There's a clear difference between cleaning and deep cleaning. The weekly routine handles the surfaces you use. Deep cleaning handles everything else: what's behind, underneath, on top of and inside.
Twice a year is the usual minimum, and it's worth approaching methodically — without a list you always end up cleaning the same things twice and leaving the same corners untouched.
Three rules before you start
Top to bottom. Ceilings, light fixtures and tall furniture first. Dust falls; vacuum the floor at the start and you'll do it twice.
Dry before wet. Vacuum or sweep before applying any product. Dust mixed with water becomes mud that sticks.
One complete room at a time. Jumping between spaces is slower, and psychologically worse — you finish the day with the whole house half done.
Keep microfiber cloths in several colors on hand (one per zone, so you're not moving bacteria around), a degreaser, a disinfectant, baking soda, white vinegar, and an old toothbrush for grout.
Kitchen
The most time-consuming room, and the one that rewards it most.
- Oven interior: a paste of baking soda and water applied the night before softens carbonized grease without harsh products
- Range hood and filters: metal filters go into very hot water with degreaser
- Behind and under the fridge: including the condenser coils, which make the motor work harder when caked in dust
- Fridge interior: empty it completely, remove shelves, and clean the internal drain
- Cabinet interiors: empty, vacuum crumbs, check expiry dates
- Backsplash grout, with a brush and baking soda paste
- Microwave: a bowl of water and lemon boiled for two minutes loosens everything
- Trash bin, washed and disinfected inside
- Sink drain, with baking soda followed by vinegar and hot water
Bathrooms
- Grout and silicone: if the silicone is black underneath, it doesn't get cleaned, it gets replaced
- Showerhead: soaked in vinegar overnight dissolves limescale in the nozzles
- Toilet base and the anchor bolts, the most commonly skipped spot
- Extractor fan: remove the grille and vacuum the accumulated dust
- Inside the vanity, checking for any signs of moisture
- Mirrors and light fixtures
- Curtain or screen, including the bottom track of a sliding door
Bedrooms
- Mattress: vacuum both sides and, if it's reversible, flip it
- Under the bed, moving the frame, not just using a wand attachment
- Closet interior: empty it, vacuum, clean rails and shelves
- Headboard and picture frames
- Curtains — many can go in the machine on a gentle cycle
- Baseboards, which collect a greasy dust line that's very visible under side lighting
Living areas
- Upholstery: vacuum with the brush attachment, lift cushions and clean underneath
- Behind large furniture and the television
- Ceiling fan blades: the pillowcase trick keeps the dust from raining onto the floor
- Switches, handles and remote controls, the highest-contact points in the house
- Window frames and tracks, with a small brush and the vacuum
What everyone forgets, everywhere
A short list of spots that rarely make it into any routine:
- Doors, especially the area around the handle
- Lamps and light shades
- Air conditioning filters
- The tops of doors and wardrobes
- Outlets and switch plates
- The inside of the washing machine, with an empty hot cycle
- Rugs and mats, lifted and vacuumed on both sides
When to hire the service
A full deep clean of a house takes between six and ten hours of actual work. It makes sense to hire it when there's a move involved, after construction or a remodel, during a seasonal changeover when time is short, or when the house has gone a long time without a thorough clean and the starting point is high.
A professional service also arrives with equipment you probably don't own: higher-powered vacuums, steam machines and upholstery cleaners.
Conclusion
A proper deep clean resets the house. For the rest of the year, the weekly routine goes much further because it starts from a genuinely clean baseline.
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