If you have never hired cleaners before, it helps to know how professional cleaning services work before you pick up the phone. A cleaning company does the same jobs you would, but with the time, the equipment and a set routine, and it also organises the visits, the cover and the follow-up so you do not have to. This guide explains the main types of clean, how a job is usually arranged, what you will be asked for and how home and office cleaning differ. For the full list of the cleaning services we offer, see our services page.
The main types of clean
Most work falls into one of a handful of types. Knowing which one you need makes the first conversation much quicker.
Regular domestic cleaning
A cleaner visits on a set day to keep the home under control: dusting, vacuuming and mopping, the kitchen surfaces and the bathrooms. We offer weekly, fortnightly and catch-up cleaning. This is the type most households mean when they say they want “a cleaner”. Read more about regular domestic cleaning.
Deep cleaning
A deep clean goes well beyond a routine visit. It deals with built-up dirt, grease and limescale, and with the places a weekly clean skips: behind appliances, inside cupboards, along skirting boards and other hard-to-reach spots. Window cleaning can be added when the job needs it; not every window is included, so ask. People book one before a special occasion, after building work, with the change of season, or simply when the house has got ahead of them. See our deep cleaning page for what it covers.
End of tenancy cleaning
This is a full clean of a home that is being handed back at the end of a let, usually once the furniture and belongings are out. It is done for tenants, landlords and letting agents and is worked through room by room so the property is ready for the check-out inspection. It is not the same as a deep clean of a lived-in home, and carpet cleaning is an extra rather than part of it. Details are on our end of tenancy cleaning page.
Office and commercial cleaning
Offices, shops and other business premises have their own needs: desks, kitchens, washrooms, reception areas and bins, cleaned on a regular schedule that is planned around opening hours so staff and customers are not disturbed. Our office and commercial cleaning page explains the options.
Specialist jobs
Some work needs its own machines. Carpet and upholstery cleaning is a separate service, done with dedicated equipment.
How a job is usually arranged
The steps vary a little between companies, but the pattern is much the same.
- The enquiry. You call or send a message and describe the property: how many bedrooms and bathrooms, the type of flooring, which kind of clean you want and anything that matters most to you.
- The quote. Regular domestic work is usually charged by the hour, while some jobs have guide prices based on the size of the property. A larger or unusual job may need a closer look first. Our post on how cleaning quotes are worked out goes into the detail.
- Agreeing the scope. Before anything is booked, you agree what will be cleaned, how often and from when. Write down anything you want treated differently, such as a room to leave alone or a surface that needs a particular product.
- The first visit. The cleaner checks your priorities with you and works through the home. Our guide to your first domestic clean describes the day itself.
What you will be asked to provide
A cleaning company brings the people and the routine, but access, parking, your priorities and any pets at home are details only you can give. Our post on what happens after you book lists what we ask for and what follows once a booking is confirmed.
Home and office cleaning compared
Cleaning a home is usually done in the daytime, often while you are out, and the arrangement can be as informal as a regular day each week. You will want to agree how keys are handled and what happens if you need to move a visit.
Office cleaning is more often a fixed contract. Visits tend to happen before or after working hours, so the company will need to know about alarms, keys and who to contact on site. The list of tasks is longer and more repetitive, and the same schedule runs week after week, adjusted when the business gets busier.
Choosing the right type
As a rule of thumb, a home that is already kept fairly tidy needs regular cleaning; a home that has fallen behind, or is about to start regular visits, benefits from a deep clean first; and a property being handed back at the end of a let needs an end of tenancy clean. If your situation sits between two of these, our post on which type of clean your home needs walks through the choice.
Still deciding?
If you are still unsure which kind of clean you need, call us on 01483 773531 and we will talk it through with you, or leave us a message on the contact page.