What’s Included in a Standard House Cleaning Service?

written by: Terry Stevens

Published: July 4, 2025
Updated: July 4, 2025

reading time:  minutes

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Think a standard house clean is just a quick dust and vacuum? Think again. Regular cleaning plays a big role in keeping your home not just tidy, but healthy. It tackles the everyday buildup of dust, dirt, and germs that collect on floors, surfaces, and high-touch spots like door handles and light switches.

But what exactly gets cleaned, and what doesn’t? From wiping down kitchen appliances to vacuuming under cushions, there’s more involved than many people realise. In this guide, we break down what standard house cleaning includes, which areas are covered, and what to expect when booking a professional service.

Key Takeaways

  • Standard house cleaning focuses on routine tasks like dusting, vacuuming, and mopping to maintain a clean and healthy living environment.
  • Key areas cleaned include living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms, each requiring specific tasks to ensure hygiene and tidiness.
  • While standard cleaning covers essential tasks, some exclusions apply, and optional add-ons are available for a deeper clean based on individual needs.

What is Standard House Cleaning?

Family cleaning together in a modern home. Mother wiping kitchen counter, kids sweeping and dusting, with dog resting nearby. Bright, tidy living space with wooden floors and bookshelves

 

Standard house cleaning is a routine practice aimed at maintaining cleanliness and comfort in living spaces. It’s not about a one-time deep clean but rather a consistent effort to keep your home in good shape. The main focus of standard house cleaning is to ensure a basic level of hygiene and tidiness, promoting health and well-being.

This type of cleaning helps prevent the accumulation of dirt, dust, and clutter in regularly used areas. Maintaining these cleaning tasks creates a more pleasant living environment for you and your family. Additionally, standard house cleaning keeps your home looking and feeling fresh, contributing to overall comfort.

Professional cleaning services often offer standard cleaning as a basic package. This service typically covers general cleaning tasks such as:

  • Dusting
  • Vacuuming
  • Mopping These tasks are aimed at providing a healthy and tidy environment. Standard house cleaning is a vital aspect of home maintenance, whether done personally or by professionals.

Essential Cleaning Tasks Included in Standard Services

Standard house cleaning involves a variety of essential cleaning tasks designed to maintain a clean and healthy home environment. These tasks include general dusting, vacuuming, and mopping. Dusting extends beyond furniture to include fixtures, appliances, and tight spots like behind toilets, keeping allergens at bay. A house cleaning checklist can help ensure that all tasks are completed efficiently.

Bathrooms usually involve disinfecting sinks, toilets, and kitchen tiles. Kitchens are another critical area, with tasks focusing on cleaning appliance exteriors, scrubbing sinks, and wiping down cabinet fronts. These specific tasks help maintain hygiene in areas where cleanliness is paramount.

Regular vacuuming and mopping are essential to keep both carpets and hard floors clean. Vacuum covers floors, rugs, corners, and even under cushions. Mopping helps remove dirt and spills, restoring shine and ensuring hygiene. These tasks collectively contribute to a healthier living environment using a microfiber cloth that has been vacuumed.

Areas Covered in Standard House Cleaning

Family doing household chores in different rooms. Child vacuuming the living room, mother making a bed, father cleaning the kitchen, and daughter scrubbing the bathroom floor.

Professional cleaners typically focus on living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens during a standard deep cleaning. Each of these areas requires specific tasks to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, making it essential for a professional cleaner to ensure they are cleaned effectively.

This section breaks down the detailed cleaning tasks for each area, offering a comprehensive understanding of what to expect.

Living Areas

Living areas are the heart of the home, where you relax and entertain guests. Cleaning tasks in these spaces include:

  • Dusting furniture surfaces
  • Wiping electronics
  • Vacuuming floors
  • Mopping non-carpeted floors
  • Dusting light fixtures
  • Removing cobwebs from ceilings These tasks are essential to keep the living area looking fresh.

General tidying is another crucial aspect, involving straightening cushions and pillows, organising magazines and books, and clearing countertops, desks, and tables. These tasks not only enhance neatness but also create a harmonious and welcoming environment.

Bedrooms

In bedrooms, the focus is on creating a comfortable and inviting space. Standard cleaning tasks include:

  • Dusting nightstands, headboards, and furniture
  • Making and straightening linens
  • Vacuuming carpets
  • Mopping hard floors
  • Dusting lamps
  • Cleaning bed frames
  • Removing cobwebs

Finishing touches in bedrooms involve:

  • Organising personal items
  • Ensuring mirrors are smudge-free
  • Checking for dust on window sills and corners
  • Making beds with care
  • Fluffing pillows in the bedroom that have been dusted

These steps add to the overall sense of comfort and tidiness.

Kitchens

Kitchens are the hub of home activity, making cleanliness here particularly important. Standard cleaning tasks focus on de-greasing stovetops, cleaning the microwave and oven front, polishing the kitchen sink, and maintaining kitchen appliances. These tasks help maintain a pristine cooking environment, crucial for health and hygiene.

