The truck is loaded, the rooms echo, and the keys are due back. What is left is the part nobody wants after a week of packing: the inside of the oven, the refrigerator shelves, the cabinets and drawers, and the baseboards that sat behind the couch for the whole lease.
That job is ours. Palma Cleaning is a residential house cleaning service in Ocala, Florida, and this page covers one service: the move-out clean of an empty home, and the same clean done before a move-in. It sets out what Florida law and a landlord expect from a tenant who is leaving, what is on our checklist, how to time the clean around the movers and the walkthrough, how the price is worked out, and what costs extra.
A word on who you are dealing with. Google lists us as a House cleaning service, and our Google profile showed a rating of 4.9 from 52 reviews when it was read on October 3, 2026. The Better Business Bureau has listed us as an accredited business since July 21, 2026. The rest is on our about page.
Moving out of a home in Ocala? Call us with the move date, the size of the home and the walkthrough deadline, and we will give you a price and a day.
What a move-out clean is and who books one
A move-out clean is a one-time, top-to-bottom clean of a home with nothing left in it. Because the rooms are empty, we can reach what a regular visit has to work around: the floor where the bed stood, the inside of every cabinet, the full run of every baseboard. Our own FAQ describes it as a comprehensive deep clean designed for real estate transitions, and that is the right way to think of it. One home, one visit, handed over clean.
- Tenants handing back the keys. You want the home clean before the landlord walks it, and an invoice that shows it was professionally cleaned.
- Homeowners who have sold. The clean goes after the movers and before the buyer’s final walkthrough.
- Landlords and property managers. A unit has to be turned between one tenant and the next, often on a short calendar.
- Sellers and agents preparing a listing. A listing-ready clean before the photos and the showings.
- Buyers and new tenants moving in. The same checklist, run before your boxes arrive, so the cabinets and the refrigerator are clean before anything of yours goes into them.
What Florida law expects from a tenant at move-out
The starting point is Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes, the state’s landlord and tenant law. Section 83.52 lists a tenant’s duties, and three of them are about cleaning: keep the part of the premises you occupy and use clean and sanitary, remove all garbage from the unit in a clean and sanitary manner, and keep all plumbing fixtures clean and sanitary and in repair.
Your lease can add to that. If it has a move-out clause, read it before you book anything, because the lease is where a requirement such as professional carpet cleaning would be written. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which publishes the state’s consumer summary of landlord and tenant law, gives two pieces of advice for leaving: leave the premises in a clean condition, and take a last walk-through with the landlord and document any damages.
The deposit deadlines: 15 days, 30 days, 15 days
The deposit rules are in section 83.49. The dates matter for cleaning because they tell you when the home has to be ready and how long you should keep your paperwork close.
| Who | Deadline | What section 83.49 says |
|---|---|---|
| A tenant leaving before the lease term ends, or renting week to week or month to month | At least 7 days before vacating | Give the landlord written notice by certified mail or personal delivery, with the address where you can be reached, unless a written rental agreement provides otherwise. Skipping it relieves the landlord of the claim notice below, although it does not waive your right to the deposit. |
| A landlord with no claim | 15 days | Return the deposit once the tenant has vacated and the rental agreement has ended. |
| A landlord who intends to claim | 30 days | Send written notice of the claim and the reason for it by certified mail to the tenant’s last known mailing address, or by e-mail where both sides have signed an addendum agreeing to electronic notices under section 83.505. |
| A landlord who misses the 30 days | After day 30 | Forfeits the right to impose a claim on the deposit, although the landlord may still file a separate action for damages after returning it. |
| A tenant who receives a claim notice | 15 days from receipt | Object in writing. With no objection, the landlord may deduct the claim and must send the balance within 30 days after the date of the notice. |
If a claim cannot be settled between you and the landlord, the venue here is the county court. The Marion County Clerk of Court handles small claims for disputes of $8,000 or less, says an attorney is not necessary to file, and keeps the forms at its County Civil Department and on its website. The state’s consumer summary adds that a tenant can also file a complaint with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
We cannot promise your deposit back
A landlord decides what to claim, and a judge decides a dispute. No cleaning company controls either one, and a clean does not repair damage. What we control is the clean itself: the checklist below, an invoice for your records, and a return visit to re-clean anything on the booked job that is reported within 48 hours. We are cleaners, not lawyers, so treat this section as a plain summary and read the statute or ask a lawyer about your own case.
