Back
What a proper deep clean should include and what most Adelaide cleaners skip
A proper deep clean in Adelaide should cover every surface a regular clean misses. Inside cupboards, behind appliances, grout, tracks, vents, blinds, skirting boards and light fittings. Most cleaners charge for a deep clean but deliver a slightly better regular clean. Here's how to tell the difference.
If you've booked a deep clean and the result feels like the cleaner just spent an extra hour, you're not imagining it. Half the cleaning companies in Adelaide advertise deep cleans but treat them as an upsell on a regular clean, not a different job.
A real deep clean resets the whole house. It's the clean you book when the property hasn't been properly done in months, when you're moving in, when guests are staying, or when you just want the house to feel new again. This article covers what should be on the list and what usually gets skipped.
What separates a deep clean from a regular clean
A regular clean maintains what's already reasonably clean. Wipe surfaces, vacuum floors, clean the visible parts of the bathroom and kitchen. It's fast because it's not doing the hard bits.
A deep clean is the hard bits. Behind, under, inside, above. The areas that build up over months of regular cleans.
If your quote is only slightly higher than a regular clean, it isn't a deep clean.
Kitchen deep clean
Oven pulled apart, racks soaked, glass cleaned inside
Rangehood filter removed and degreased
Behind and under the fridge if it can be moved
Inside every cupboard and drawer, including under the sink
Splashback grout scrubbed
Bin thoroughly washed
Kettle, toaster and microwave inside and out
Tops of cabinets, where dust and grease build up
Bathroom deep clean
Grout scrubbed, not just wiped
Shower head descaled
Silicone treated for mould
Exhaust fan cover removed, dust cleared
Behind the toilet base
Under the vanity
Cabinet interiors
Bedrooms and living deep clean
Skirting boards washed
Door frames and door tops
Ceiling fans and light fittings
Blinds cleaned slat by slat, not just dusted
Curtain rails
Wardrobe interiors
Under the bed if accessible
Windows inside, including tracks
The bits most cleaners skip
If you're paying deep clean prices, these should be on the list. If they aren't, you're being upsold.
Skirting boards actually wiped, not vacuumed
Air conditioning filter cleaned or noted for replacement
Inside kitchen cupboards, not just the outside
Grout given time to react to the product before scrubbing
Silicone assessed for mould treatment
Tracks in sliding doors and windows
Top of the fridge, rangehood, and cabinets
When to book a deep clean instead of a regular one
Moving into a new property that wasn't professionally cleaned
The property hasn't been properly cleaned in six months or more
Preparing for guests, an event, or a photoshoot
Recovering from a renovation or building work
Before starting a regular cleaning schedule, so the maintenance clean has less to fight
The Stronghold approach
At Stronghold, a deep clean is a defined process, not a longer regular clean. Same checklist every time, same standard on every property. When we quote a deep clean, we walk you through exactly what's included so you can compare it against any other quote. If someone else has quoted less, ask them what's on their list. That's where the difference shows up.
