When clients contact us about booking a cleaning service for the first time, one of the most common questions is: "Do I need a deep clean or a regular clean?" It's a reasonable thing to wonder, and the honest answer is that it depends on the current state of your space and what your ongoing needs are.
This guide breaks down the practical differences between the two service types — not to sell you on one over the other, but to help you make an informed decision based on your actual situation.
What Is a Regular Cleaning?
A regular (or standard) residential cleaning is designed to maintain a space that is already in a reasonably clean condition. Think of it as a systematic reset — the kind of visit that keeps a home from accumulating buildup over time.
During a standard cleaning visit, a professional team will typically:
- Dust accessible surfaces — shelves, furniture tops, windowsills
- Wipe down countertops and kitchen surfaces
- Clean the stovetop surface
- Scrub bathroom fixtures, sinks, toilets, and shower or tub surfaces
- Vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture
- Sweep and mop hard floors throughout the home
- Empty interior trash bins
- Wipe light switches and door handles
What a standard clean generally does not cover: inside appliances (oven, fridge), baseboards, ceiling fans, light fixtures, cabinet interiors, grout lines, or areas behind or beneath heavy furniture. These areas tend to require more time and a different approach.
Standard cleaning works well when it's scheduled on a recurring basis — weekly or every two weeks. When you maintain a space consistently, each visit stays manageable. The rooms don't accumulate the kind of buildup that requires intensive work to address.
What Is a Deep Cleaning?
A deep cleaning is a more thorough, time-intensive service that targets areas not regularly addressed during a standard visit. It's not simply "a more thorough regular clean" — it involves different tasks, more time, and typically a different approach to working through a space.
A deep cleaning session at Dexlivo would typically include everything in a standard clean, plus:
- Inside the oven — degreasing and scrubbing accumulated residue
- Inside the fridge — removing shelves, cleaning spills and odour sources
- Baseboards and door frames — wiped or scrubbed throughout the home
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures — dust removal from blades and fittings
- Cabinet and drawer exteriors — wiped and degreased in the kitchen
- Window interiors — cleaned and dried
- Grout lines in bathrooms — scrubbed where accessible
- Behind and beneath furniture — vacuuming and mopping where accessible
- Air vents — surface dust removed
When Does a Deep Clean Make Sense?
There are several situations where a deep cleaning visit is the more appropriate starting point:
Moving into a new home
Even if a property looks clean when you move in, previous occupants may have left behind residue inside appliances, grease along kitchen surfaces, or buildup in areas that weren't visible during a viewing. A deep clean before unpacking gives you a fresh starting point. Many clients find it easier to move into a space that has been thoroughly cleaned rather than working around boxes and furniture.
After a renovation
Construction and renovation work produces fine dust that settles throughout a space — including inside vents, on top of door frames, behind baseboards, and in areas that look clean from a distance. Standard cleaning tools aren't always effective against this type of debris. A post-renovation cleaning is a specialized version of a deep clean focused on this specific type of residue.
Starting a recurring plan after a gap in cleaning
If a home hasn't been professionally cleaned in several months — or has never been professionally cleaned at all — a deep clean is usually the right first step. Attempting to maintain a space with standard visits when the underlying buildup hasn't been addressed often leads to unsatisfying results. A deep clean creates a baseline that recurring visits can then maintain effectively.
Seasonal resets
Some clients choose to have a deep clean done once or twice a year — typically in spring and autumn — as a way of addressing accumulated buildup in areas that standard visits don't reach. This is a practical approach for clients who already maintain a recurring cleaning schedule.
Can You Start Directly with Regular Cleaning?
Yes — if your home is already in good condition and has been maintained reasonably well, there is no requirement to begin with a deep clean. We always discuss the current state of a property before the first visit to determine what approach makes sense.
If we arrive for a first standard visit and find that the space requires significantly more work than a standard session allows for, we will let you know at that point and discuss options before proceeding. We don't simply do half the job and invoice for the rest.
Cost Considerations
Deep cleaning visits cost more than standard visits, primarily because of the additional time and labour involved. The difference varies by property size and condition, but clients should generally expect a deep clean to cost roughly 1.5 to 2.5 times the cost of a comparable standard visit.
If you use the estimator tool on our homepage, you can get a rough idea of what each type of service might cost for your space. All pricing is confirmed during the consultation process before any work begins.
A Simple Way to Decide
If you're unsure which service is right for you, a useful starting question is: when was the last time the inside of your oven was cleaned, the baseboards were scrubbed, or the fridge was emptied and wiped down? If the answer is "a while ago" or "I'm not sure," a deep clean is likely the better starting point. If those areas have been attended to recently and you're primarily looking to maintain what you have, a standard recurring plan may be sufficient.
When in doubt, contact us and describe your space. We'll ask a few straightforward questions and give you an honest recommendation rather than defaulting to the more expensive option.
Summary
- Regular cleaning maintains a space that is already clean. Works best on a recurring schedule.
- Deep cleaning addresses accumulated buildup in areas not covered by standard visits. More time-intensive and higher cost per session.
- Deep cleaning is typically recommended before starting a recurring plan, after a move, following renovation work, or as a periodic reset.
- The right choice depends on the current condition of your space, not on a general rule.
If you have questions about which service would be appropriate for your situation, you're welcome to reach out directly. We're happy to discuss your space and give you a clear answer before you commit to anything.