Quick answer: regular cleaning (also called standard or basic cleaning) keeps a clean home clean: the surfaces you use every day, on a weekly, every-two-weeks or monthly schedule. A deep clean restores a home that has built up dirt and grime: baseboards, behind appliances, grout and everything a regular visit skips. If your home hasn’t had a professional clean in 3 months or more, start with a deep clean, then keep it up with regular visits.
Regular house cleaning vs deep cleaning, side by side
| Area | Regular cleaning | Deep cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| Countertops and surfaces | Yes | Yes |
| Stovetop | Surface wipe | Full degrease |
| Toilet, sink, shower and tub | Yes | Yes, plus grout scrubbing |
| Baseboards and door frames | No | Yes |
| Behind and under appliances | No | Yes |
| Light fixtures, ceiling fans and vents | No | Yes |
| Wall marks | No | Spot-cleaned |
| Inside the oven, fridge or dishwasher | No | Add-on, $40 each |
| Inside cabinets | No | Add-on, $60 kitchen and $20 per bathroom |
| Window sills | No | Yes |
| Equipment | You provide the vacuum, mop and bucket; we bring the products | We bring everything |
Every task for both services is on our cleaning checklists.
What is regular cleaning?
Regular cleaning keeps a home that’s already in good shape from building up dirt. Each visit covers the kitchen (counters, backsplash, stovetop, sink, cabinet fronts), the bathrooms (toilet, sink, shower and tub, mirror) and every room (dusting, vacuuming, mopping, light switches and door handles). It works best as a recurring service, and weekly and every-two-weeks clients keep the same cleaner. See our regular house cleaning page for how it works.
What is deep cleaning?
A deep clean goes everywhere a regular visit doesn’t. It covers everything in a regular clean, plus baseboards and door frames, behind and under appliances, light fixtures and vents, grout in showers and tubs, a full degrease of the stovetop and spot-cleaning of wall marks. Inside the oven, fridge and cabinets are add-ons. A deep clean of a 4½ usually takes 4 to 5 hours for one professional. More on our deep cleaning page.
Which one do you need?
| Your situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Your home is in good shape and you want it to stay that way | Regular cleaning, weekly, every two weeks or monthly |
| No professional clean in 3 months or more | A deep clean first, then regular visits |
| Hosting, a seasonal reset, or moving out of a furnished home | A deep clean |
| Moving in or out of an empty or nearly empty home | Move-in/out cleaning |
| Not cleaned in a year or more, and dirty or very dirty | Super deep cleaning, by quote |
| After renovation work | Post-renovation cleaning, by quote |
The rule of thumb: if your home hasn’t had a professional clean in 3 months or more, start with a deep clean, then maintain it with regular visits. Regular cleaning keeps a clean home clean. It doesn’t restore one, so regular visits in a home that needs a deep clean give a disappointing result.
What each one costs in Montreal
| Service | Starting price | Typical 4½ |
|---|---|---|
| Regular cleaning | From $120 per visit | About $128 per visit every two weeks |
| Deep cleaning | From $250 | About $315, before extras |
Prices are before tax and built room by room. Recurring clients save 15% to 25% depending on frequency. Full breakdowns: regular cleaning prices and deep cleaning prices. For how often to schedule a deep clean, see how often to deep clean an apartment.
Not sure which one you need?
Tell us about your home and when it was last cleaned. We’ll recommend the right service and send a fixed price, typically within 1 business day.
Know what you need? Book now and see your price in under 5 minutes. Or call (438) 500-2723. On parle français.
FAQ: deep clean vs regular clean
What’s the difference between standard cleaning and deep cleaning?
Standard (regular) cleaning covers the surfaces you use every day. A deep clean adds the areas that build up over time: baseboards, behind appliances, grout, light fixtures, vents and wall marks.
Can I book a deep clean once, without a recurring plan?
Yes. You can book a deep clean once, with no recurring plan. Regular cleaning has no contract either.
Will a regular clean fix a home in bad shape?
No. A regular clean maintains a clean home. If it hasn’t had a professional clean in 3 months or more, start with a deep clean. If it hasn’t been cleaned in a year or more and it’s dirty or very dirty, ask for a super deep cleaning quote.
Is a deep clean the same as post-renovation cleaning?
No. Post-renovation cleaning includes everything in a deep clean, plus renovation dust on walls, ceilings, fixtures and vents, paint splatter, silicone and adhesive residue, grout haze, and sawdust inside every cabinet and drawer. After a renovation, ask for a post-renovation cleaning quote.
Do I need to be home?
No. You can leave us a key, a lockbox or a door code for the visit.
What if something is missed?
Panther Promise: satisfaction guaranteed. Tell us within 48 hours, and if anything on the checklist was missed, we come back to fix it at no charge.