The short answer
Regular cleaning – often weekly or fortnightly – keeps the surfaces you use every day clean: kitchen worktops, the sink, bathrooms, floors and dusting of reachable surfaces. Deep cleaning is an occasional, intensive clean that removes the build-up regular cleaning doesn't reach: limescale, grease, dust on high and low surfaces, and dirt behind and under furniture.
Many households use both: a deep clean once or twice a year, and regular cleaning in between to maintain it.
How they compare
Typical differences between the two services:
| Regular cleaning | Deep cleaning | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Maintain a standard | Restore a standard |
| How often | Weekly or fortnightly | Once or twice a year, or as needed |
| Typical time | A few hours for one cleaner | Most of a day for a team, for a family home |
| Limescale and grease | Kept in check | Removed where possible |
| Skirting, door frames, high shelves | Occasionally | Included |
| Behind and under furniture | Rarely | Movable items, usually |
| Usually priced | Per hour | Fixed price per property |
Regular cleaning compared with deep cleaning
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When you need a deep clean
A deep clean usually makes sense when:
- The home hasn't been cleaned thoroughly for months
- You're about to start using a regular cleaner
- You're selling, or moving in
- You want a spring clean or a reset before a big occasion
- Kitchens and bathrooms have visible limescale, grease or mould
When regular cleaning is enough
If your home is already in good condition and you mainly want help keeping on top of everyday dirt, regular cleaning is usually all you need. A fortnightly visit focused on kitchens and bathrooms can cover the most time-consuming jobs while you keep on top of tidying in between.
See our guides to domestic cleaning and how often to have your home cleaned.
