What is move-in cleaning and when should it be done?
Move-in cleaning is a full sanitising clean of an empty property before you move in — inside every cupboard, wardrobe, oven and fridge, with all bathrooms descaled and disinfected. It starts from QAR 500 and takes around six hours. Book it before your furniture arrives, because once boxes are in, those areas are no longer reachable.
Move-In Cleaning Services in Qatar
Somebody else lived here. Move-in cleaning is about starting in a property that is genuinely clean rather than merely tidy — the insides of cupboards, the oven, the fridge seals, the shower grout, the places a previous tenant's cleaner never reached and the letting agent's photographs did not show.
Timing Is Crucial: Clean Before Furniture Arrives
Book it empty and before furniture. An empty property lets the team reach inside every cupboard and wardrobe, behind appliances, along skirting boards and into window tracks. Once furniture arrives those areas are gone, and what you get is a standard clean at a move-in price.
Move-In vs Move-Out vs Post-Construction
Three distinct services for empty properties with completely different scopes, standards, and judging criteria:
| Dimension | Move-In Cleaning | Move-Out Cleaning | Post-Construction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property State | Empty, arriving to settle | Empty, vacating & leaving | Empty, newly handed-over |
| Judged By | You & your family's personal hygiene standards | Landlord, property manager or inventory agent | Developer handover inspector / homeowner |
| Primary Focus | Sanitizing after prior occupants, food surfaces, wardrobes | Meeting tenancy checklist to secure full security deposit | Extracting silica cement dust, paint splatters, grout haze |
| Starting Price | From QAR 500 | From QAR 500 | From QAR 600 |
Note: If your property is a brand-new handover, you need post-construction cleaning first. Cement dust does not vacuum out in one pass, and booking move-in cleaning on a new build usually means paying for both.
Complete Move-In Cleaning Checklist
Inside Built-Ins
Inside all kitchen cupboards, bedroom wardrobes, and bathroom drawers, including runners and shelf tops.
Kitchen Appliances
Inside the oven (racks, door glass, walls), inside the fridge & freezer (door seals, shelves), and extractor degreased.
Bathroom Sanitization
Full descaling of shower screens, taps, basins, and deep disinfection of toilet bowls and tiled surrounds.
Windows & Tracks
Interior window panes, frames, sills, and scraping/vacuuming sand-compacted sliding patio door runners.
Joinery & High Points
Door tops, architraves, skirting boards wiped, light switches sanitized, and AC louvres dusted.
Floors & Waste
All tiled and marble flooring scrubbed and mopped by surface type; remaining debris bagged and removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does move-in cleaning cost in Qatar?
Move-in cleaning starts from QAR 500 and takes around six hours for a two- to three-bedroom property. Studios cost less and villas more. The property should be empty, so the team can reach inside cupboards, wardrobes and appliances.
What is the difference between move-in and move-out cleaning?
The same depth, a different purpose. Move-out cleaning is scoped around what a landlord or agent inspects at handover so your deposit comes back. Move-in cleaning is about sanitising a property after a previous occupant, so you start in a home that is genuinely clean rather than merely tidy.
Do I need move-in cleaning for a brand-new apartment?
A newly handed-over unit needs post-construction cleaning first, not move-in cleaning. New-builds carry cement dust inside cupboards, on door tops and in window tracks, which a standard clean will not shift. Post-construction cleaning starts from QAR 600, and move-in cleaning follows it if needed.
Should I book before or after my furniture arrives?
Before. An empty property lets the team clean inside every cupboard and wardrobe, behind appliances and along skirting boards without working around boxes. Once furniture is in, those areas are no longer reachable and the result is a standard clean rather than a move-in clean.
What does move-in cleaning include?
Inside all cupboards and wardrobes, inside the oven, fridge and freezer, extractor degreasing, full bathroom descaling and disinfection, grout cleaning, window glass, frames and tracks, skirting boards, door tops, AC grilles, and all floors cleaned by surface type.
Can you clean the property I am leaving as well?
Yes, and booking both together is usually cheaper and easier to schedule than arranging them separately. The same team can clean the property you are leaving and the one you are entering, often in the same week and sometimes on the same day.
Moving Homes in Qatar? Book Your Move-In Clean
Moving between two homes? Book move-in and move-out together with the same assigned team for a seamless transition.