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Move-out carpet cleaning in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater
We do move-out carpet cleaning in Thurston County and the South Sound, booked for after the movers have gone. We clean carpets and upholstery only, with the price agreed before we start and a dated, itemised receipt on our letterhead when we finish. Hot water extraction, often called steam cleaning, with proper carpet care so the unit is ready for inspection.
What our move-out clean covers
Apartment move-out cleaning usually covers the whole unit, including the oven, fridge, cabinets and bathrooms, and that work belongs with a general cleaner. We clean the carpets and upholstery once they've finished.
Included
- Hot water extraction in every carpeted room, hallway and staircase
- Traffic lanes, spots and pet areas pre-treated
- Sofas, armchairs and mattresses left in furnished rentals (see upholstery cleaning)
- Tile and grout, or sealed hardwood, added if you ask when you book
- Before-and-after photos on request
- A dated, itemised receipt on our letterhead
Book someone else for
- Ovens, fridges, cabinets and bathroom fixtures
- Walls, windows, blinds and baseboards
- Carpet stretching, patching or repair
- Hauling out furniture or junk left behind
Washington security deposit rules and carpet cleaning
This is a summary of what the statute says, written by carpet cleaners. What it means for your own lease is a question for your landlord, or for a lawyer or tenant resource if it becomes a dispute.
30 days to return or explain
Under RCW 59.18.280, a landlord has 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant has moved out to return the deposit, or to give a full and specific statement of the reasons for keeping any of it.
Charges need paperwork
The same section says damage charges have to be backed by copies of estimates received or invoices paid.
Ordinary wear is excluded
A deposit can't be kept for wear resulting from ordinary use. The same section also bars withholding for carpet cleaning unless the landlord documents carpet wear beyond ordinary use.
The move-in checklist
RCW 59.18.260 requires a written checklist describing the unit's condition and cleanliness, carpets included, signed and dated by landlord and tenant when a deposit is collected. Find your copy before move-out day.
Book us after the movers
Once the unit is empty we can reach the carpet that sat under the bed and the sofa for years. It also means nobody carries boxes back across damp pile.
Leave drying time
Most rooms are walkable in a few hours, longer when the heat is off or the weather is damp. Before we leave we'll tell you how long to allow, so you can plan when to hand back the keys.
Pet areas
Urine spreads wider under carpet than it looks on top, so we find the edges before the enzyme treatment goes down (more on pet odour removal). A recent accident usually clears. Marking that has gone on for years and reached the pad and subfloor often needs the pad replaced and the subfloor sealed, which we don't do.
Tell us what's there
Rooms, stairs, hallways and any stains or pet spots. Photos help, so send them with the quote form. If you call instead, we can usually give you a price on the call.
What cleaning won't fix
- Bleach and cleaner damage, where the colour has been stripped out
- Sun fading, and dye transfer in many cases
- Worn traffic lanes, ripples and tears, which need repair or replacement
We'll tell you what we think will lift before we quote for it, and there's more on our stain removal page.
Move-out carpet cleaning for tenants and landlords
Moving out of a rental
Book for once the truck has gone. If your lease mentions carpet cleaning, tell us when you call. Every room we clean goes on a dated, itemised receipt, which you keep as a record that the work was done.
Turning a unit
Landlords and property managers can hold standing dates on a turnover calendar, with agreed per-unit pricing and an itemised invoice for each unit's property file. See turns for property managers.
Still need the unit emptied?
Caravan Moving LLC is a separate company that can usually move everything out the same week. They contract with you and bill you separately from us. Landlords clearing out what a tenant left behind can see their property cleanouts page.
Move-out carpet cleaning questions
Is move-out carpet cleaning the same as apartment move-out cleaning?
No. We clean carpets and upholstery, and we don't clean ovens, fridges, cabinets, bathroom fixtures or walls. Book a general cleaner for those and have them in before us, so nobody walks across damp carpet.
Does Washington law require carpet cleaning when I move out?
RCW 59.18.280 says no part of a deposit can be withheld for carpet cleaning unless the landlord documents wear to the carpet beyond wear resulting from ordinary use. We can't tell you what your own lease requires. If you're in a dispute, a lawyer or tenant resource can tell you what the statute means for you.
When should I book carpet cleaning before moving out?
After the movers, once the unit is empty. Leave a few hours of drying time before you hand back the keys, and more in a cold or damp unit.
Do you give a dated receipt for move-out carpet cleaning?
Yes. You get a dated, itemised receipt on our letterhead listing each room or area we cleaned or treated. Ask for before-and-after photos when you book and they come with it.
How much does move-out carpet cleaning cost?
It depends on the size of the unit and what the carpet has been through, so we quote each job instead of publishing prices. Call (360) 339-3129 or use the quote form and we'll text or call you a price, usually the same day. The price is agreed before we start.
Put the carpets on the calendar after the movers
Tell us how many rooms and stairs, and where the pet spots are. You'll have a price, usually the same day, agreed before anything gets wet.