Move-In Cleaning Checklist for Dubai Apartments and Villas

What is the right order for a move-in clean?

Start with inspection, then clean, then settle in. Walk the empty property with your phone and a notepad before anything is wiped, because cleaning can hide evidence of damage you want recorded. Then clean top to bottom, so that dust and drips fall onto surfaces you haven’t done yet, and finish with the floors. Anything that needs the property empty, such as carpet extraction, duct cleaning or a villa water tank clean, should be booked for the same window.

Step 1: Inspect and document before you clean

• Photograph every room, including walls, floors, ceilings and windows, with a date.
• Close-up photos of existing marks, chips, stains, scratches, loose fittings and any damp.
• Test every light, socket, tap, shower, flush, door lock and window latch.
• Run the AC in every room and check for noise, smells and weak airflow.
• Check the kitchen appliances if they are provided, including oven, hob, extractor, fridge and dishwasher.
• Note meter readings if your contract or utilities require it.

Send your list to your landlord or agent as your tenancy contract and building rules require. If you are unsure of what the contract says about condition, read it before you clean, and keep the photos.

Step 2: Top-level and air

Work from the top of each room. Dust the ceiling corners and light fittings, wipe the vent grilles, and clean the tops of wardrobes, doors and frames. AC grilles collect a lot of fine dust in Dubai. If the supply air smells stale or the vents are dirty, consider AC duct cleaning while the rooms are empty, since the ducts feed every room and cleaning only the surface leaves the source.

Step 3: Kitchen

The kitchen is where most deep cleaning time goes, because grease and residue build up where you can’t see.

• Empty and wipe inside cabinets, drawers and shelves, and line them if you wish.
• Degrease the extractor, hob, splashback and tiles.
• Clean the oven, racks and door seals, and the inside of the fridge and dishwasher.
• Descale taps and the sink, and clean the drain.
• Wipe countertops, cabinet fronts, handles and the walls behind the appliances you can reach.

Step 4: Bathrooms

Limescale from hard water is the main enemy in Dubai bathrooms.

• Descale glass screens, tiles, taps, shower heads and the toilet.
• Clean grout lines and sealant, and the extractor fan cover.
• Wipe the vanity inside and out, and the mirror.
• Flush each drain and check for slow drainage.
• Wipe the walls and the back of the door.

Step 5: Bedrooms, wardrobes and living areas

• Wipe inside and outside built-in wardrobes, drawers and shelves.
• Clean doors, handles, light switches and skirting boards.
• Clean window glass, frames and tracks. Sand collects in tracks and stops sliding windows closing properly.
• Clean the balcony floor, railings and door tracks. Exterior glass only where it can be reached safely.
• Vacuum corners before mopping.

Step 6: Floors last

Vacuum, then mop tiles or wood with a product suited to the floor, and extract carpets once the dust has settled. Don’t put furniture on carpets until they are dry. Our guide on how long carpet takes to dry in Dubai explains what to expect.

Tools and products to have ready if you do it yourself

Gather the equipment before you start so you are not interrupted. A vacuum with a crevice tool, a mop and two buckets, microfibre cloths, a stepladder, a scraper for stuck-on residue, gloves and a few bin bags are the basics. For Dubai’s hard water, a descaler for bathrooms and taps is worth having, along with a degreaser for the kitchen and glass cleaner for windows and mirrors. Don’t mix products, especially bleach with anything acidic, and ventilate rooms while you work. Test any strong product on a hidden area first, since some stone, marble and brass finishes mark easily.

How long does it take?

It depends too much on size and condition to give a single figure, but expect the kitchen and bathrooms to take far longer than the rest of the property combined. A small recently occupied apartment may be a long day for one or two people, while a villa that was lived in for years is a multi-day job or a team job. This is the main reason many people hire help: the real cost of DIY is time between getting the keys and the movers arriving, not products. If you do hire help, the quote should state the expected visit length and the team size.

Common problems you will find

• Limescale on glass and taps that regular cleaner won’t touch and that needs a descaler and patience.
• Grease behind and above the hob, which needs a degreaser and a scraper rather than extra rubbing.
• Sand and dust in sliding window and door tracks, which stops them closing smoothly.
• Dirty vents and grilles, which can make a freshly cleaned room dusty again within days.
• Sticky residue from stickers, tape or old shelf liners inside cabinets.
• Odours from drains, which are often a trap or sealing issue rather than dirt.

If something looks like damage, not dirt, note and photograph it and raise it with the landlord or agent, rather than scrubbing it harder.

Villa extras

Villas bring extra areas that apartments don’t have:

• Garage, storage rooms and maid’s room.
• Outdoor tiles, patios and the roof terrace.
• The water tank, which is easier to arrange before you move in; see water tank cleaning.
• Garden irrigation, external lighting and gates, which fall under general upkeep rather than cleaning.

For ongoing upkeep once you move in, look at villa maintenance.

Newly built or freshly renovated properties

Construction dust is fine and sticks to everything, including the inside of cabinets. It needs a longer, staged clean and is quoted differently from a normal move-in. Mention it clearly when asking for a quote.

DIY or hire help?

A small, recently lived-in apartment is a reasonable DIY job if you have a day or two. A larger apartment or a villa, a heavily soiled kitchen, or a tight timeline between getting keys and moving day is where hiring help pays for itself. Our page on move-in deep cleaning lists the typical scope and what drives the quote, and you can share photos on WhatsApp for a confirmed quote.

Final check before the movers arrive

1. Walk each room with a bright torch for missed corners.
2. Run the taps and flush toilets to flush drains.
3. Check the AC filters and vents once more.
4. Air out the property with the AC rather than opening windows in humid weather.
5. Photograph the clean state for your own records.
6. Place felt pads and protective sheets before heavy furniture goes in.