A standard clean is maintenance: eight items covering dusting, vacuuming, mopping, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, sink, trash and mirrors. A deep clean adds nine more: inside the oven, microwave and fridge, scrubbed grout, behind and under appliances, baseboards and switches, sills and blinds, cabinet and drawer interiors, and the long version of the bathroom scrub. Book a deep clean if it has been more than a couple of months since a professional clean, before guests or listing photos, or as a first visit; then a standard clean every two or four weeks keeps it there.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard clean | 8 items: dust, vacuum, mop, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, sink, trash, mirrors. Keeps a maintained home that way. |
| Deep clean | Everything above plus 9 more: inside oven, microwave and fridge, grout, behind appliances, baseboards and switches, sills and blinds, cabinet interiors, full bathroom scrub. |
| When to go deep | First clean, no professional clean in 2+ months, before guests or photos, after a remodel or a move. |
| Clean vs disinfect | Cleaning with soap or detergent removes most germs; disinfecting is an extra step mainly needed when someone is sick (CDC). |
| The usual pattern | One deep clean, then standard cleans every 2–4 weeks and a deep clean once or twice a year. |
What is the difference between a standard clean and a deep clean?
Depth, literally. A standard clean handles the surfaces you see and touch every day. A deep clean opens the appliances and cabinets, gets behind and under things, and scrubs rather than wipes. Here are the two Furball checklists side by side; every service page on this site shows the same lists.
| Area | Standard clean | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|
| All rooms | Dust surfaces, furniture, ceiling fans; vacuum carpets and rugs; mop hard floors | Same, plus baseboards, door frames, light switches, window sills and blinds |
| Kitchen | Counters and appliance exteriors wiped; sink and fixtures cleaned | Same, plus inside the oven, microwave and fridge; behind and under appliances; inside cabinets and drawers |
| Bathrooms | Cleaned and sanitized | Fixtures and tile scrubbed thoroughly; grout scrubbed |
| Finish | Trash emptied; mirrors and glass wiped | Same |
| Time | Baseline | Considerably longer; estimate given with the quote |
When is a deep clean worth it?
When the standard list would leave the problem behind. Grease on the range hood, grout that has gone gray, dust you can write in on the blinds, a fridge with history: those need a deep clean, and a standard clean on top of them is money spent on the wrong thing. The common triggers are a first clean with a new company, more than a couple of months without a professional clean, guests or a listing photographer coming, and the aftermath of a remodel, a move or a long illness.
A client in Wheat Ridge booked a deep clean of her four-bedroom house before her in-laws arrived and wrote about the inside of the fridge, behind the stove, and the baseboards. That is the deep-clean use case in one sentence.
- First clean with Furball, or no professional clean in a few months
- Guests, a party or listing photos coming up
- After a remodel, a move, or a long illness
- Built-up grease, gray grout, dusty blinds, a fridge that needs a reset
Is a deep clean the same as disinfecting?
No, and the distinction matters. The CDC's household guidance is that cleaning with soap or detergent and scrubbing removes most germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces, that routine cleaning is usually enough to keep a home healthy, and that sanitizing or disinfecting is generally only needed when someone in the home is sick or has a weakened immune system. When you do disinfect, the CDC says to clean first, use an EPA-registered disinfectant, leave it on for the full contact time, and ventilate.
A deep clean is more cleaning, not more chemicals. We clean everything, sanitize the bathrooms and the kitchen's high-touch spots on every visit, and use stronger disinfection only when you ask for it because someone has been ill.
How do I decide for my home?
Ask one question: if we only did the eight standard items, would you be happy walking in? If yes, book a standard clean. If the answer involves the oven, the grout or the blinds, book a deep clean once, then switch to standard cleans every two or four weeks. If you are not sure, describe the home and we will tell you honestly which one it is; we would rather do the right clean than the bigger one.
From Marina
Most first calls are people who think they need a standard clean and actually need a deep clean, or the other way around. I ask when the home was last professionally cleaned, what bothers them most, and whether anyone is coming. Those three answers decide it. A deep clean takes considerably longer, and I say how long when I quote, so nobody is surprised.
After the first deep clean, nearly everyone goes to every other week or monthly standard cleans, with a deep clean once or twice a year. That is the cheapest way to live in a clean house. Call or text (720) 985-4648 and I will tell you which one yours is.
Furball Cleaning · Denver Metro and West Denver · Any day, any hour
Frequently asked questions
What does a deep clean include that a standard clean does not?
Inside the oven, microwave and refrigerator; scrubbed tile grout; behind and under the appliances; baseboards, door frames and light switches; window sills and blinds; the insides of cabinets and drawers; and a thorough scrub of bathroom fixtures and tile. Everything in the standard clean is included too.
How often should I get a deep clean?
Once to start, then once or twice a year if you keep a standard clean on a schedule every two or four weeks. Homes with pets, heavy cooking or lots of guests sometimes go to a deep clean each season.
Does cleaning kill germs?
Cleaning with soap or detergent removes most germs along with dirt, which the CDC says is usually enough for a healthy home. Disinfecting kills germs that remain and is mainly recommended when someone is sick. Clean first, then disinfect if needed.
Can I get a deep clean of just the kitchen?
Yes. Ask for the deep-clean items you want, such as inside the oven, fridge and cabinets, itemized on top of a standard clean, and we quote it that way.