Security deposit deductions in New York come down to a handful of things, and “dirty carpet” and “stained furniture” are near the top. The good news: soiling is exactly what cleaning removes, and a documented professional clean turns a $500 deduction into a non-issue. Here is what to cover and when.
What landlords actually deduct for
- Carpet stains and traffic lanes — the most common charge; often quoted as full replacement.
- Pet odor in carpet or furnished-unit upholstery.
- Stained mattress or sofa in a furnished apartment.
- Not: normal wear. Worn fiber in a 5-year-old carpet is the landlord’s problem; ground-in soil is yours.
What a move-out clean should cover
- Wall-to-wall carpet — all rooms, pre-treatment on lanes and spots. See why traffic lanes come out.
- Furnished-unit upholstery — sofa, armchairs, dining chairs, mattress. Same pricing as our sofa cleaning and mattress cleaning.
- Pet treatment if there were animals — enzyme, not fragrance; the landlord’s nose on walkthrough day is the test. See pet odor removal.
When to schedule
After the furniture is out and before the walkthrough — ideally 1–2 days before, so everything is dry and the apartment smells like nothing. Empty rooms clean faster and better: full access to lanes and edges. A one-bedroom with wall-to-wall carpet takes 1.5–2 hours and dries in 4–8.
Documenting it
- Ask for an invoice stating “professional hot-water extraction carpet cleaning” with address and date — we provide it as standard.
- Take dated photos after drying, especially of previously stained areas.
- If the lease says “professionally cleaned carpet,” the invoice is your compliance proof.
What cannot be fixed by cleaning
Burns, bleach spots, pet urine that soaked through to the subfloor, and fiber physically worn through. We tell you at inspection so you can decide whether to negotiate instead of paying for a clean that will not change the outcome.
Landlords and management companies
We also do turnover cleaning between tenants — carpet, furnished-unit upholstery, mattresses — with invoicing and scheduling around showings. Details on the commercial page; all boroughs including Queens and the Bronx, plus Jersey City / Hoboken.
Move-out cleaning FAQ
How many days before the walkthrough should I book?
Two days is ideal; one is fine. Same-day is possible but the carpet may still be damp at the walkthrough.
Can the landlord still charge for carpet after professional cleaning?
For remaining damage, possibly; for “dirty carpet” after a documented professional clean, that is a much weaker claim — the invoice plus photos are your evidence.
Do you need the apartment empty?
Empty is best and cheapest. We can work around remaining furniture if the move is in stages.
