Moving to a new home in Saint Johns, Nocatee, or anywhere in St. Johns County is exciting. It is also exhausting. The truck arrives, the boxes pile up, the kids find their rooms, and somewhere in the chaos you realize the previous owner's life is still in the corners of your new house.
This is the single biggest underrated step in any move. Doing it right saves you weeks of frustration. Skipping it means unpacking your toothbrush onto a counter that was last cleaned by a stranger.
Here is why a move-in deep clean matters more than people realize, what it actually includes, and when to schedule it.
Why your new home needs a deep clean (even if it looks clean)
Resale homes have layers of history
Even the most house-proud seller cleans for a showing, not for the next owner. A "clean" home at closing means the surfaces look good in photos. It does not mean inside the oven, behind the refrigerator, inside cabinets, on top of cabinets, or in the bathroom vents.
A typical pre-listing clean takes 2 to 3 hours. A real deep clean takes 5 to 7 hours. The difference is everywhere you cannot see from the front door.
New construction is dirtier than you think
This one surprises people. Brand new homes in Nocatee, Twenty Mile, Settlers Landing, and the new St. Johns builds come with construction residue everywhere. Drywall dust in HVAC vents. Caulk smears on bathroom corners. Sawdust in cabinet bottoms. Sticker adhesive on appliances. Paint splatters on tile grout.
Builder "punch-list" cleaning is fast and shallow. The crew that "cleans" a new home before closing typically spends 90 minutes total. They run a vacuum, wipe counters, and leave. Everything beneath the surface stays exactly as construction left it.
A proper post-construction move-in clean takes 6 to 10 hours and addresses every surface. We wrote a full guide on this in our post-construction cleaning guide for new builds in Nocatee.
Allergens and odors compound
Pet dander, smoking residue, cooking oils, and humidity-grown mold all settle into a home over years. They survive the average showing-quality clean. They become your problem the moment you move your furniture in.
A move-in deep clean is the only practical chance to address all of this with an empty home. Once your couch is in the living room, you cannot scrub the carpet underneath it without moving the couch.
What a move-in deep clean actually covers
This is what we do on every move-in visit. The whole home is empty, which is the only reason it can be done this thoroughly.
Kitchen
- Inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
- Inside and outside of oven, including racks, door glass, broiler pan
- Inside and outside of microwave
- Inside and outside of dishwasher, including filter
- Inside of refrigerator and freezer
- Behind and under refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher
- Range hood and filter
- Sink basin, faucet, disposal
- Backsplash and grout
- All hardware, fixtures, and outlet covers
Bathrooms (every one)
- Toilet inside, outside, base, and behind
- Shower walls, glass, fixtures, grout
- Tub including jets
- Vanity counter, sink, faucet
- Inside cabinets and drawers
- Mirror and cabinet exteriors
- Light fixtures and exhaust fan
- Floor edges and corners
Bedrooms and common areas
- Inside all closets including shelving
- Inside any built-in storage
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures
- Window sills, tracks, and interior glass
- All baseboards washed
- Door frames and door interiors
- Outlet and switch covers
- HVAC vents wiped or removed for cleaning
Whole home
- Top of cabinets and tall furniture spots
- Behind doors
- Floor edges along every wall
- Final sweep and mop of every room
- Trash hauling
The full 50-point breakdown is in our 50-point deep cleaning checklist.
Timeline by home size
Move-in cleaning takes longer than regular deep cleaning because empty cabinets and empty closets are part of the scope.
| Home Size | 2-Person Crew | 3-Person Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sqft | 4 to 5 hours | 3 to 4 hours |
| 1,500 to 2,500 sqft | 5 to 7 hours | 4 to 5 hours |
| 2,500 to 3,500 sqft | 7 to 9 hours | 5 to 6 hours |
| 3,500 to 4,500 sqft | 9 to 12 hours | 6 to 8 hours |
| 4,500+ sqft | Split across two days | 8 to 10 hours |
For comparison: a regular deep clean on a furnished home in the same square footage runs 25 to 40 percent faster, because the crew is not cleaning inside cabinets and behind appliances.
When to schedule the move-in clean
Three options, in order from best to acceptable.
Best: The day before move-in
Your sellers (or builder) is out. The home is empty. We come in with a full crew, do the complete deep clean in one day, and you wake up the next morning to unpack into a home that is genuinely fresh.
