Got orders? Then you already know the last week in Fairbanks goes fast. The movers show up, the house is suddenly empty, and somewhere in there you still have to get the place clean enough to pass a final inspection or get your deposit back.
Here's a checklist we'd actually use. It works for on-post housing at Fort Wainwright or Eielson and for off-post rentals in Fairbanks and North Pole. One thing first: your housing office or landlord has the final word. Ask for their move-out checklist early and treat it as the rulebook. This list just helps you get there.
A week or two out
- Get the official checklist from housing or your landlord, and book your final inspection.
- Pick a cleaning day for after the movers leave. Cleaning around boxes never works.
- Decide now if you're doing it yourself or hiring it out. Move-out cleaners book up in PCS season.
Photo: Liliana Drew on Pexels
Kitchen
- Oven inside and out, racks included. This is the one that fails people most.
- Stovetop, drip pans, and the hood filter. Grease builds up fast up here in the dark months.
- Fridge and freezer emptied, wiped, and dried. Pull it out and clean behind and underneath if you can.
- Cabinets and drawers wiped inside and out.
- Sink, faucet, and dishwasher filter.
Bathrooms
- Tub, shower, and grout scrubbed. Hard water leaves rings, so give it time to soak.
- Toilet, including the base and behind it.
- Mirrors, the vanity, and the inside of drawers.
- Exhaust fan cover dusted.
Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels
Every room
- Walls spot cleaned. Scuffs, fingerprints, and tape marks. Ask before you patch nail holes.
- Baseboards, door frames, and light switches wiped.
- Windows, sills, and tracks. Tracks collect a whole winter of grit.
- Blinds dusted or washed.
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans.
- Closets and shelves emptied and wiped.
Floors and carpet
- Hard floors swept and mopped, corners included.
- Carpets vacuumed well. Many leases and housing offices want them professionally cleaned, so check yours. If the house saw a Fairbanks winter, the entry carpet is probably full of gravel and salt.
Outside and garage
- Garage swept out. Oil spots cleaned if they ask for it.
- Trash and recycling gone. Don't leave a pile by the curb on inspection day.
- In winter, walks and the driveway cleared so the inspector can actually get to the door.
Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels
Should you hire it out?
If you've got kids, a dog, and a flight out in four days, maybe. A move-out clean usually takes a crew one day for an average house, and it can take you two or three after the movers leave. You can request a move-out cleaning quote through Good Hand Co. and we'll get you a price before anyone shows up.
Most move-out cleans we book are handled by The Alaska Cleaning Company, a local Fairbanks crew. If you'd rather go straight to them, you can call or text 907-341-4086 or get a quote on their site.
Need the junk hauled or the driveway plowed before the walkthrough too? We can line that up in the same text.
Good luck with the move. Fairbanks will miss you, and the aurora will still be here if you ever come back.