Deep cleaning is one of the most drastic and intensive ways you can approach housekeeping in terms of sanitation due to its rigorous methods of disinfecting, organizing, and tidying. It is one of the most popular services that you can get from professional helpers and cleaners. This is because of how effective it can be in keeping your house environment sanitized and free of illness-inducing microbes. However, a popular question for this particular topic is of course, how long the actual process of deep cleaning will take.
Everyone wants to keep their house clean. But people would also want to use it as soon as possible. Especially during days with busy schedules, which is why so many people are curious about how long deep cleaning takes. Fortunately, this article will contain all the information you’ll need. This will include some bonuses such as how to administer deep cleaning, and how often you should deep clean. And we’ll also share some tips and common questions that are all about deep cleaning. Continue reading this article to learn all about deep cleaning!
Deep Cleaning Vs Regular House Cleaning
Before heading into the question of how long deep cleaning will take, we must first talk about the general information that you will need to know regarding deep cleaning. So first and foremost, let’s relate it to regular house cleaning, a chore that most people already know about.
? Regular house cleaning
Regular house cleaning refers to the set of routine tasks you will assign yourself on a weekly basis. For example, let’s say that you will vacuum the floor, mop it afterward, remove the dust from the shelves, scrub the bathroom floor, and do other similar tasks for this week.
These tasks that we’ve mentioned can be considered regular house cleaning. In the sense that they are part of your weekly routine and your body knows what to do that you probably won’t even need a list for them. However, as comfortable as doing these tasks may seem, they are not actually wholly cleaning every corner of your house. This is where deep cleaning comes into the picture.
? Deep cleaning
Deep cleaning refers to a procedure that involves the sanitation of every part of the house. Of course, it would still include the tasks from your regular house cleaning routine. But this time, it’s way more intensive and comprehensive to the point where every corner is on the target. If regular house cleaning aims to prevent your house from looking like an abandoned haunted house, deep cleaning aims to not only keep your house clean and pristine but also aims to sanitize it completely.
Every bacteria or microbe that may be lingering around uncleaned corners can cause illnesses such as the flu or the common cold if left unchecked. As such, it’s essential for deep cleaning to be administered especially in situations where it is needed the most, which leads us to the next section.
When To Do Deep Cleaning
You should do deep cleaning in certain scenarios where sanitation is very much needed or when the body is most vulnerable to diseases. For example, if you reside in an area where it snows, spring cleaning after the winter season is a perfect choice to start deep cleaning. This is because it prepares your house and body for the upcoming season. If you have a relative who has a weaker immune system (such as older people or infants), you will have to deep clean every 2-3 months to prevent the buildup of bacteria around your home.
Contrary to the previous sentence, you should also consider deep cleaning if you have just been through an illness and haven’t been deep cleaning for a while. This ensures that any remaining microbes that were propagated from your illness and spread around the house (via coughing and sneezing) will be eradicated. Even though you are technically immune from the disease as you were able to recover from it, there is still a chance that your housemates or guests may acquire it by touching contaminated surfaces. As such, deep cleaning during this time can be quite beneficial.
Other scenarios where you’d want to do deep cleaning are when you have a big event coming up, when you are expecting a housemate who’s discharged from the hospital, or if you haven’t been able to do your regular house cleaning properly for quite a while due to schedule conflicts.
How Often Must You Deep Clean

The general rule of thumb is that you should do a deep cleaning at least 2-4 times a year depending on a variety of factors. First, you must assess your regular house cleaning routine before even considering how often you will deep clean. If you are the type of person who is very detailed at cleaning (like you want everything to be cleaned or else you won’t feel satisfied), then you may just want to deep clean your house once or twice a year.
However, if you have a very tight and packed schedule that leaves no more room for regular cleaning, then deep cleaning thrice a year or every three months is a good baseline to follow. It doesn’t have to mean that you will have to do the cleaning all by yourself though. You can ask your housemates for assistance or you can hire professional cleaners to do the job for you. Considering you have a packed schedule already, it won’t be a surprise if you won’t be able to allot a day. Let alone a whole week to do the divided tasks of deep cleaning.
