Basement Suite Cleaning: A Guide for BC Renters and Landlords

Basement suites are a huge part of Metro Vancouver's rental market, from Vancouver Specials in East Van to new houses on Burke Mountain with a legal suite downstairs. They're also the homes most likely to feel damp, dusty or stale if they aren't cleaned with that in mind. Here's how to keep one fresh, and what each side owes at move-out.

Why basement suites are different

• They're partly below ground. Walls and floors stay cooler, so moisture condenses on them — especially in a Vancouver winter.
• Windows are small. Less light and less airflow mean bathrooms and bedrooms dry out slowly.
• They share a house. Furnace ducts, laundry and sometimes a hallway are shared with upstairs, and so is some of the dust.
• The entry takes a beating. A side door or outside stairwell brings in rain, leaves and grit.

Basement suite cleaning checklist

Entry

• Sweep the entry and keep leaves away from the drain at the bottom of any outside stairs. If water pools there, tell your landlord.
• Wash the door mat and wipe the door, handle and switches.

Kitchen

• Counters, backsplash, stovetop, sink and the outside of every appliance.
• Look under the sink while you're there — a slow leak in a basement does damage fast.

Bathroom

• Toilet, sink, shower and mirror, then the grout and caulking, where mildew starts first.
• Vacuum the exhaust fan cover so it can actually move air.

Bedrooms and living area

• Dust top down and vacuum under the bed.
• Check closets on outside walls for a musty smell, and leave the doors open a crack.
• Keep beds and sofas a few centimetres away from outside walls so air can move behind them.

Floors and windows

• Vacuum, then mop — many suites have vinyl plank or tile, which can take a damp mop.
• Wipe window sills and frames, and vacuum the tracks.

Keeping moisture down

Health Canada recommends keeping indoor humidity at or below 50% in summer and around 30–40% in winter. In a basement suite that usually means:

• A dehumidifier, emptied regularly, in the dampest room.
• Running the bathroom fan during and after every shower.
• Drying laundry in the dryer, not on a rack in the bedroom.
• Opening blinds in the day and keeping the suite heated evenly rather than leaving one room cold.

Small mould spots: what to do

A few small spots on a window sill or in the shower grout can usually be washed off with water and a little unscented dish soap, then dried thoroughly. Don't mix cleaning products.

If mould keeps coming back, covers a bigger area, or comes with a musty smell or a water stain, the cause is moisture getting in — a leak, a drainage problem or poor ventilation. Tell your landlord in writing. That's a repair, not a cleaning job, and Good Maid isn't a mould remediation company. Our guide to window condensation and mould has more detail.

Dust and smells from upstairs

When the house shares a furnace, dust and cooking smells travel through the ducts. Vacuum your vent covers every few weeks, and ask your landlord how often the furnace filter is changed — a clogged filter means more dust in every room. A shared laundry room works best when upstairs and downstairs agree on who wipes the machines and clears the lint trap.

Moving out of a basement suite in BC

Under BC's Residential Tenancy Act, a tenant has to leave the unit reasonably clean and undamaged, except for reasonable wear and tear. Landlord and tenant are expected to do a move-out condition inspection together. Once the tenancy ends and the landlord has your forwarding address in writing, they have 15 days to return the deposit or apply to keep some of it — a landlord who does neither can be ordered to pay double.

The spots that matter most at a basement suite inspection:

• Inside the oven, fridge and cabinets.
• Bathroom grout, caulking and the fan.
• Window sills and tracks, where condensation leaves grime.
• Closets, baseboards and marks on walls.

Our BC move-out cleaning checklist goes room by room.

For landlords between tenants

A BC landlord has to keep a rental unit in a state that meets health, safety and housing standards; the tenant keeps it reasonably clean day to day. Between tenants is the best time to do both: a move in/out clean, a check for signs of moisture, a new furnace filter and a test of the bathroom fan. Our guide to rental turnover cleaning in BC covers timing and documentation.