Is it worth pressure washing before you move out?
Often, yes. Landlords and property managers walk the outside of a unit too, and dirty patios, stained parking spots and grimy entries stand out. Cleaning those areas will not undo real damage, but it can separate ordinary dirt from wear in the landlord's mind and make the whole unit look cared for.
The catch is permission. A pressure washer is a tool that can damage surfaces in the wrong hands, and some leases restrict alterations or outside contractors. Before you book anyone or rent a machine, read your lease and send your landlord a short written request. Keep the reply.
Timing matters too. Clean after your furniture and boxes are out, but early enough that concrete can dry fully before the inspection. Wet concrete hides stains, and a landlord inspecting a damp patio may ask you to come back.
Read your lease first
Look for language about cleaning at move-out, outdoor areas, parking spaces, balconies and use of outside vendors. Some leases say the tenant must return the unit in the same condition as move-in, minus normal wear. Some make the landlord responsible for common areas. If a shared driveway or walkway is maintained by the owner, you probably do not need to clean it and may not be allowed to.
If anything is unclear, ask. A landlord who approves the work in writing is much less likely to argue about it later. Some landlords will even prefer to schedule the cleaning themselves between tenants, which saves you the cost entirely. It is worth asking whether exterior cleaning is already part of their turnover routine before you spend money on it.
What renters usually clean
Patios and balconies collect dirt, grill grease, plant pot rings and dead leaves. A ground-floor patio is a straightforward job. Balconies on upper floors are trickier because runoff goes over the edge onto the unit or landscaping below, so they are usually scrubbed and rinsed gently rather than blasted.
Front entries and walkways right outside your door show foot traffic and spills. Assigned parking spots and garage floors often have oil drips from your car, and those are the stains landlords notice most. Fresh drips clean up well. Old, soaked-in oil may only lighten, so start early and set expectations accordingly. Our garage floor guide covers oil and tire marks in more detail.
DIY or hire it out?
A small patio can be handled with a stiff brush, a degreaser and a garden hose. Renting a pressure washer is possible, but it is also the fastest way to etch stripes into concrete or blow out the sand in paver joints, and that kind of damage is exactly what a deposit pays for. If you go DIY, use a wide fan tip, keep the nozzle moving and stay well back from the surface.
Hiring out makes sense when you have oil in a parking spot, a large patio, or no time during a move. Every visit with Say Wash It has a $195 minimum as of October 2026, so a single small balcony may cost more than it is worth. A patio plus a parking spot or entry walkway together often makes more sense.
Mind where the water goes
Apartment buildings send runoff into shared drains, landscaping and parking areas. In Los Angeles, Municipal Code section 64.70.02 prohibits discharging untreated wash water from paved-surface washing into the storm drain system unless a permit allows it. Grease and oil from a parking spot should not be rinsed down the driveway into the street. A professional crew plans for this. If you are doing it yourself, sweep up and absorb what you can before rinsing and keep the volume low.
Document everything
Take photos of each outdoor area before cleaning and again once it is dry. Dry photos matter because wet concrete always looks darker and cleaner than it really is. Date your photos and keep them with your move-in pictures and the landlord's approval message. If a stain only lightened, a before and after photo still shows you made a good-faith effort, which is often what a fair inspection comes down to.
If you hire a crew, a few practical notes
Share the landlord's written approval and any building rules with the company before the visit. Apartment buildings often have rules about where vehicles can park, when noise is allowed and which spigot to use, and a crew that knows them ahead of time works faster.
Be clear about the boundaries of your space. Clean only your patio, your balcony, your entry and your assigned parking spot unless the landlord asked for more. Cleaning a shared area can leave a bright patch next to dirty common concrete, which draws attention to the contrast rather than hiding it.
Key points
Is it worth pressure washing before you move out?
Often, yes. Landlords and property managers walk the outside of a unit too, and dirty patios, stained parking spots and grimy entries stand out. Cleaning those areas will not undo real damage, but it can separate ordinary dirt from wear in the landlord's mind and make the whole unit look cared for.
DIY or hire it out?
A small patio can be handled with a stiff brush, a degreaser and a garden hose. Renting a pressure washer is possible, but it is also the fastest way to etch stripes into concrete or blow out the sand in paver joints, and that kind of damage is exactly what a deposit pays for. If you go DIY, use a wide fan tip, keep the nozzle moving and stay well back from the surface.