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Deep Cleaning vs Regular Cleaning in Ottawa: Which to Book?
Short answer: if your Ottawa home has not had a thorough, top-to-bottom clean in a while, book deep cleaning first. If it is already in good shape and you just want to keep it that way, a regular cleaning is enough. A deep clean goes inside the appliances, washes the kitchen and bathroom walls and takes more time. A regular clean maintains your kitchen, bathrooms, floors and surfaces on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule.
Ottawa winters are long. Salt, sand and slush get tracked in for months, windows stay shut and grime builds up in places a quick weekly clean never reaches. That is why so many homes in the city need a reset at least once a year. Here is how deep cleaning in Ottawa compares with regular cleaning, what each one includes, what it costs and how to choose.
What is the difference between deep cleaning and regular cleaning in Ottawa?
Regular cleaning maintains a home that is already clean. Deep cleaning resets a home that needs more than maintenance. The table below sums up the key differences.
Regular cleaning | Deep cleaning | |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Keeping a clean home clean | Resetting a home that needs extra work |
Kitchen | Counters, sink, dishes, outside of appliances, inside of the microwave | Everything in regular, plus walls and the inside of appliances |
Bathrooms | Toilet, shower or bath, sink, mirrors, countertops | Everything in regular, plus walls |
Walls, inside of cabinets and interior windows | Interior windows on request, at no extra cost | Walls included; inside of cabinets and interior windows on request, at no extra cost |
Inside of oven and fridge | On request, in advance, at no extra cost | Included |
Hourly rate | $35 to $52 per hour, depending on frequency | $52 per hour |
Starting price | From $105 before taxes | From $280 before taxes |
What does a regular cleaning include?
A regular cleaning covers the rooms and surfaces you use every day:
Kitchen and dining room: outside of the appliances, inside and outside of the microwave, tables and counters, dishes and the sink, dusting of surfaces, range hoods and hanging lamps.
Bathrooms: toilet, shower or bath and sink scrubbed inside and out, mirrors polished, countertops and thermostats cleaned, ventilation grilles dusted.
Bedrooms: beds made, rooms tidied, surfaces, fixtures, mouldings, heaters and baseboards dusted.
Everywhere: floors washed and vacuumed, mouldings, heaters and baseboards dusted, garbage cans emptied.
Special tasks such as the inside of the oven and fridge, the edges and inside of windows, the patio door or organizing laundry are included at no extra cost when you request them in advance.
What does a deep cleaning include?
A deep cleaning covers everything in a regular cleaning and goes further where dirt really hides:
Kitchen walls and the inside and outside of every appliance.
Tables and counters cleaned inside and out.
Bathroom walls, on top of the full bathroom scrub.
On request, at no extra cost: the inside of cabinets, the edges and inside of windows, the patio door, inside doors and handles.
Deep cleaning is billed by the hour, so the team does as much as possible within the number of hours you book. You can see the full room-by-room list on our What is included page.
When should you book a deep cleaning in Ottawa?
Before starting regular cleaning: it gives your home a clean baseline so regular visits stay quick and effective.
After winter: months of salt, slush and closed windows leave floors, baseboards and windows needing more than a quick wipe.
Before hosting or after a busy season: holidays, guests or a newborn at home are all good moments for a full reset.
After renovations: dust settles everywhere, including inside cabinets and on walls. Post-renovation cleaning is billed at the same $52 hourly rate.
When it has simply been too long: if you cannot remember the last time the inside of your oven or cabinets was cleaned, it is time.
How much does house cleaning cost in Ottawa?
Clean and Shiny charges a fixed hourly rate, so you know the price before the visit. Current rates in Ottawa:
Service | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
Weekly cleaning or Airbnb | $35 per hour |
Every 2 weeks | $43 per hour |
Monthly | $46 per hour |
Occasional cleaning | $52 per hour |
Deep cleaning, empty property or post-renovation | $52 per hour |
The minimum service time is 3 hours, and a small $15 fee applies if your home is outside our service zone. Regular cleaning starts at $105 before taxes and deep cleaning starts at $280 before taxes.
How long does each type of cleaning take?
Time depends on the size and condition of your home. As a guide, here is how long each area usually takes:
Kitchen and dining room: 40 to 60 minutes.
Toilets and bathrooms: 40 to 60 minutes.
Bedrooms: 20 to 40 minutes.
Floors, dusting and garbage throughout the home: 45 to 90 minutes.
A deep cleaning takes longer than a regular cleaning of the same home because of the extra tasks, such as walls and the inside of appliances.
Which one should you choose?
Choose deep cleaning if it is your first professional cleaning in a while, if winter has left its mark, or if you want walls and appliances cleaned inside and out.
Choose regular cleaning if your home is already in good shape and you want to keep it that way every week, every two weeks or every month.
Do both: start with a deep cleaning, then switch to regular cleaning at a lower hourly rate.
All our cleaners are insured and background-checked, we use products that are safe for kids and pets, and every service comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I book a deep cleaning in Ottawa?
There is no fixed rule. Many Ottawa households book a deep cleaning before starting a regular schedule, then once or twice a year, often in spring after a long winter or before hosting family. If you already have weekly or bi-weekly regular cleanings, you will usually need deep cleanings less often.
Should I book a deep cleaning before starting regular cleaning?
If your home has not been professionally cleaned in a while, yes. A deep cleaning brings every room back to a clean baseline, so your regular visits can focus on keeping it that way instead of catching up.
Is a deep cleaning the same as a move-in or move-out cleaning?
Not exactly. Both start at $280 before taxes, but a move-in or move-out cleaning is done in an empty home, right before you move in or after you move out. Deep cleaning, empty-property cleaning and post-renovation cleaning are all billed at $52 per hour.
Does a regular cleaning include the inside of the oven and fridge?
Only on request. In a regular cleaning, the inside of the oven and refrigerator is a special task: it has no extra cost, but it has to be requested in advance. In a deep cleaning, the inside and outside of the appliances are already included.
Do you clean exterior windows or carpets?
No. We do not provide exterior window cleaning or steam carpet cleaning. The edges and inside of windows can be cleaned on request, at no extra cost, in both a regular and a deep cleaning.
Have a question about booking, invoices or rescheduling? Visit our FAQ page.
Get a free quote in less than 15 minutes
Want a deep cleaning or a regular cleaning for your Ottawa home? Get a free, no-obligation quote in less than 15 minutes on our Ottawa house cleaning page. Our cleaners are available 7 days a week, from 8 am to 9 pm.
