What Is Included in a Deep Cleaning?

"Deep cleaning" is one of those phrases every cleaning company uses and almost none defines the same way. The result is that two homeowners can buy a "deep clean" from two different companies and end up with completely different jobs.

Here is what an actual deep clean includes — what we do in a deep clean across Chattanooga and Northwest Georgia, how it differs from a standard clean, what is typically an add-on, and how to spot a quote that calls itself a deep clean but is priced like a standard one.

Deep cleaning vs standard cleaning, in one sentence

A standard clean maintains a home that is already in a clean state. A deep clean gets a home into that state.

Standard cleans clean what gets used daily. Deep cleans clean what gets used daily plus the surfaces, corners, and interiors that build up over months.

What is included in a deep clean

Kitchen

• Cabinet fronts hand-wiped, including any grease around handles and above the stove.
• Top of refrigerator and top of upper cabinets (where there is no soffit).
• Stovetop including under the grates and around burner pans.
• Behind small appliances on the counter.
• Exterior of the oven, dishwasher, fridge, and microwave.
• Microwave interior, including the turntable and the vent grease filter.
• Range hood exterior and the metal grease filter.
• Sink scrubbed, faucet polished, disposal flange wiped.
• Backsplash hand-wiped.
• All counters cleared, wiped, and items returned.
• Floor swept, vacuumed, and mopped — corners and edges by hand.

Bathrooms (per bathroom)

• Shower walls, door, and floor scrubbed with appropriate cleaner.
• Tub scrubbed, including the soap shelf and the edge against the wall.
• Grout scrubbed where buildup is visible.
• Showerhead descaled if hard-water deposits are present.
• Toilet inside, outside, base, bolts, and hinges.
• Vanity top, sink, faucet, and front of the cabinet.
• Mirror polished streak-free.
• Light fixtures wiped and bulbs dusted.
• Exhaust fan cover wiped or rinsed.
• Floor swept, vacuumed if needed, and mopped — behind the toilet by hand.

Bedrooms

• Ceiling fan blades wiped (not just dusted).
• Light fixtures and bulbs dusted.
• All horizontal surfaces wiped, with items lifted and returned.
• Mirror and glass surfaces polished.
• Window sills and frames wiped; window tracks vacuumed.
• Blinds dusted slat by slat or hand-wiped.
• Baseboards damp-wiped.
• Door tops and door frames dusted.
• Light switch plates and outlet covers wiped.
• Vents and registers vacuumed.
• Floors vacuumed (carpet) or swept and mopped (hard surfaces); edges by hand.
• Beds made if linens are left out.

Living areas

• Same surface, baseboard, vent, switch, and fixture work as bedrooms.
• Under and behind movable furniture (within reason — not built-in pieces).
• Upholstery surface-vacuumed.
• Hard-surface floors swept, vacuumed, and mopped.
• Patio doors and tracks wiped and vacuumed.

Throughout the home

• All baseboards damp-wiped.
• All door frames and door tops dusted.
• All light switch plates and outlet covers wiped.
• All air vents and registers vacuumed.
• Cobwebs removed from corners and ceilings.
• Trash emptied; new bags installed.

What is typically an add-on, not included by default

These items are usually quoted separately because they vary so widely in time and scope:

• Inside the oven
• Inside the refrigerator and freezer
• Inside cabinets and drawers
• Inside the dishwasher
• Interior windows (often quoted by the pane)
• Exterior windows
• Wall washing
• Garage or basement
• Laundry and dishes
• Linen washing
• Carpet shampooing (different equipment, often subcontracted)

What a deep clean should not be confused with

• Move-out clean — adds inside-cabinet work, interior windows, full appliance interiors, and a more aggressive scope because the home is empty.
• Post-construction clean — focuses on drywall dust removal, paint over-spray, and debris. Different equipment, different scope.
• Maid service — a maintenance clean on a recurring schedule, not a one-time reset.

How long should a deep clean take?

For a typical Chattanooga home:

• 1,000 sq ft: 2–3 hours, two-person crew
• 1,500 sq ft: 3–4 hours, two-person crew
• 2,000 sq ft: 4–5 hours, two-person crew
• 2,500 sq ft: 5–6.5 hours, two-person crew
• 3,000 sq ft: 6.5–8 hours, two-person crew

Solo cleaners take roughly twice as long. If a quote promises a deep clean of a 2,000 sq ft home in 90 minutes, the scope is closer to a standard clean.

How to read a "deep clean" quote

Ask three questions before booking:

1. "What is the complete list of what is included by default?" The answer should be specific, not a paragraph.
2. "What is on your add-on menu, and what does each cost?" A real menu signals a real business.
3. "How long do you estimate the visit will take, and what is the crew size?" The honest answer matches the home size.

Vague answers to any of the three usually mean the scope is also vague.

When to choose a deep clean

• The home has not been professionally cleaned in 3+ months.
• You are about to start recurring service (most companies require it).
• A baby, surgery recovery, or guests are on the calendar.
• You moved in to a home that the previous owner did not deep-clean.
• Seasonal allergies are bad and the dust is visible.
• You sold the home or it is going on the market.

Our deep clean scope, in writing

Everything on the lists above is included in a Simply Spotless deep clean. The items on the add-on menu are priced clearly and bundled into the same visit so you only pay for what you want.

For a flat-rate deep clean quote on your Chattanooga home, visit the deep cleaning page or request a free quote with your address and square footage.