What Does “Broom Clean” Mean?

People will often see “broom clean condition” on real estate contracts and rental leases but are unsure about what it means. While it obviously refers to how clean you should leave your home or apartment for its next tenants, exactly how clean is broom condition clean? This term comes with different expectations based on whether you rent or own your home. Continue reading for some insight into these “broom clean” expectations. 

What “Broom Clean” Means for Sellers

If you owned your home and sold it, you are expected to clean the home and get it into great shape before you leave. So, as soon as you move all of your stuff, get your cleaning supplies and get to work! Vacuum each room, clean all the floors, dust the window sills, clean the windows, etc.

However, because you don’t have a landlord you don’t have a security deposit at stake. So while you might not have anything being held against you to clean the place, leaving the home clean for its next occupants is still a common courtesy. 

It is definitely expected that you take everything with you though. Don’t leave anything behind for the next buyers to have to deal with. If there is anything the next buyers might want like installed shelves, mirrors, paint cans, etc. ask them first. If they don’t want them, don’t leave them behind.

What “Broom Clean” Means for Renters

When leaving your rental apartment, broom clean means you should leave the place in the same condition and as clean as it was when you arrived.  You’ll want to make sure that the apartment is clean and ready for the next tenants. Don’t forget, your landlord has your security deposit and you’ll want to get that back! So, when cleaning the apartment, give it your all so that your landlord has no reason to withhold that deposit from you. 

Another thing you should do is fix all of the marks you might have made on the walls. This could be from photos and decor you hung up or maybe window coverings that you installed. Then, once you are done with everything, take photos to document how you left the place. The reason for this is so that you have proof in case your landlord tries to withhold your deposit for any reason. 

How to “Broom Clean” 

At the end of the day, if a lease or contract asks for a broom cleaning, remove all your belongings and clutter, clean the floors, fix any marks you made in the walls, and just make sure the place looks put together. Most times, landlords and sellers will hire professional cleaning crews to get to all the details, so just make sure to put in a good effort to get the place in decent shape!