Additional tasks include wiping down cabinets fronts, cleaning countertops, and ensuring that all kitchen surfaces and other surfaces are free from food debris and dirt buildup. These efforts contribute to a clean and efficient kitchen task space.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms require a thorough approach to maintain hygiene and cleanliness. Standard cleaning tasks include:

  • Sanitising sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and showers
  • Cleaning and polishing mirrors
  • Mopping floors
  • Wiping down countertops and fixtures in the bathroom.

Attention to detail is crucial in bathrooms, with tasks including:

  • Polishing tapware to remove water spots and fingerprints
  • Mopping floors using disinfectant solutions safe for tile or linoleum
  • Polishing mirrors for a streak-free shine using specialised glass cleaners.

Common Exclusions in Standard House Cleaning

professional cleaner holding a checklist, with icons showing cleaning exclusions such as chandeliers, clutter, and exterior windows. Visual guide to house cleaning service limitations.

Standard house cleaning services often have common exclusions to manage expectations and focus on essential tasks. These exclusions typically include:

  • Cleaning chandeliers
  • Bio-hazard cleaning
  • Hoarding clean-up
  • Washing exterior windows.

Other exclusions are full wall cleaning, high-reach areas, and specialised tasks like pressure washing or mould remediation. Professional cleaners also avoid dangerous areas, such as those with bio-hazards or broken electrical outlets, as well as hard to reach areas.

Optional Add-Ons for Enhanced Cleaning

To address specific needs or achieve a deeper clean, many cleaning services offer optional add-ons, including a deep cleaning service. These can include:

  • Oven cleaning
  • Window washing
  • Changing bed sheets
  • Washing dishes
  • Washing machine cleaning
  • Folding laundry
  • Balcony cleaning
  • Fridge cleaning
  • Wet wiping blinds
  • Wall washing
  • Steam cleaning carpets
  • Sofa or rug steam cleaning.

These add-ons can be tailored to your home’s specific needs, offering a more thorough cleaning experience. For instance, oven cleaning involves thorough scrubbing to remove tough baked-on stains, while window washing typically covers the inside of windows.

Common house cleaning tasks. Woman cleaning oven, man wiping fridge, boy washing windows, and girl changing bed sheets. Visual guide to add-on cleaning services.

 

How Often Should You Schedule Standard Cleaning?

The frequency of standard cleaning should be adjusted according to household size and usage. For most households, standard cleaning is recommended every few days or weekly, depending on the size of the house and the usage of rooms.

Regular professional cleaning helps maintain a consistently clean home environment, with most households engaging in standard cleaning on a fortnightly basis. Certain tasks, however, may be suggested for every four weeks, ensuring comprehensive upkeep with a regular cleaning service.

Benefits of Hiring Professional Cleaners

Busy individuals can save considerable time by hiring professional cleaners. Experts use specialised tools and techniques for effective cleaning, which can be challenging for the average person. They are better equipped to handle tough cleaning challenges such as:

  • Mold
  • Bacteria Professional cleaning services also:
  • Improve indoor air quality
  • Eliminate unpleasant odours effectively.

Additionally, professional cleaning alleviates the stress of maintaining a clean house, enhancing mental well-being. This peace of mind allows you to focus on other important aspects of your life.

Summary

Standard house cleaning is an essential practice for maintaining a clean and healthy home environment. From dusting and vacuuming to sanitising bathrooms and kitchens, these tasks ensure your living spaces are tidy and inviting.

Hiring professional cleaners can offer numerous benefits, including time savings, specialised cleaning techniques, and improved indoor air quality. So, why not give yourself the gift of a clean home and peace of mind by considering professional cleaning services?

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of cleaning services are offered?

Cleaning services typically include recurring cleanings, one-time cleanings, and move-out cleanings to fit your needs. You can choose the type that works best for your situation!

What tasks are included in the Recurring Clean checklist?

The Recurring Clean checklist covers essential tasks like removing cobwebs, dusting surfaces, cleaning mirrors, vacuuming, mopping, and emptying bins. It’s all about keeping your space fresh and tidy!

What specific kitchen cleaning tasks are included?

Cleaning tasks in the kitchen typically involve scrubbing the stove, wiping down the microwave and oven front, and giving the sink a good polish. These steps keep your kitchen looking fresh and inviting!

What are some of the tasks performed in the bathroom during cleaning?

Cleaning the bathroom involves sanitising the toilet, scrubbing the shower and bathtub, and polishing the taps. Keeping these areas tidy not only looks good but also promotes a healthier space!

What types of cleaning tasks are explicitly excluded from the services?

Cleaning tasks that are explicitly excluded include chandeliers, bio-hazard situations, hoarding clean-up, and exterior window washing. So, if you’re considering a deep clean, just keep these in mind!


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About the author 

Terry Stevens

The owner and founder of Sparkle and Shine. He is a seasoned professional in the home services industry with a decade of experience. He is dedicated to providing top-notch services for residential and commercial properties and has a wealth of knowledge to share on topics such as tips, tricks, industry trends, and the importance of loving your space.