Move-Out Cleaning in a Mira Mesa Studio

A Small Studio With More Work Than the Floor Plan Suggested

The studio was approximately 450 square feet.

Nearly every wall needed to be scrubbed. Cabinet interiors and exteriors needed attention. Two closet doors were heavily soiled. The refrigerator, stove, oven, bathroom, balcony, and entryway all needed to be worked through.

The carpet was already scheduled for replacement separately.

The small floor plan did not reflect the amount of surface area or appliance work waiting inside.

What We Found Once Work Began

The owner was at the property when we discovered that the hot water was not functioning.

We let him know immediately.

Hot water helps loosen grease and stubborn buildup, particularly in a kitchen. Without it, some of the heavier cleaning required more manual work and more time.

We also walked the walls with the owner while he was there.

Nearly every wall needed attention. There were small dots and residue throughout the painted surfaces. We had seen similar marks in homes with insect activity, although we could not confirm their source.

We discussed the additional wall cleaning with him, and he agreed to expand the scope before we proceeded.

The Refrigerator

The refrigerator was already part of the original cleaning, but it became the largest single project in the studio.

As we worked farther into it, we reached the rear cooling vent and discovered a removable shroud.

Behind it, the extent of the insect debris became much clearer.

Insect debris was lodged deep inside internal passages behind the vent and shroud, including areas we could not fully reach through cleaning.

At that point, Jamie called the owner.

She explained what we had found, where it was located, and that we were unlikely to be able to remove everything because some of it was inside parts of the refrigerator we could not fully access.

We asked whether he wanted us to continue cleaning it or whether he planned to replace the refrigerator.

He asked us to continue and do the best we could.

So we did.

Most of the insects we encountered were dead. Two live insects were found during the cleaning.

The refrigerator required considerably more time and attention than originally expected.

Opening Up the Kitchen

The kitchen cabinets were cleaned inside and out.

The stove had heavily burned-on buildup that required repeated scrubbing. The oven was also cleaned.

There was buildup behind the refrigerator and stove as well.

Radiant does not ordinarily move large appliances during cleaning because they can damage flooring when repositioned.

With the owner present and helping move the appliances, we were able to reach and clean the areas behind both the refrigerator and stove.

The Walls

The wall cleaning became another major part of the job.

There was heavy residue throughout the studio, from lower areas of the walls toward the ceiling, and crayon had been left across portions of the painted surfaces.

The two closet doors also required heavy scrubbing.

We cleaned the painted surfaces carefully, including the areas marked with crayon.

The crayon, residue, and other marks came off.

Once the walls were clean, the painted finish underneath was in very good condition, aside from a few small nail holes and nails still in place.

The finish also held up well to repeated scrubbing without visible wear.

Based on the condition of the painted surfaces when we finished, repainting did not appear necessary because of the marks and residue we had removed.

Cleaning nearly every wall added considerably to the work.

Additional Work

One closet door was also off its proper connection.

Door repair is not part of a normal cleaning scope, but this was something we could address with the tools we had available, so we reattached it while we were there.

As the owner was leaving, he also asked us to add the front porch.

We confirmed that we would take care of it and included it before the job was completed.

Windows and Other Limitations

We cleaned the interior side of two windows in the main studio and kitchen areas.

The sliding glass door was cleaned inside and out.

After both sides of the slider had been cleaned, residue was still visible between the panes.

That material was inside the sealed glass and could not be reached through cleaning.

The carpet remained outside the cleaning because replacement had already been scheduled separately.

After the Cleaning

The towels and mop heads used inside the studio were discarded because of the insect condition.

The vacuum was taken out of regular use and would require servicing before being returned to normal work. A replacement vacuum was purchased on the way home so regular cleaning work could continue.

Completed Work

By the end of the cleaning, the extensive wall residue and crayon had been removed, and the painted finish underneath remained in very good condition.

The agreed cleaning was completed in the kitchen, bathroom, entryway, balcony, and added front porch, including the accessible areas of the refrigerator, stove, oven, cabinets, and windows. With the owner’s help, we also cleaned behind the refrigerator and stove.

The carpet remained scheduled for replacement. Residue trapped between the panes of the slider remained beyond the reach of cleaning, and some insect debris inside inaccessible refrigerator components could not be completely removed.

Approximately 11 labor hours were recorded for the work.