Quebec's July 1st moving day turns the South Shore into one big handover. Most leases end the same day, trucks are booked months ahead, and the gap between one tenant leaving and the next arriving can be a matter of hours. That's exactly why the cleaning plan needs to be settled well before June.
Start with what landlords and incoming tenants notice first: the inside of the oven and fridge, the bathtub and toilet, and the kitchen cupboards. These four areas cause most disputes, and they're the hardest to fix in a rush once the furniture is gone.
Next come the details that are only visible in an empty unit: dust on top of the cupboards, grime in window tracks, marks around light switches, and the line of dirt where the fridge and stove used to stand. Pull the appliances out if you can, and clean behind them.
Finally, book early. Cleaners fill up in late June the same way movers do. If you're tight on time, an evening or overnight clean after the truck leaves can save the handover, and it's one of the reasons we keep our schedule open around the clock.