Though most house owners would prefer to just allot one specific time of the year to deep clean their house (such as those who prefer spring cleaning), you will need to consider the factors that will affect how often you should deep clean as well as if you actually need to do deep cleaning.
How Long Does Deep Cleaning Take
Similar to the previous section, this question affects a lot of factors, which we will go into one by one so you can follow along and consider them yourself based on your house and access to helpers:
? The size of your house
This should’ve been a given as the bigger your house is, the longer it will take for you to deep clean it. It does not only consider the actual size of your property, but it also considers if your house has certain nuances to it. For example, if it has multiple stories, multiple rooms with varying usages, and if there are corners that are hard to reach such as the back corners of large appliances. The general belief is that it will take you around one to two hours per 1000 square inches of floor space. However, this will still highly depend on the distinct features of your house, and of course, no house is the exact same.
? The number of helpers available
The saying, “the more, the merrier” is also applicable in this scenario. If you have multiple housemates who are capable of cleaning the house or assisting you, then that makes the deep cleaning process much faster. Instead of having one person assigned for an entire house, you can split the tasks equally or assign tasks that are most suited to your abilities. For example, if you have a taller younger brother, then he can be assigned to higher places that may be harder to reach your height.
Helpers may also refer to the people that you will hire to do the deep cleaning for you. Professional cleaners, as adept as they are at sanitizing and working their way around difficult cleaning situations, will require some extra help especially if your house is large. Typically, if you were to hire professionals to do the job for you, it’s best if you ask for a whole cleaning crew to get the job done within a day or two.
? How often do you do your regular cleaning routine
If you are doing your regular cleaning routine on a weekly or twice-a-week basis, then deep cleaning shouldn’t be much of a problem. This is because there won’t be any dirt in the majority of your house. You will then only have to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your house that you may have missed during your regular house cleaning. However, if you are someone with a schedule so packed that you can only allot a small amount of time for cleaning, then deep cleaning may become a much more tedious process. This is because there may be visible dirt that’s already accumulating around your house.
? The available resources that you have access to
Certain resources related to cleanings, such as various tools and cleaning agents, can become quite a game-changer when it comes to the duration of your deep cleaning. There’s a reason why cleaning professionals always possess a variety of tools at their disposal. This is because the majority of cleaning shall be dealt with this equipment and not just through the effort applied by the cleaner themselves.
Along with that, there are also certain pieces of equipment that are specialized for dealing with specific situations. Such examples are mold killers, degreasers for unseen grease spills or stains, and microfiber cloths for sensitive surfaces. As such, having the right tools and resources can affect how swiftly and effectively you’ll be able to adequately deep clean your entire house.
So with all these given factors in mind, is there an average or baseline point that we can derive from? Generally, most people would say that it takes around an entire working day (around 8-10 hours) to deep clean the average house. But realistically, it would take multiple days for a single person to deep clean an entire house. This is through a schedule that divides the parts of the house per day. It’s quite difficult for someone who is averagely experienced at housekeeping to be able to clean an entire residence in a single day without feeling worn out. As such, it can be quite an effective method to schedule your deep cleaning and prioritize what needs to be cleaned first.
Deep Cleaning Tips

Below are some tips that will help you deep clean your house effectively and efficiently:
? Organize before you sanitize
Before anything else, you will need to organize everything that may act as clutter around the room. If you have instruments, books, or clothes just lying around, you should move them somewhere else first. This is because they can easily get in the way of your cleaning. Larger objects such as chairs, tables, and mini cabinets should also be placed somewhere or temporarily moved around to clean the corners that they are covering.
You may ask help from your housemates if the objects are too heavy for you. This is advisable if you have large cabinets and containers. This organizing phase can also be treated as a way for you to get rid of the excess items that you won’t probably even need anymore. Which is a bonus you can get for organizing your surroundings first.
