How to Choose the Right Cleaning Service
Answers to real cleaning questions people ask before they choose a housecleaning service.
What's the difference between a "cleaning lady" and a professional cleaning service?
A "cleaning lady" is usually an independent cleaner working on her own, setting her own schedule, methods, and supplies. A professional cleaning service is a company with trained employees, insurance and workers' compensation, standardized cleaning methods, and built-in backup if someone is out. The main differences are support, protection, and consistency.
How often should I have my house cleaned?
Most homes do well with weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleanings, depending on how the home is used, how many people live in the home, and how much upkeep you want to do between visits.
Weekly Cleaning
- Great for busy, high-traffic homes
- Helpful for households with pets or children
- Keeps your home at a consistently high level of clean
- Little to no in-between cleaning needed
Biweekly (Every Two Weeks)
- Most popular for many households
- Prevents everyday dirt, dust, and residue from building up
- Maintains a clean, comfortable home with minimal in-between upkeep
Every 4 Weeks (Monthly)
- Works for homes with lighter or moderate use
- You'll need some maintenance between visits
- More time between visits means more dust settles and buildup starts
- Monthly homes often benefit from an occasional deep or "spring" cleaning
What's the difference between a deep clean and a standard recurring housecleaning?
A deep clean is a top-to-bottom reset where your cleaning company removes all the built-up dust, film, and residue throughout the home. This should include detailed, by-hand cleaning of cabinet fronts, door and window trim, baseboards, showers, floors, corners, and other areas that regular cleaning doesn't fully reach.
Recurring cleanings are the ongoing upkeep that keep everything clean and fresh after that buildup has been removed. In simple terms: the deep clean clears away the grime; recurring cleanings maintain the shine.
Do I need a deep clean before starting regular housecleaning?
You usually need a deep clean before starting recurring service because regular cleanings are meant to maintain a clean home — not remove the layers of buildup that collect over time. The deep clean is where surfaces are scrubbed and cleaned, often by hand, so all that buildup is actually removed. Once the surfaces are truly clean, recurring visits can keep them that way with regular cleaning, dusting, and upkeep.
How long does a Deep Clean usually take? How much does a Deep Clean cost?
A Deep Clean can take several extra hours or more, especially in larger homes or homes with heavier buildup, and the cost is based on how long the cleaning takes. A general estimate would be about double the time and cost of a recurring standard cleaning if the home is in moderately good shape, but may take more time if there is more buildup to address, especially in areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. The cleaning time depends on factors like the square footage of the home, number of bathrooms, furry pets, if decluttering is needed before cleaning, the condition of the home, and any add-on services ordered (interior appliances, interior window glass, blinds, interior cabinets, etc.).
A Deep Clean is a full top-to-bottom reset of the home, and it takes longer than a routine cleaning because every surface is detailed. The total time — and therefore the total cost — depends on:
- Square footage (larger homes naturally take longer)
- Number of full and half bathrooms
- Whether there are (furry) pets in the home
- How easy it is to access surfaces (for example, if tidying is needed first)
- Décor, collections, or knick-knacks that require detailed dusting by hand
- Optional add-on services like oven cleaning, fridge cleaning, interior windows, or inside cabinets
- The overall condition of the home — more buildup means more time
Do housecleaners bring their own supplies and equipment?
Professional cleaning companies bring their own supplies and equipment, and their cleaners are trained on those products, so they're safe and effective for all the different surfaces in your home. This prevents damage, keeps results consistent, and means you don't have to provide anything or wonder what to buy. Independent housecleaners may or may not bring their own supplies, so it's something to confirm before hiring.
What's included in a standard housecleaning?
A standard housecleaning (also called recurring or maintenance housecleaning) is a routine maintenance cleaning that covers the main living areas of a home, including kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and common living spaces. It's designed to keep a home consistently clean between visits, rather than address heavy buildup or neglected areas.
All Rooms
- Dusting furniture, surfaces, and décor
- Removing cobwebs from corners and ceilings
- Light dusting of doors, door frames, window sills, baseboards, and light fixtures
- Wiping light switch plates and door knobs
- Vacuuming carpets and rugs
- Vacuuming and damp mopping hard-surface floors
- Emptying trash bins
Kitchen
- Cleaning countertops and sinks
- Wiping down cabinet fronts and pulls/knobs
- Cleaning appliance exteriors, including polishing stainless steel
- Cleaning the microwave interior and exterior
- Spot-cleaning backsplash and high-touch areas
Bathrooms
- Cleaning toilets, sinks, tubs, and showers
- Removing soap film, light mildew, and routine buildup
- Cleaning mirrors
- Wiping countertops and exterior cabinets
- Dusting bathroom vents
Bedrooms and Living Areas
- Dusting furniture and reachable surfaces
- Vacuuming floors, including under furniture where accessible
- Making beds; changing bed linens if included in the service or selected as an add-on
- General straightening and tidying
Glass and Finishing Touches
- Spot-cleaning interior windows to remove fingerprints and smudges
- Buffing sinks, fixtures, and mirrors for a clean finish
- Dusting picture frames and cleaning picture glass as needed
What a standard housecleaning does not include
Standard housecleaning focuses on maintenance, not heavy buildup. Services such as inside ovens, inside cabinets, inside refrigerators, detailed baseboard scrubbing, or heavy buildup removal are typically handled through deep cleaning or add-on services.