The move-out cleaning checklist
This is the list we work from, room by room. It is the move-in and move-out column of the checklist published on our own site, with the furnished-home tasks such as making beds and dusting furniture set aside, since an empty home has neither.
Kitchen
- Oven interior degreased and cleaned
- Inside of the refrigerator scrubbed and wiped
- Inside of cabinets, drawers, pantry and closets wiped
- Microwave wiped inside and out
- Appliance exteriors cleaned
- Behind and under movable appliances cleaned
- Countertops and backsplash disinfected
- Cabinet fronts wiped
- Sink scrubbed and disinfected
- Baseboards washed by hand
- Floor vacuumed, washed or both
Bathrooms
- Shower and bathtub scrubbed, tub and shower tile cleaned
- Toilets disinfected inside and out
- Sinks scrubbed and disinfected
- Chrome fixtures cleaned and shined
- Countertops disinfected and cabinet fronts cleaned
- Mirrors cleaned
- Window sills dusted
- Baseboards washed by hand
- Floor vacuumed, washed or both
Bedrooms
- Floors vacuumed, washed or both
- Baseboards washed by hand
- Window sills dusted
- Cobwebs removed
- Mirrors cleaned
- Door handles and light switches wiped
Living areas, halls and garage
- Ceiling fans dusted where they can be reached
- Windows and blinds cleaned
- Outside of the air vents and the air return vacuumed
- Hallways and stairs vacuumed, washed or both
- Baseboards washed by hand
- Door handles and light switches wiped
- Enclosed sunroom or balcony swept
- Garage floor swept, if the garage is empty
- Trash emptied
What is not on the list, and what costs extra
A move-out quote is only useful if you know what it leaves out. Here is what ours does not cover unless you ask, with the price where we publish one.
- Walls. Wall washing is marked as an add-on on our checklist page for every type of clean. Our pricing page lists spot-cleaning walls at $50.
- Lanai or patio. Listed as an add-on at $50 on our pricing page. A sweep of an enclosed sunroom or balcony is already on the checklist.
- Exterior windows. Interior glass is part of the clean. Our FAQ lists exterior windows as an extra, so ask when you call.
- Pets. Our pricing page lists a pet surcharge of $25.
- Condition. Our move-out page and our pricing page both tie the price to the state of the home. A kitchen that has gone a long time without a full clean takes longer than one that was kept up, so describe it honestly when you call.
- Carpet shampooing and repairs. Neither is on our published checklist. If your lease requires professional carpet cleaning, raise it when you call so you know before clean day whether you need a second company.
- Belongings and furniture. The clean is built for an empty home. Anything you are leaving has to be out before we start.
Three fees in our terms catch people on moving week, so here they are in plain view.
| Situation | What our terms charge |
|---|---|
| You cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, including on the day itself | 50% of the booking |
| There is no water or no electricity at the property | 50% of the booking |
| Belongings are piled on floors, counters or other surfaces so that we cannot reach them to clean | 50% of the booking |
Our terms ask for the same 48 hours’ notice to move a booking to another day. They also allow a charge for a visit where we arrive and cannot get in, so test the key, the code or the lockbox before clean day.
How the price of a move-out clean in Ocala is worked out
We quote every move-out clean before anything is scheduled, and the quote is free. This page does not print one figure, because the price is built from the home. These are the inputs our published price list uses.
- Bedrooms. The base price steps up with the number of bedrooms.
- Bathrooms. Full bathrooms and half baths are each counted, at different rates.
- Square footage. There is no size surcharge under 1,500 square feet. Above that it rises in steps, and a home of 4,000 square feet or more is priced after a free in-person walkthrough.
