Dog poop cleanup before you move out, sell or list a home

Moving day has a long checklist, and the backyard is usually last on it. If a dog lived there, the yard needs a real cleanup before the keys change hands. Here's when to book it, what renters, sellers and landlords should know, and what it costs.

When should you schedule a dog poop cleanup before moving?

After your dog's last day in the yard, and before anyone else walks it: the landlord, the listing photographer, buyers or the next tenant. A day or two of margin is plenty. Book it too early, and a dog who still lives there starts a fresh batch.

Is your dog still living there after the cleanup? Take the last few potty breaks on a leash and bag them yourself, so the clean yard stays clean until you hand it over.

Winter changes the plan. Detroit averages about 45 inches of snow a season, with January and February the snowiest months, according to the National Weather Service. Waste under snow can't be found until it melts, so a cleanup in a snowy yard gets what's reachable. If you can, plan a second pass after the thaw, or agree with your landlord or buyer on how to handle it. Our guide to dog poop in winter has more.

Can dog poop in the yard cost you your security deposit?

It can come up at move-out, so read your lease before you assume anything. Michigan law sets the rules for how deposits are handled, and your lease sets what's expected of the yard.

Michigan's security deposit law lets a landlord use a deposit only for specific things, including actual damage from conduct beyond normal living, unpaid rent and unpaid utility bills (MCL 554.607). Whether a yard left full of dog poop counts depends on your lease and the facts. This isn't legal advice, and laws change. Michigan Legal Help has free, plain-English guides.

The deadlines to know:

• 4 days: within 4 days after you move out, give your landlord your new address in writing (MCL 554.611).
• 30 days: a landlord claiming damages against the deposit must mail you an itemized list, with estimated repair costs, within 30 days after you move out (MCL 554.609).
• 7 days: if you disagree with the list, you have 7 days to mail a response, per Michigan Legal Help.

Before you hand back the keys:

1. Read the lease for pet, yard and move-out cleaning terms, and ask your landlord what they expect.
2. Book the cleanup, then take dated photos of the yard. Michigan Legal Help notes you can photograph the home's condition when you move out, and the yard is part of it.
3. Note the yard on the move-out checklist. Michigan landlords who take a deposit must use inventory checklists at move-in and move-out (MCL 554.608).
4. Keep the gate photo we text after the cleanup. It shows the gate latched on cleanup day.

One thing a scoop can't do is fix brown patches from urine. For those, see our guide to dog urine spots.

Should you clean up dog poop before selling your house?

Yes: before the photographer arrives, and through every showing. Buyers notice what they step in.

The backyard often shows up in listing photos, and buyers walk it during showings and inspections. Piles hidden in the grass make a poor first impression, and on a warm day the smell reaches the patio.

A simple plan for sellers:

1. Book a one-time cleanup a day or two before photos.
2. Keep a recurring plan while the house is listed. Our plans are month to month with no contract, so you can cancel when you close. Service runs through the end of the month you've paid for.
3. On showing days, walk the yard after your dog's last trip out.
4. If odor is a problem, add deodorize and sanitize, a pet-safe enzyme spray for potty zones, for $8 a visit.

Agents and property managers can book listing cleanups too. See our commercial service.

What should landlords do about pet waste between tenants?

Scoop a rental property's yard at every turnover, then photograph it. The next resident gets a clean start, and you get a dated record of the yard.

• Schedule the cleanup right after move-out, before showings or the move-in inspection.
• Add the yard photos to the next tenant's move-in checklist.
• For occupied rentals, a recurring plan keeps the yard in check between inspections.

Health is a good reason not to skip it. The CDC says roundworm eggs from dog and cat waste can survive in soil for months or even years under the right conditions, and they need two to four weeks in the environment to become infectious. If the next family has kids who play outside, that matters. Our guide to whether dog poop can make you sick has more, and for health questions, ask your doctor.

Some cities regulate waste at home, too. Sterling Heights requires waste on your own property to be kept from scattering or turning offensive, and removed within 24 hours of a complaint to the city (§8-11). Fraser has a similar rule (§5-11). See Macomb County dog poop laws for your community, and check the current code, since rules change.

How much does a move-out yard cleanup cost?

Our one-time cleanups start at $133 for one dog, plus $28 for each additional dog.

• Get your price online. Our quote tool takes about 30 seconds.
• Yard size and time matter. A bigger yard, or a longer gap since the last cleanup, adds to the price. Your quote shows it.
• Big yards get a custom quote. Yards over an acre, or more than four dogs, get a price from us directly.
• Nothing is charged online. The online price is a starting estimate. We confirm your price within one business day, and always before we start.
• Pay after the work. We send an invoice after the cleanup. It's due within 15 days, and you can pay by card or bank account through a secure link.
• No subscription. A one-time cleanup doesn't start a plan.
• Moving before trash day? Add haul-away for $4, and the bags leave with us instead of sitting in your can.

The cleanup covers the whole yard, not just the lawn. We walk it in a grid, including the corners, mulch beds and fence line, and double-bag everything we find. Before we come, tell us about sprinklers, an invisible fence or any area to avoid.

You don't need to be home. Leave the gate unlocked or send us the code, and we'll text you a photo of the latched gate when we're done.