A plain guide to the difference between a regular clean, a deep clean and an end of tenancy clean, and how to pick the one your home needs.
The short version
A regular clean keeps a home on top of between visits. A deep clean is a one-off reset that reaches built-up grime regular cleans skip. An end of tenancy clean is a deep clean worked to a letting agent's check-out standard.
| Aspect | Regular clean | Deep clean | End of tenancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is for | Keeping a home on top of between visits | A one-off reset of grime that has built up | Handing a property back to checkout standard |
| Typical frequency | Weekly or fortnightly | Every few months, or as a one-off | Once, at move-out |
| Where the time goes | Surfaces, floors, kitchen and bathroom upkeep | Behind appliances, the extractor, grout, skirting and inside cupboards | The full checkout list, including inside the oven and limescale |
| Best when | You want a tidy home kept up without the effort | Things have built up or it has been a long time | You are moving out and want the deposit back |
Week to week
A regular clean is routine upkeep that keeps a home presentable without the effort. A visit covers surfaces, floors, and kitchen and bathroom upkeep: wiping down, vacuuming and mopping, the hob and sink, the basin, toilet and shower. It is booked weekly or fortnightly, and where possible you keep the same cleaner, so they learn your home and your preferences.
See what a visit includes on the regular domestic cleaning page.
The full reset
A deep clean adds the jobs a weekly visit never reaches. That means behind and under appliances, the extractor and filters, limescale on taps and tiles, grout, skirting boards and inside cupboards. It works through the parts of a home that build up slowly and go unnoticed until they are dealt with all at once.
See the full scope on the deep cleaning page.
A rough guide
As a rough guide, a deep clean every 3 to 4 months, or 2 to 3 times a year, sits well on top of regular upkeep. Homes with pets or young children tend to need one more often, as hair, paw marks and spills build up faster. It is also worth booking one before or after a tenancy, or around a big event such as having people to stay or hosting over the holidays.
A quick decision
If you are setting up a regular arrangement and the home has lapsed, start with a deep clean to clear the backlog, then maintain it with regular visits. If you are moving out, book an end of tenancy clean worked to the check-out standard. If you are simply keeping on top of an already tidy home, a regular clean is all you need.
Common questions
If a home has not had a thorough clean in months, yes. A deep clean reaches limescale, grease behind the hob and grime in grout that a weekly visit never touches. After it, a regular clean keeps things at that level for far less effort, so the one-off cost pays off over time.
A regular clean keeps a home on top of week to week: surfaces, floors and the kitchen and bathroom. A deep clean is a one-off reset that adds the built-up jobs a routine visit skips, such as behind and under appliances, the extractor, skirting, grout and inside cupboards.
Not always, but it helps. If a home is already kept up, a regular clean can start straight away. If it has been a while, a first deep clean clears the backlog so each later visit maintains the standard rather than fighting built-up grime in the same hours.
There is no fixed price, since a tidy flat and a neglected house are very different jobs. We scope the work and confirm a figure before you book. For typical UK ranges see the cost guide, then send your details for a quote on your property.
Next step
Tell us about your home and we will say which clean fits best. See the full scope on the deep cleaning page, and for typical UK price ranges read the cleaning cost guide, then send your details for a figure on your property.
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