Cleaning Every Nook and Cranny In Your Home
Who doesn’t love a good, thorough cleaning? House cleaning can feel like a daunting task, but when you roll up your sleeves and tackle every nook and cranny, your home is transformed into a sparkling clean space. But what’s the difference between regular “light” and deep cleaning? You might be wondering if you’ve been missing key elements all along. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through a concise deep cleaning checklist so you can hit every inch of your home.
Deep Cleaning Checklist
Where to begin? A deep house cleaning is more than just tidying up a space or taking out the trash. Here’s a cleaning checklist that you can follow to make sure you’re performing a thorough house cleaning:
- Vacuuming and mopping floors.
- Cleaning under furniture.
- Wiping down walls and air vents.
- Dusting and disinfecting surfaces, light fixtures, and décor.
- Cleaning trim and baseboards, doorframes, and windowsills.
- Cleaning the interiors and exteriors of windows.
- Polishing furniture.
- Vacuuming upholstery, drapes, and blinds.
With your deep cleaning checklist, specific rooms, like your kitchen and bathroom, will need special attention. A few points to add to these cleaning checklists include:
- Cleaning behind and under kitchen appliances.
- Cleaning inside kitchen appliances like oven, refrigerator, and microwave.
- Wiping down cabinets, knobs, and pantries.
- Scrubbing grout in the bathroom.
- Removing soap scum from bathroom fixtures.
- Deeply cleaning showers, toilets, and sinks.
- Wiping wastebaskets, vanities, and medicine cabinets.
- Disinfecting bathroom surfaces like knobs, fixtures, and crevices like the toilet base, behind the toilet, and shower doors.
Choosing a Cleaning Service
Of course, not all of us have the time, energy, or desire to perform a deep house cleaning, but fear not; you can contract a deep cleaning service to do the work for you.
Here are a few guidelines you can utilize when searching for a deep cleaning service:
- Check reviews: if you’re like most people, you'll start your search online. Google reviews are perhaps the most reliable of the bunch, so begin scouting based on happy customer reviews to select a reputable cleaning service.
- Word of mouth: some of us like to rely on good words from friends and family. Ask the people you trust whom they’d recommend using for cleaning services.
- Years in business: if you have a few companies in mind but aren’t sure which cleaning service to pick, check to see how long they've been in the business. A company that’s been around for a long time has the experience and consistent business, which means happy, repeat customers.
Deep cleaning your home is no easy task, but what costs are you looking at if you hire a cleaning service? On average, you could be looking to spend $200 to $400 on deep cleaning. Factors that contribute to the overall cost include:
- Where you live (as labor costs and services vary from state to state, whether you’re city-bound or live in a rural area and the general cost of living where you’re located).
- How many cleaners will perform the job, and what hourly rate?
- How the cleaning service charges (for example, a company can charge per square foot, per number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or simply have an hourly rate).
- What is the type of service? Even by selecting a deep cleaning service, you may be able to choose what tasks should be done, like window cleaning, laundry, baseboard cleaning, etc.
Cleaning Companies Versus Independent Cleaners
You can also choose from a cleaning service company or an individual house cleaning contractor. With an independent cleaning contractor, you might be able to negotiate the pricing and take advantage of a more flexible schedule. The downside of using an individual cleaner is that their experience levels can vary, and they might not possess the same certifications and insurance as a cleaning company.
Working with a professional house cleaning company comes with an established reputation with trained cleaners; however, you could run into rigid scheduling with fewer accommodations and higher pricing.
How Often Should I Deep Clean My House?
A deep cleaning sounds great, but how often should you plan to do it? A good rule of thumb is to deep clean your home once a month, but this depends on your personal preferences. Some people prefer to do a basic cleaning once to a few times a week, which can include vacuuming, wiping surfaces, and tidying, then opt for a deep clean every two months or so. Others prefer to tidy up and do a more frequent deep clean.
If you choose to hire a cleaning service for deep cleaning, the frequency will depend on your schedule and budget. Conducting the deep cleaning yourself will depend on factors like the amount of time you can spare for the house cleaning if you have a big family (as kids are rather messy), if you’re concerned about germs and cold and flu season, and how often you want to deep clean your home. The beauty of house cleaning is that there’s no right answer!