? Prioritize the size of the room
If this will be your first deep cleaning in a while and you have no idea where to start, then consider the following two things. First, start with the highest floor of your home. You will have to work your way from the top to the lowest floor. Secondly, it’s advisable that you start with the largest room on that floor, as you still have the energy to prioritize the most difficult rooms (basically, the largest ones).
Once you work your way into the other rooms, your energy will surely be depleted rapidly. This is because deep cleaning can be quite a tedious procedure. As such, reserving your energy for when it’s at a lower level for smaller rooms is a good way to ensure every room is getting the adequate cleaning it needs.
? Look up at the ceiling first
The ceiling will be the first part of the room you should look at. This is because as we mentioned before, we’ll start at the topmost area and into the bottom (a.k.a. the floor). Since there may be a buildup of dust and cobwebs on the ceiling, cleaning it first ensures that if some of its parts will fall into the floor, you will still be able to sweep them up afterward as you would be cleaning the floor anyways. If you were to clean the floor first, you may have to do it all over again. This is because cleaning the ceiling will subsequently cause some dust to accumulate below. As such, you should always keep this tip in mind to not get caught in a vicious cycle of cleaning and re-cleaning.
? Divide the tasks and conserve your energy
Deep cleaning is such a large task that will ultimately take away all your energy by the end. As such, it is important to learn how to manage your time and energy. This is because a poorer quality of work may result from your exhaustion. So be sure to divide the tasks among your helpers (if any) or schedule the cleaning that you will need to do throughout the multiple days that you have allotted for deep cleaning. Not only will this benefit you and your well-being, but it also ensures that you are well-suited for the adequate procedures of deep cleaning that you will need to do properly.
? Don’t forget to disinfect your belongings as well
Some people tend to forget that deep cleaning is not only about looking for the hardest-to-reach corners of your house and cleaning them. Deep cleaning also involves disinfecting the various items around your house, such as vases, books, records, and other supplies that you may keep. Just be sure to use the appropriate cleaning materials that won’t damage these items in any way. Doing this also acts as a way for you to reorganize and assess if you still need these items or not, similar to the first tip.
Steps To Do Deep Cleaning:
These are the steps that you can follow when deep cleaning your home. Each room is divided into different sections as follows:
*Living Room
- Organize the appliances, couches, and tables first and move them to another place.
- Clean the ceiling along with possible accessories or appliances such as chandeliers and ceiling fans.
- Check the back of any wall-hanging objects such as photos that may have accumulated dust or mold.
- Reach into the back of cabinets or shelves, you may organize the items in these containers first before doing so,
- Wipe the tabletops and stands along with the objects that they carry.
- Clean the furniture that you moved beforehand. You may use sprays for your couch and microfiber cloth with small hints of disinfectant for other appliances.
- Vacuum the rug or carpet. You may also wash it and replace it with a fresh one if necessary.
- Vacuum and mop the floors thoroughly until they look shiny and good as new.
*Kitchen
- Move the movable larger appliances that may get in the way.
- Start by cleaning the ceiling. If there are any vents or exhaust fans, you may start cleaning their interiors if they are reachable.
- Wipe and polish the hanging cabinets. You may also open them to reorganize the objects inside and check for anything that may already be expired. Clean the interiors afterward.
- Move on to the countertops and wipe them clean until they display a glossy glow.
- Remove any grease stains around the stove and the countertops.
- Reach into the cabinets that are at the bottom and clean them like how you cleaned the hanging cabinets.
- Clean the insides of your oven and remove any stains that may be present.
- Reorganize your fridge and clean its interior and exterior parts. Remove any food product that may already be expired.
- Vacuum and mop your kitchen floor.
You can also click here for more kitchen cleaning tips!
*Bathroom
- Start with the ceiling. Check for any dust or mold that may have accumulated.
