What is a deep clean?
It's a reset for a home people are still living in. The aim is to remove what's built up, so the place starts again from clean.
The usual reasons are that regular visits are about to start, or that a sale, a move or guests are coming. It's a single job with a list, and it doesn't commit you to anything after that.
Regular, deep or end of lease cleaning?
| Regular | Deep | End of lease | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The home is | Lived in | Lived in | Empty |
| How often | Usually weekly or fortnightly | One-off | Once, as you leave |
| What it's for | Keeping on top of things | Removing build-up | Getting back to how the home started |
| Inside cupboards | Not usually | The ones you've emptied | All of them |
Kitchen build-up a deep clean goes after
- Range hood filters, where cooking grease collects out of sight.
- The film on cupboard fronts and handles near the stove.
- Inside any cupboards you've emptied.
- Tile grout and the seam where the splashback meets the bench.
- Tops of the fridge and overhead cupboards, if they can be reached safely.
- The oven, as an add-on. It covers the inside, the racks and the trays.
Soap scum and grime: the bathroom deep clean
- Soap scum and water marks on shower screens.
- Grime in the tile grout, especially at floor level.
- Limescale around tap bases and the shower head.
- Exhaust fan covers furred with dust.
- Behind the toilet and around its base.
The spots a regular clean skips and a deep clean reaches
- Skirting boards, room by room.
- Doors and door frames, around the handles especially.
- Light switches and power points.
- Window tracks and sills.
- Ceiling fans and the dust on top of the blades.
- Behind and under furniture that moves easily.
How to get the home ready for deep cleaning
Choose the priorities
Walk through and note what bothers you most. A deep clean grows with bedrooms, bathrooms and how long it's been since the last one, so a clear list helps the quote fit.
Empty what you want cleaned inside
Cupboards are cleaned inside once they're empty. Pick a few rather than all of them, and clear those shelves before the day.
Clear benches and bathroom shelves
Bottles and appliances left out hide the grime you're paying to shift.
Fix the leak or the fan first
If damp is causing the mould in the bathroom, a clean won't last until that's sorted.
Flag what needs care
Tell the business about natural stone, timber floors and anything fragile before they start.
Mould, bleach and the deep cleaning checklist
Controlling moisture is the key to controlling mould, so fix leaks first. NSW Health says routine clean-up of mouldy surfaces can use mild detergent or vinegar diluted in water. Do not dry brush mould, because that flicks spores into the air. If large areas keep growing back, consult a mould remediation professional. Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or other cleaners, and keep the room well ventilated.
Deep clean jobs to tackle, and what to hand over
Worth doing yourself
- Clearing cupboards, benches and bathroom shelves.
- Wiping light switches and door handles.
- Sorting what's behind the couch and under the beds.
- Fixing the cause of any damp.
Where a cleaning business earns its keep
- Grout, shower screens and tiles with real build-up.
- Range hood filters and greasy cupboard fronts.
- Tracks, skirting boards and frames through the whole home.
- The oven, when you tick it as an add-on.
Deep cleaning questions to settle before booking
- Which rooms and items does the quote cover, in writing?
- Do they clean inside cupboards, and do those need to be empty first?
- Are the oven, inside windows and wall marks included, or extras?
- What won't they do, such as anything up a ladder?
- What do they use on natural stone or timber floors?
Our deep cleaning advice: photograph the worst spots
Don't ask for everything. Walk the home with a phone, photograph the five worst spots and send those to the business when they call. A deep clean that goes hard on the bathrooms and kitchen will change how the home feels more than a light pass over every room, and it gives you a clean base if regular visits come next.