This is what every St. Johns and Nocatee client who has done it twice always does the second time.
Good: Move-in morning, you unload in the afternoon
If timing is tight, we can do the move-in clean in the morning while you handle the closing or the U-Haul pickup, then the movers arrive in the afternoon. The home is still empty when we work. Just give us 4 to 6 hours of clear access.
Acceptable: Within the first week, room by room
If you cannot get access before move-in, we can come a few days later and clean room by room as you unpack each one. This is slower and more expensive (we are working around your stuff) but better than not doing it at all.
Costs and what to expect
Move-in deep cleaning in St. Johns and Jacksonville typically runs:
| Home Size | Empty Home (Move-In) | Furnished Deep Clean |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 sqft | $300 to $450 | $250 to $400 |
| 2,500 sqft | $450 to $650 | $400 to $550 |
| 3,500 sqft | $650 to $900 | $550 to $750 |
| 4,500 sqft | $900 to $1,200 | $750 to $1,000 |
Why empty homes cost more: the inside-cabinet, inside-appliance, inside-closet work that is impossible in a furnished home is included. The visit covers about 30 percent more surface area.
For a deeper breakdown of pricing across St. Johns County, read our house cleaning cost guide.
What to do before we arrive
Move-in cleans go fastest when:
- The home is completely empty (no furniture)
- Utilities are on (water and power required)
- Trash bins are accessible for our hauling
- AC is on and set to 75F or below (we generate heat working)
- You have communicated any specific concerns or extra requests in advance
If you are still finalizing closing on the day of cleaning, just give us the lockbox code or smart-lock access. We will text you when we arrive and when we are done.
Common mistakes that hurt your move-in
1. Trusting "we already cleaned" from sellers or builders. Trust but verify. Walk through with your phone and open every cabinet, every drawer, the oven, the fridge, the dishwasher. You will see it.
2. Putting things away before deep cleaning. Once your clothes are in the closet, no one is cleaning behind the closet shelves. Move-in deep clean is a one-shot opportunity.
3. Hiring a "discount" cleaner for the move-in. Move-in cleans are physically harder than regular cleans. Underpriced crews rush. You will discover what they missed for months afterward.
4. Skipping the inside of appliances. Drip pans, oven racks, dishwasher filters, and inside cabinets are where you find the previous owner's life. Always include them.
Why St. Johns specifically
We do most of our move-in cleans in Saint Johns and Nocatee because both communities have heavy real estate turnover and constant new construction.
- Saint Johns: new builds along Race Track Road, CR-210, and the Bartram Trail corridor; resales in Julington Creek, Aberdeen, Durbin Crossing
- Nocatee: new builds in Settlers Landing, Crosswater, Tidewater; resales in Coastal Oaks, Twenty Mile, Greenleaf
- Ponte Vedra: larger homes in Sawgrass, Marsh Landing, Palm Valley
- Saint Augustine: beach homes in St. Augustine Beach, Vilano Beach, Anastasia Island; new builds in World Golf Village
- Jacksonville: Mandarin, San Marco, Bartram Park, the Beaches
Whatever you bought and wherever you are moving from, the move-in clean is the same fundamental job.
Ready to book your move-in clean?
We do move-in cleaning, move-out cleaning, and deep cleaning across Saint Johns, Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, Saint Augustine, and Jacksonville. Most move-in cleans can be booked with 5 to 7 days notice.
If you are also handling the move-out on your old home, read our move-out cleaning deposit checklist next.
Frequently asked questions
Should I clean the new home myself before moving in? You can, but it will take you 12 to 20 hours and you will miss things a pro would catch. The math almost never works in favor of DIY for a full move-in clean. We covered the math in our ROI of hiring a cleaning service article.
Does new construction really need a deep clean? Yes. Builder punch-list cleaning is shallow. Drywall dust in vents, caulk smears in showers, and adhesive residue on appliances are universal. The full picture is in our post-construction cleaning guide.
Can I be at the home while you clean? Yes, but it is faster and easier if you are not. The home should be completely empty of furniture for the best result, so most clients drop the keys and head to the closing or grab coffee at the Nocatee Town Center.
What if I find something missed after you leave? Our move-in cleans come with a 24-hour satisfaction guarantee. Tell us within the first day and we send the crew back to address any specific spots at no charge.