- The move-out charge. A move-in or move-out clean is the standard price for the home plus a set charge, which is lower for a home under 1,000 square feet.
- Condition. The price list grades the state of the home. The lightest grades carry no surcharge and the heavier ones do.
Our price list says the price on your quote is always the one that counts. Ask for the figure, and for what it covers, before you agree a date.
On a regular visit, the inside of the oven, the inside of the refrigerator and the inside of the cabinets are add-ons, listed on the pricing page at $50 each. On a move-out clean all three are part of the job.
There should be no sales tax line on the quote. The Florida Department of Revenue’s publication on cleaning services says charges for cleaning residential facilities are not taxable, and it names single family dwellings, apartments, duplexes and residential condominiums among them. The same publication says that holds even where the rental of the home is itself taxable, which matters to landlords.
Travel is included for the majority of calls inside our Marion County service area, as our service areas page puts it.
One thing to check on any quote is whether it is a price for the job or a rate by the hour. At least one service advertising move-out cleaning in Ocala publishes an hourly rate, and with hourly billing the total is not known until the last room is finished. Our published prices are set by the home, not by the clock.
Call us for a move-out price. Have the bedroom and bathroom count, the rough square footage and the walkthrough date to hand.
Timing the clean around the move
The order matters more than the date. This is the sequence that works.
- Read the lease and give notice. Check the move-out clause, and give the written notice the lease or section 83.49 calls for, with the address where you can be reached.
- Book once the movers are confirmed. Our Ocala page says most clients can book within 2 to 3 business days, and same-day requests depend on that day’s schedule. Changing the date needs 48 hours’ notice, so fix the movers first and the clean second.
- Empty the home completely. The clean goes after the last box, not around it. That includes the refrigerator, the cabinets, the closets and the garage.
- Keep the water and electricity on through clean day. We need both to work. Set the shutoff or the transfer of the account for the day after the clean, not the day you move.
- Clean, then walk it with the landlord within 48 hours. Our re-clean guarantee runs for 48 hours from the end of the job. If the walkthrough happens inside that window, anything the landlord points to on the checklist can be reported to us in time.
- Hand back the keys and keep the invoice. File it with your move-out photos and your copy of the notice.
Why a long gap before the walkthrough is a bad idea in Ocala
Ocala has a humid subtropical climate, with about 51.6 inches of rain a year and an average July high of 92 F. A closed, empty home with the air conditioning off can take on that humidity. The Environmental Protection Agency advises keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, and using air conditioners or dehumidifiers when needed. So if the home will sit empty after we finish, keep the air conditioning running while the account is still yours, and book the clean as close to the walkthrough as the move allows.
The other local detail is the water. City of Ocala utility water is groundwater, and utility-reported figures from September 2025 put its hardness at 115 mg/L, or 6.7 grains per gallon, which is classed as moderately hard and leaves minor scale over time. Over a lease that scale can build on shower glass, tub edges and chrome, which is where scrubbing the shower and tub and shining the chrome fixtures earn their place on the checklist.
How clean day runs
- Access. You do not need to be there. Many of our clients leave a key, a garage code or a lockbox, and we let you know when we arrive.
- We bring everything. Cleaning products, microfiber cloths, vacuums and mops come with us, which matters in a home where your own vacuum is already on the truck. If you want us to use your own products, leave them out and tell us.
- The checklist, room by room. We work through the list above in each room so nothing is missed.
- Finish. We message you when the job is done. If you are there, we walk the home with you and touch up anything you point out on the spot.
- The 48 hours after. If you or the landlord find something on the checklist that was missed, contact us within 48 hours and we come back to re-clean that area at no charge. The home has to be in substantially the same state as when we left it.
How long it takes depends on the size and state of the home, and we do not publish a set time for a move-out clean. For scale, our deep cleaning page gives 4 to 6 hours for a deep clean of a home. Ask for the expected time when you call if you need to book the walkthrough for the same day.
Before we arrive: your side of the job
Section 83.52 puts removing garbage on the tenant, and an empty home is what lets the clean reach everything. A few things are yours to do first.
