Ajman and Abu Dhabi add thousands more each month. This move in cleaning checklist covers what to clean in every room, the order that stops you cleaning twice, what a professional move in clean typically costs in each emirate, and when to book it.
In practice, a move in clean is a deep clean of an empty home: cupboards, wardrobes and appliances cleaned inside and out, bathrooms descaled and disinfected, AC grilles, window tracks and skirting dusted, and every floor finished last. The best moment is right after the keys are handed over and before any furniture arrives.
Why move in cleaning in the UAE matters more than it looks
A flat can look spotless at the viewing and still carry the last tenant’s grease inside the extractor hood, limescale on the shower glass and a layer of dust inside every AC grille. You only notice once your own plates, clothes and children are in contact with it.
It matters because UAE homes are closed boxes for most of the year. The US EPA notes that people spend around 90 percent of their time indoors, where some pollutants run 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors. With windows sealed and the AC running all day, dust and odours left by the previous occupant simply circulate. Bathrooms and under sink cupboards also need a proper check for damp, since the EPA mould guidance advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent.
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Your move in cleaning checklist, room by room
Work through this move in cleaning checklist in order, and tick each item off before the removal van arrives.
Kitchen
- Inside every cabinet and drawer: vacuum crumbs, then wipe and dry.
- Oven, hob and extractor hood degreased, including the hood filters.
- Fridge and freezer emptied, washed, dried and left open to air.
- Sink, taps and drain cleaned, splashback tiles and grout scrubbed.
- Worktops and appliance fronts wiped last, after the dust from above has settled.
Bathrooms
- Shower glass, taps and tiles descaled (hard water leaves white film fast).
- Toilet disinfected inside and out, including the base and cistern.
- Vanity drawers, mirror cabinet and exhaust fan grille cleaned.
- Grout and silicone checked for mould, and flagged to the landlord if it is deep in the seal.
Bedrooms and wardrobes
- Wardrobe shelves, rails and drawers vacuumed and wiped inside.
- Light switches, door handles and sockets disinfected.
- Skirting, door frames and the tops of wardrobes dusted.
Living areas, balconies and AC
- AC grille fronts vacuumed and wiped (the internal ducts and coils are a separate maintenance job).
- Windows inside, frames and sliding tracks vacuumed, then wiped.
- Balcony floor and railings washed down, especially after a dusty week.
- Floors vacuumed and mopped last, from the far corner back to the door.
The order that stops you cleaning twice
Even a thorough move in cleaning checklist wastes effort when the jobs happen in the wrong order. This sequence works for apartments and villas alike:
- Photograph the handover. Record existing marks and damage before anything is cleaned, so the condition report reflects reality.
- Connect the utilities. Water and power need to be live, so set them up first (in Sharjah through SEWA).
- Clean the empty home. Top to bottom, dry before wet, kitchens and bathrooms first.
- Air it out. Leave windows and cupboards open for a few hours so everything dries.
- Furniture and boxes in. Only once the floors are done.
- Start a routine. A regular cleaning schedule keeps the fresh start from the first week.
What a move in clean typically costs across the UAE
Because a move in clean is a deep clean of an empty property, it is priced in the same band as a deep clean. These are typical ranges from our cleaning price calculator, with equipment and materials included; the exact figure is fixed before booking and depends on size and condition.
| Home size | Sharjah and Ajman | Dubai and Abu Dhabi | Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 300 to 450 | AED 400 to 550 | AED 600 to 750 |
| 1 bedroom | AED 400 to 550 | AED 450 to 650 | AED 600 to 800 |
| 2 to 3 bedrooms | AED 550 to 800 | AED 600 to 900 | AED 650 to 900 |
| Townhouse | AED 500 to 900 | AED 700 to 1,000 | AED 700 to 1,000 |
| Villa | AED 700 to 1,500 | AED 900 to 1,800 | AED 800 to 1,600 |
Empty homes in good condition usually sit toward the lower end of each range. The northern emirates are scheduled visits planned around a full day, which is why their studio prices start higher. For local detail, see cleaning services in Sharjah or cleaning services in Dubai.
Move in clean, end of tenancy or after builders?
The three overlap, but the goal is different. An end of tenancy clean is built around the outgoing tenant’s deposit and the landlord’s inspection. A move in clean is for you, the incoming occupant, and focuses on hygiene in the places you will touch every day. If the home is a new build or has just been repainted, book after builders cleaning instead, because construction dust needs HEPA equipment and a stricter order.
Moving out of your old place in the same week? Many households book both cleans together, so the old flat is handed back to standard and the new one is ready on the day the boxes arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What should be cleaned before moving into a new home?
Clean inside every cupboard, wardrobe and drawer, the oven, hood, fridge and sink, the bathrooms including descaling and disinfecting, the AC grille fronts, window tracks and skirting, and finally every floor. Doing it while the home is empty means nothing is hidden behind furniture. A one off clean can cover the whole move in cleaning checklist in a single visit.
How long does a move in clean take?
A studio or one bedroom apartment typically takes a small team around half a day, while a three bedroom apartment or villa can take a full day. Condition matters more than size: heavy kitchen grease, limescale and dusty AC grilles add hours, so a quick look or photos before the visit helps set the right team size.
How much does move in cleaning cost in the UAE?
Move in cleaning is typically priced like a deep clean, from about AED 300 for a studio in Sharjah up to AED 1,800 for a large villa in Dubai. Our price calculator gives a typical range for your home and emirate in a few seconds, and the exact price is fixed before booking.
Should I clean my new house before I move in?
Yes, because it is the only time every surface is fully reachable, and dust or grease left by the last occupant ends up on your belongings otherwise. In UAE homes that stay closed with the AC running, this matters even more, since the US EPA finds some indoor pollutants run 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors.
What is the difference between move in and move out cleaning?
Move out cleaning is done by the departing tenant to meet the landlord’s handover standard and protect the deposit. Move in cleaning is done for the incoming household and focuses on hygiene and getting the home ready to live in. Our end of tenancy cleaning guide covers the move out side in detail.
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Tell us your home size, the emirate and your key handover date, and we will confirm a fixed price and a vetted team to work through the full move in cleaning checklist before the furniture arrives.