- Clean the shower head. You may wrap it in a plastic bag containing disinfectants diluted in water to do so.
- If you have a bathtub, you may clean it by scrubbing its interiors and exteriors. Do the same procedure for your sink and toilet.
- Disinfect the doorframes of the showering area. If you are using curtains, you may replace the current ones you have and clean the former ones.
- Reorganize and polish the insides and outsides of your cabinets and shelves.
- Disinfect the handles of your bathroom door.
- Vacuum and mop the floors of your bathroom. If the floor is already damp or wet, you should skip vacuuming it instead.
*Bedroom
- Move any object that may get in the way of your cleaning or may be contaminated with dust while you clean the ceiling.
- Clean, polish, and organize the shelves that you may have. Be sure to also disinfect the items that are kept on said shelves.
- Disinfect tabletops and your study/work areas if you have them in your bedroom.
- Declutter and clean your closet. You may remove any clothing that you won’t need anymore to save some space.
- Replace the bed sheets and pillow casings. You should also polish your bed during this process.
- Replace any rugs or mattresses that are in your bedroom.
- Vacuum and mop the floor (but only if it is tiled). If the majority of your bedroom has a carpet as a floor you may vacuum and disinfect it instead.
Tips To Keep Your House Clean
Below are some tips you can follow to regularly keep your house clean before your next deep cleaning:
? Set some small daily tasks for yourself
Small and simple tasks that are done on a daily basis can be an effective way to keep your house clean. For example, spraying and wiping different tables every day. You can set some time within your day for when you will swiftly do these small tasks. You would be surprised how much work you were actually doing for the whole week! This also sets some momentum for your cleaning habits as it trains you to be organized and make cleaning a daily habit that will naturally happen as a part of your routine. As such, it’s recommended that you start scheduling some small tasks on your calendar to start this momentum.
? Use item organizers
Item organizers can save you a lot of time. This is because you will be able to identify where an object will be when you are trying to find it. Not only will this save you a lot of time, but this also ensures that your home is constantly decluttered. And this will give you that sense of cleanliness as well.
? Keep your ceilings and walls in check
Your walls and ceilings can often be neglected as small details won’t usually be noticeable (especially if you’re too busy to observe closely). Basically, just watch out for any accumulation of mold or dust even if they are too minor to notice instantly. This also gives you time to appreciate the interiors of your home every once in a while.
FAQs
Q1. Will the first deep cleaning last longer?
After the first time that you will deep clean, you will find that the following sessions will be much easier than before. This is because you were able to find what needs to be cleaned as opposed to blindly going into the procedure first. You will also learn some tricks and other strategies along the way. And you can then apply this for your next deep cleaning sessions. Think of it as a learning curve in which you will be able to perform better the next succeeding times as you grow from the experience.
Q2. What are the benefits of a regular deep cleaning? And how are they comparable to the benefits of regular cleaning?
Deep cleaning ensures that the unseen growing number of microbes stays in check. The majority of microscopic organisms are harmless to us, but there are those that can cause infections and diseases if they proliferate too much. Though regular cleaning can prevent the growth of these microbes, deep cleaning can completely suppress their growth for a long period of time. As such, deep cleaning is much more effective for keeping you and your housemates healthy both physically and mentally. In a nutshell, deep cleaning has the same benefits as regular cleaning but on a much more magnified scale.
Q3. Why is deep cleaning being compared to spring cleaning?
Spring cleaning is basically another form of deep cleaning. Since dust, microbes, and allergens tend to accumulate during the winter and affect people during spring, it is important for house owners to deep clean their houses at the start of the season. The same logic can also be applied in tropical areas, as there will be colder seasons where dirt may seem to only proliferate when warmer seasons arrive.
Final Words
Deep cleaning is a tedious yet rewarding task that can be beneficial to all aspects of your health. As overwhelming as it may seem, the time it will take for you to finish it depends on a lot of factors. Be sure to consider the following tips for a more efficient and effective deep cleaning session!