- Clear every room, cabinet and closet. Empty the refrigerator and the freezer too.
- Deal with what you are not taking. We empty the trash as part of the clean, but furniture and piles of belongings have to be gone before we start. Inside the city, Ocala’s residential sanitation service collects garbage, yard waste and bulk items one day each week, so ask the City how to get a bulk pile collected at your address. For the rest of the county, Marion County Solid Waste operates 18 recycling centers and says furniture may be dropped at six of them during operating hours: Canal, Dunnellon, Davis, Martel, Newton and Scrambletown. The Baseline Landfill also takes furniture, for a fee. Check the County’s hours before you load the car.
- Leave the water and electricity on. Both, through the end of clean day.
- Sort out access. A key, a garage code or a lockbox, tested.
- Secure any pets still in the home. Our terms ask that pets are kept in a safe area during the clean.
- Tell us what the lease or the landlord asks for. If the property manager gave you a move-out checklist, read it to us when you call so we can tell you what is and is not covered.
For landlords, property managers and sellers
We clean turnovers between tenants and homes going on the market. Our move-out page sets out what comes with that work: itemized invoices for your bookkeeping and deposit records and, if you manage several units, a standing arrangement with consistent pricing and one point of contact. Tell us the deadline and we work around it, including quick turns when the calendar allows.
Two points from earlier on this page apply to you directly. A landlord who intends to claim against a deposit has 30 days to send the written notice, so a turnover clean booked promptly gives you an itemized cost while that window is still open. And under the Department of Revenue’s publication, the charge for cleaning a residential rental is not taxable even where the rental itself is. For a sale, the clean goes after the movers and before the buyer’s final walkthrough.
What to ask before you book any move-out cleaner
- Is this a price for the job or an hourly rate? Ours is by the home.
- Are the oven, the refrigerator and the cabinet interiors included? On ours they are.
- What happens if the landlord flags something? Ask how long you have to report it. Ours is 48 hours. At least one other service advertising in Ocala publishes 24 hours.
- What does it cost to cancel? Ours is 50% of the booking when you cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, and we ask for the same notice to move the date. At least one service in this market publishes no cancellation at all once a one-time job is confirmed.
- Do the utilities need to be on, and does the home need to be empty? For us, yes to both.
- Who brings the supplies? We do.
- Is there sales tax on the quote? For a home in Florida there should not be.
- Who is the company? Look for a named business, a phone number that is answered and reviews you can read for yourself on Google.
When this page was written in October 2026, two other pages ranking for move-out cleaning in Ocala gave no deposit deadlines, no word on whether utilities must be on and no word on sales tax. That is why those answers are spelled out here.
How a move-out clean differs from our other services
| Compare | Recurring clean | Deep clean | Move-out or move-in clean |
|---|---|---|---|
| The home is | Lived in and furnished | Lived in and furnished | Empty |
| What it is for | Keeping a home clean from visit to visit | Resetting a home you are staying in | Handing a home over, or taking one over |
| Inside the oven | Add-on | Included | Included |
| Published time on site | 1.5 to 3 hours | 4 to 6 hours | Not published; it depends on the home |
If you are staying put and the home needs a reset, the page you want is deep cleaning Ocala. If you have moved in and want the place kept up, maid service Ocala covers our weekly, every-other-week and monthly visits. The move-out clean is the one-time job in between.
Where we do move-out cleans
We work across Ocala and the parts of Marion County in our service area. Our site names Downtown Ocala, Southwest Ocala and the SR 200 and I-75 corridors, along with Fore Ranch, Heath Brook, Stone Creek, Oak Run, On Top of the World, Golden Hills, Calesa Township, Marion Oaks, Silver Springs, Belleview, Summerfield and Dunnellon. The Ocala ZIP codes it lists are 34470, 34471, 34474, 34476, 34480 and 34481. If your address is not named, call and ask.
Tell us the move date and the walkthrough date. Call us and we will price the home and find the day that fits between the two.
