How Often Should You Deep Clean Your House?

Keep your home squeaky clean with a deep cleaning

Woman vacuuming wooden floor
Photo: FreshSplash / E+ / Getty Images
Woman vacuuming wooden floor
Photo: FreshSplash / E+ / Getty Images
Highlights
  • We recommend deep cleaning your home at least once or twice per year, but homes with heavy foot traffic may need to deep clean every three to six months.

  • Deep cleaning involves addressing overlooked areas of the home, including behind appliances, light fixtures, and less-used rooms like the attic.

  • Tasks include standard cleaning tasks, plus more intensive jobs like shampooing carpets, washing windows, and washing walls.

  • Hiring a pro to deep clean your home costs between $120 and $750.

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Keeping a clean home is beneficial to your health and well-being. While maintaining a standard cleaning schedule is key, you must also perform deep cleanings to ensure your home’s nooks and crannies stay spotless. But how often should you deep clean your house?

Let’s explore what deep cleaning consists of and how often you should roll up your sleeves to tend to additional duties.

When and How Often Should You Deep Clean Your House?

We recommend deep cleaning your home at least once or twice per year. However, it should be done more frequently if you have pets, children, or heavy foot traffic. Each household is different and may require a deep cleaning more often, depending on the size of the home, the level of activity, and the household lifestyle. 

You can deep clean your home any time of the year, but the most popular times are the spring and fall months. The reason is because temperatures tend to be milder, and you can open the windows to allow the dust to get out and the fresh air to flow in. 

What Is Deep Cleaning?

Regular cleaning versus deep cleaning was compared across 7 tasks, with deep cleaning covering every task

So, what’s the difference between standard cleaning and deep cleaning anyway? A weekly cleaning checklist involves focusing on tasks such as vacuuming, mopping, and dusting to maintain the most-used areas of your home. 

While deep cleaning also consists of these tasks, you will tend to the areas that are often overlooked or not cleaned on a regular basis. This includes vacuuming beneath appliances, shampooing carpets, and wiping up dust bunnies from hard-to-reach places like light fixtures. A good deep cleaning will remove dirt, grime, dust, and germs from your home. 

Common Tasks Involved in a Deep Clean

In addition to the typical cleaning duties, there are common tasks to tackle when deep cleaning your house. Here is a breakdown of what your deep cleaning checklist should include:

  • Dust home decor, shelves, light fixtures, fans, switch plates, and other neglected areas

  • Clear out cabinets and drawers, and wipe them clean

  • Vacuum and steam clean upholstered furniture

  • Wipe down baseboards and door frames

  • Wash windows and wipe down window sills

  • Clean and sanitize the interior and exterior of major appliances such as the oven, refrigerator, washing machine, and dryer

  • Vacuum beneath all furniture and appliances 

  • Mop and shampoo carpets

  • Wash all linens, including blankets, sheets, and duvet covers

  • Descale hard water buildup from faucets

  • Clean grout in showers and tubs

Should You Hire a Pro to Deep Clean Your House?

Professional cleaning team
Photo: sturti / E+ / Getty Images

Deep cleaning is something you can handle yourself, but it’s time-and-labor-intensive. If your schedule is full with other chores or if you are dealing with physical limitations, it’s worth hiring a professional house cleaner near you to tackle the task of deep cleaning. 

The cost of a deep cleaning service depends on factors such as the size of your house, location, and depth of cleaning involved. The price for professional deep cleaning ranges from $120 and $750 or more. Hiring a cleaning pro to deep clean your home will ensure the job is done thoroughly and safely, freeing you up for other tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you avoid deep cleaning, it can lead to a slew of issues for your health and home. Mold and mildew can grow in damp areas of the home, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms, which can cause allergic reactions and even structural damage to your house. A buildup of grime and dirt can allow bacteria and germs to thrive. A dirty home can also attract pests such as cockroaches, ants, and rodents.

Deep cleaning takes 4 to 8 hours or more.The time it will take to deep clean your home depends on its size, the number of rooms, and the amount of cleaning involved. A dirtier house will take longer than a home that is frequently cleaned. So, you may want to break it into smaller tasks or hire a pro to take on this tedious task.

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