Don't Forget the Garage and Patio on Your Move-Out Clean

That Cleaning Girl · Move-In / Move-Out

Most move-out plans stop at the back door. Then the inspector or the buyer opens the garage and finds paint cans, a dusty floor and a pile of cardboard. Outdoor and garage spaces are part of the home, and a quick clean out there finishes the job. After the bathrooms, which we covered in Move-Out Bathroom Cleaning: Hard Water, Soap Scum and Grout, step outside.

Clear it out first

Garages fill up quietly. Before you clean anything, empty it completely: tools, bikes, holiday boxes, the shelf of half-used spray paint. Check the rafters and the attic space above the garage if you stored anything there.

Be careful with chemicals. Paint, motor oil, pool chemicals and pesticides should not go in your regular trash in many areas. Look up your city or county household hazardous waste drop-off. Leaving them behind is a common source of complaints from landlords and new owners.

Sweep from the top down

Garages collect cobwebs in every corner and along the garage door tracks. Use a broom or a duster on a pole to knock down cobwebs from the ceiling, the light fixtures, the corners and the door opener. Then sweep the walls if they are unfinished, and finally the floor, from the back toward the open garage door.

• Wipe light switches and the door opener button.
• Wipe the door to the house, which gets greasy hand marks.
• Clean shelving that stays with the house.
• Sweep under and behind where cars, bins and workbenches sat.

Oil spots and stains on concrete

Fresh oil spots can often be lifted with cat litter or baking soda. Spread it on the spot, grind it in with your shoe, let it sit and sweep it up. A degreaser and a stiff brush help with older stains. Some stains have soaked in for years and will not come out fully, which is normal for a garage. Do your best, then photograph it so there are no surprises.

The patio, porch and balcony

In North Texas, outdoor spaces get a heavy coat of something almost every season: oak and cedar pollen in spring, dust in the summer heat and leaves in the fall. A patio that looked fine a month ago can be yellow-green by moving day.

• Sweep the patio, porch steps and walkway.
• Wipe outdoor light fixtures and clear out bugs.
• Knock cobwebs off the eaves, the ceiling fan and the corners.
• Wipe the back door, the glass and the sliding door tracks.
• Clean any built-in grill or outdoor kitchen that stays with the house.

If you have a hose and permission to use the water, a rinse of the patio after sweeping helps a lot. Just sweep the runoff away from the door.

The yard and pet areas

Pick up pet waste. It sounds simple, but it is one of the most common things left behind. Rake up toys, old flower pots and anything in the side yard. Check your lease about yard condition, since some leases ask for the lawn to be mowed. If you used a dog run, give it a careful once-over.

Outdoor items and trash cans

Empty and rinse the trash and recycling bins if they stay with the house. Pull them back to where they belong, not on the curb. Take down any decorations, string lights and hooks you added, and check your lease before removing anything that was there when you moved in. Leave the mailbox clean and empty. If you put up a doorbell camera, a house number plaque or a wreath hook, decide whether it stays or goes, and if it goes, wipe the spot it left behind.

Timing the outside work

Outdoor work is best in the morning, especially in a Texas summer. By mid-afternoon in July, a garage can feel like an oven. Do the garage and patio early, then come inside for the kitchen and bathrooms in the air conditioning. Families moving around Mansfield and Kennedale often have big two-car or three-car garages, so plan a real block of time for them.

Also think about the order with the movers. The garage is often where the last boxes wait, so you may not be able to sweep it until the truck pulls away. Sweep the patio and porch early, but leave the garage floor for the final hour.

The last thing they see on the way in

For many people, the garage is the door they use every day. A swept, empty garage and a clean back patio make the whole home feel cared for, whether you are handing it to a landlord or a family who just bought it. For our full empty-home service, see our move-out cleaning services.