Questions people ask
How much does move-out cleaning cost in Ocala?
We quote each home, free of charge, before anything is scheduled. The price is built from the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage and the condition of the home, plus a set move-out charge on top of the standard price. The inside of the oven, the refrigerator and the cabinets is included. Florida does not tax residential cleaning, so no sales tax is added. Call us with the bedroom and bathroom count and the square footage for a price on your home.
Will a move-out clean get my security deposit back?
No cleaner can promise that, and we do not. The landlord decides whether to make a claim, and a clean does not repair damage. What a professional clean does is leave the home cleaned to a written checklist and give you an invoice to keep with your move-out photos. If the landlord flags something on our checklist within 48 hours, we come back and re-clean it at no charge.
How long does a Florida landlord have to return a security deposit?
Under section 83.49 of the Florida Statutes, a landlord who makes no claim has 15 days to return the deposit once the tenant has vacated and the rental agreement has ended. A landlord who intends to keep any of it has 30 days to send written notice with the reason. The tenant then has 15 days from receiving that notice to object in writing. A landlord who misses the 30 days forfeits the right to claim against the deposit.
Do the water and electricity need to be on for a move-out clean?
Yes. We cannot clean a home without running water and electricity, and our terms charge 50% of the booking if either is unavailable. Schedule the shutoff or the account transfer for the day after the clean. If the account has already been closed, tell us straight away, because moving the date needs the 48 hours’ notice our terms require.
Do I have to be home during the clean?
No. Many of our clients leave a key, a garage code or a lockbox, which suits a move where you are already at the new place. We let you know when we arrive and when we finish. If you can be there at the end, we walk through the home with you and touch up anything you point out before we leave.
Does the home have to be completely empty?
It should be. The move-out checklist is built for an empty home, which is what lets us clean inside every cabinet and across every floor. Belongings piled on floors, counters or other surfaces so that we cannot reach them count as excessive clutter under our terms, and that carries a fee of 50% of the booking. If a few items are staying for the next occupant, tell us when you call.
Is cleaning inside the oven, refrigerator and cabinets included?
Yes. On a move-out or move-in clean we degrease and clean the oven interior, scrub and wipe the inside of the refrigerator, and wipe inside the cabinets, drawers and pantry. On a regular visit those are add-ons, listed on our pricing page at $50 each. Empty the refrigerator and the cabinets before we arrive so we can get to every shelf.
What if my landlord finds something after the clean?
Contact us within 48 hours of the clean. Under our satisfaction guarantee we return and re-clean the areas concerned at no additional charge, as long as the issue is part of the original job and the home is in substantially the same condition as when we left. That is the reason to schedule the landlord’s walkthrough inside those 48 hours and not a week later.
How far ahead should I book a move-out clean?
As soon as the movers are confirmed. Our Ocala page says most clients can book within 2 to 3 business days, and same-day requests depend on the schedule that day. Our terms ask for 48 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule, and a cancellation with less notice is charged 50% of the booking, so set the moving date first. If the walkthrough date is tight, say so when you call.
Is there sales tax on move-out cleaning in Florida?
Not for a home. The Florida Department of Revenue’s publication on cleaning services says charges for cleaning residential facilities are not taxable, and it lists single family dwellings, apartments, duplexes and residential condominiums. A quote for a move-out clean of a house or an apartment in Ocala should show no sales tax.
Do you clean a home before a move-in as well?
Yes. It is the same checklist, done before your furniture and boxes arrive. Buyers and new tenants book it so the cabinets, drawers, refrigerator and bathrooms are clean before anything of theirs goes in. The home needs to be empty and the water and electricity need to be on, so line up the utility start date before clean day.
What is the difference between a deep clean and a move-out clean?
Both go further than a regular visit. The difference is the state of the home. A deep clean works around the furniture and belongings in a home you live in. A move-out clean assumes an empty home, so every cabinet, drawer, closet and floor is open to us, and the oven and the refrigerator are cleaned inside as part of the job. If you are not moving, our deep cleaning page is the one to read.