# Do I Have to Clean the Carpet When I Move Out in Ontario? What sections 33 and 34 of Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act ask of a tenant's carpet, ordinary cleanliness versus undue damage, and when a clean is worth it. Canonical: https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/move-out-carpet-cleaning-ontario/ Updated: 2026-10-01 Publisher: Klein's Carpet Cleaning Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act makes a tenant responsible for "ordinary cleanliness of the rental unit", not for a professional carpet cleaning, unless the lease makes the landlord responsible for cleaning. Separately, a tenant must repair "undue damage" caused by wilful or negligent conduct, which can include pet urine or burns, but not normal wear. Disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Klein's Carpet Cleaning, in Waterdown, cleans carpet in rentals across Hamilton and Halton. By Klein's Carpet Cleaning, Waterdown, Ontario. Last updated October 1, 2026. General information, not legal advice. ## What does the law actually say? Two short sections of the [Residential Tenancies Act, 2006](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17) cover it. The Residential Tenancies Act on cleaning and damage SectionWhat it saysWhat it means for carpet 33, cleanliness"The tenant is responsible for ordinary cleanliness of the rental unit, except to the extent that the tenancy agreement requires the landlord to clean it."Vacuumed and free of mess; not necessarily professionally cleaned 34, damage"The tenant is responsible for the repair of undue damage to the rental unit or residential complex caused by the wilful or negligent conduct of the tenant, another occupant of the rental unit or a person permitted in the residential complex by the tenant."Pet urine soaked into the pad, burns, dye spills; not ordinary wear in traffic lanes The right-hand column is our plain reading of the two sections, not a ruling. The [Landlord and Tenant Board](https://tribunalsontario.ca/ltb/) decides real disputes on their facts. ## Is worn carpet the tenant's fault? Not by itself. Section 34 is about "undue damage" from "wilful or negligent conduct". Grey traffic lanes, flattened pile on the stairs and fading by a window are what carpet does with ordinary use over years. A pet that used one corner of a bedroom for months, a dropped curling iron or a bottle of hair dye are a different matter. That distinction is the one most move-out arguments turn on. ## What if my lease says I must have the carpet professionally cleaned? Read it, and keep a copy. Section 33 starts from ordinary cleanliness and lets the agreement shift cleaning to the landlord; whether a lease term can require more of a tenant is the kind of question the Landlord and Tenant Board answers, not a carpet cleaner. If you want to avoid the argument altogether, a professional clean with a dated receipt is cheap evidence that the carpet was left clean. ## When is a move-out carpet clean worth paying for? - When there are pet accidents. Treating them before you leave is cheaper than a pad replacement charged to you later; see [pet urine](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/pet-urine-out-of-carpet/). - When there are visible spills that ordinary cleaning has not shifted. - When you have been there several years and the carpet has never been cleaned. - When you want a dated receipt to show at the walk-through. Book it last, once the unit is empty and everything above the floor is done, so nothing is dropped on clean carpet. At Klein's, a typical bedroom is about $60 and the minimum is $200, confirmed in writing before any work starts; see [prices](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/prices/). ## What should a tenant photograph? Every carpeted room on the day you move in and the day you move out, in daylight, with the date on the files. Close-ups of anything that was already there when you arrived. It is the simplest protection under section 34, and it works for landlords as well as tenants. Renting in Hamilton? See [carpet cleaning in Hamilton](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/carpet-cleaning/hamilton/). ## Get a free carpet cleaning quote Tell us which rooms, how many stairs, and about any pets or stains. We reply within one business day, by phone or email, and the quote is agreed before anyone starts. [Request a free quote](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/quote/) [Call 289-776-7299](tel:+12897767299) ### The short version - The law asks for ordinary cleanliness - Undue damage is the tenant's to repair - Normal wear is not damage - Read your lease - Photograph move-in and move-out ## Looking after home carpet - [Home carpet cleaning (the service)](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/residential/) How Klein's cleans home carpet, what comes out, and what it costs. - [How often to clean carpets](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-often-to-clean-carpets/) The 12 to 18 month rule and how pets and children change it. - [Steam cleaning vs dry carpet cleaning](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/steam-cleaning-vs-dry-carpet-cleaning/) What the carpet makers' warranties actually require. - [How long carpet takes to dry](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-long-does-carpet-take-to-dry/) Several hours, the 24 to 48 hour mould limit, and basements. - [Mould in carpet](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/mould-in-carpet/) When mouldy carpet can be cleaned and when it has to go. - [Carpet after a basement flood](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/carpet-after-basement-flood/) Clean water or sewage, 24 to 48 hours, and Hamilton's 2026 flood grant. - [Rippling carpet](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/carpet-rippling-after-cleaning/) Why carpet ripples, and why restretching, not cleaning, fixes it. - [Rented machine or professional clean](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/rental-carpet-cleaner-vs-professional/) What a rented extractor does well, and what it leaves behind. - [Questions to ask a carpet cleaner](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/questions-to-ask-a-carpet-cleaner/) The Carpet and Rug Institute's list, with Klein's own answers. - [Carpet, dust mites and allergies](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/carpet-dust-mites-and-allergies/) What Health Canada recommends, and what cleaning can and cannot do. ## More guides - [How often should office carpet be cleaned?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-often-to-clean-office-carpet/) Vacuuming, interim and restorative cleaning by daily foot traffic, from Interface's chart. - [Can carpet tiles be cleaned, or do they need replacing?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/can-carpet-tiles-be-cleaned/) What Interface, the carpet tile maker, recommends, and the machine that can void its warranty. - [What is encapsulation carpet cleaning?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/encapsulation-carpet-cleaning/) How the low-moisture crystallizing method works, how long it takes to dry, and its limits. - [How much matting does a building entrance need?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/entrance-mats-for-carpet/) Six feet as a floor, fifteen feet for 80% of soil, and how to look after the mats. [All cleaning guides](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/)