First Time/Deep Cleans
First time cleanings are always an adventure for both our clients and us. They are the foundation of our relationship with them, and serve as the perfect opportunity to create positivity, build trust, and show them exactly what we are capable of! These should always be positive and memorable experiences, even though some of the messes you encounter might be initially difficult to tackle. As experienced cleaners, we understand the importance of going the extra mile during the first visit and ensuring that we pay attention to every detail. From removing built up dust and cobwebs to tackling stubborn stains and grime, we leave no surface untouched. Our goal is to create a fresh, serene environment for our clients that exceeds their expectations and brings them a sense of peace. We take pride in these transformations, and the satisfaction it brings. Similar to our pre-listing cleanings, the ultimate goal is to leave these homes looking as good as they can!
Basics
There are several things that will help you be successful with first time cleanings, and many of them revolve around having good communication with your teammate(s), using the right method/product/pressure for the messes you encounter, moving quickly, and communicating promptly and thoroughly with the client when an issue or question arises. This isn’t an exhaustive list, as there are many other factors that can affect how effectively you clean and communicate. Keep your head on a swivel, clean what’s dirty, and don’t waste time on things that don’t need it. Ask any and all questions you have to the right party - whether that be the other people on your team, the client, or management.
While reading client notes is important for every cleaning, it is especially important for first time cleanings. The notes will tell you whether or not they want the oven and/or inside of the fridge to be cleaned as well as possibly specify areas of focus and areas they don’t want us to touch.
Please keep in mind that even on deep cleans we don’t clean/do:
Small metal or plastic blinds (aka mini blinds)
Unfinished spaces/ basements
Fireplaces/ ashes
Chandeliers or high windows
Pet stains
Smoke remediation
Mold
Carpet shampooing
There is seldom time to do much decluttering for our clients during any cleaning, so prioritize the actual cleaning, and if you come across tables, shelves, dressers, etc. that are 90+% covered and cluttered with lots of random items or stacked high with papers, just wipe off any edges of the surface that are visible and move on. Please stage each room to the best of your abilities as time allows. The most important rooms to prioritize staging in are the kitchen, living room, dining room, master bedroom, and all bathrooms.
There is some special equipment that you will need for a first time clean: the deep cleaning supply caddy, a radiator brush for applicable homes, and a step stool.
What should I do if we don’t have enough time?
Because of the nature of first time cleans, sometimes they can be tricky or dirtier than they initially appear. When these situations occur and as soon as you and your teammate(s) start to have doubts about whether or not you’re going to have enough time even if you hustle hard, please send a message to your GroupMe “[Your Name] & Managers” chat detailing what you have discovered, how much extra time you think you might need, and/or what questions you and your partner(s) have so that we can help come up with a solution. Often this will include asking the client if they are willing to add more time or what their lowest priorities are in case there’s specific rooms/tasks they would be okay with us leaving for next time.
Because of this unpredictability, please clean room by room, making sure it’s looking fabulous before you move on to the next area. I would rather you skip an entire room but have every other room perfect than to have 2 or more rooms that have obviously been touched and left in poor quality.
Tips and Tricks
Magic eraser is your best friend when it comes to wall scuffs, stubborn marks on dry erase boards (including crayon!), getting marks off of laminated/painted doors, and can even be used to great effect in tubs and sinks. Note: do not use magic eraser on baseboards/trim, it will take the paint off entirely for most modern trim and will damage the finish on natural wood trim. Keep in mind that these are mildly abrasive - use gently and with caution.
CLR will break up mineral/hard water deposits (calcium, rust, etc.) on shower glass, shower heads, faucets, and in toilets. It works best if you spray it on and let it work it’s magic for a few minutes before you try scrubbing at things. It’s more effective if it stays damp during this time. Try using this first! Might save you a lot of time.
Barkeepers friend can be used in showers and on shower glass as well as in tubs and sinks. Just be careful to not use it on any kind of natural stone or other soft/porous surfaces.
0000/ultra fine steel wool and dish soap can help remove stubborn hard water stains from shower glass. Don’t apply a lot of pressure with this one.
Spray the inside of the oven thoroughly with oven cleaner before you start cleaning anything else in the kitchen, then come back to the oven toward the end of cleaning the kitchen, preferably before you clean the sink as you will be rinsing out lots of gunk from your yellow rag(s). Steel wool can help you clean off the oven racks, and barkeepers can help you clean off any stubborn marks on the oven door glass (specifically only the glass).
Clean the fridge one shelf at a time, top to bottom. Put items back where they were and face them nicely. Try to avoid changing how it’s organized. Rinse out drawers and door shelves in the sink and dry with a clean yellow cloth.
Dish soap and all-purpose on a warm scrub daddy will help tackle any greasy/grimy areas you find.
Put on some jams that have high BPM - it’ll help keep you motivated and moving fast!
Sometimes vacuuming very dusty/hairy surfaces first with the brush attachment and then wiping it down is faster and more effective, just be very careful to not suck up any client items!
Always ask your partner/lead for advice on anything you’re unsure how to approach or if you feel you aren’t going fast enough, they may have suggestions!
Timing
The timing for a deep clean is often different than our regular cleanings due to the amount of work that is required. Because each house and it’s needs are different - and because some clients request to have their deep cleanings capped at a certain amount of time - it’s hard to nail down timing guidelines as they will depend on the size of the rooms, how much there is to do in each room, the level of grime, etc. The best way to tackle deep cleans like this is to spend a few minutes at the beginning of the cleaning talking to your partner(s) and making a game plan for tackling the house. Make sure that you talk about how much time you estimate that large main areas will take, and talk about how to tackle any areas that are a lot dirtier than others. Check in with each other whenever you can spare, and whenever you pass each other.
That being said, some common timings (2 person team) for deep cleans for average homes with average levels of dust/dirt are:
Kitchen - 90 minutes
Full Master bathroom - 45 minutes
3/4 bathrooms - 45 minutes
1/2 bathrooms - 20-30 minutes
Living room - 45 minutes
Dining room - 45 minutes
Master bedroom - 45 minutes
Other bedrooms - 30 minutes
Offices - 30 minutes
Mudrooms - 30 minutes
Stairs - 15 minutes
Entryway - 15 minutes
Hallway - 15 minutes
Please keep in mind that all of these numbers are highly subject to change due to the unpredictable nature of first time cleanings.
Details
Here’s a list of the common things we do during a deep cleaning, but it is not exhaustive. Some clients may have a deep clean time cap and thus you won’t be able to go into as much detail as you would like to or as is listed here. Remember that the goal is to get the house looking as good as it can, and clean up all the nooks and crannies they likely don’t get to often!
Kitchen
Clean the exterior of all the kitchen cabinets, outside of appliances, and the inside of the microwave
Clean any windows or mirrors
Clean the kitchen counter and sink
Clean the backsplash and walls throughout the kitchen
Vacuum kitchen floor and edges
Dust any blinds, light fixtures, décor and clean ceiling fan
Dust/wipe down doors and door frames
Wipe down baseboards/toe kick
Hand wash or wet mop kitchen floor. Making sure to get underneath cabinets
Bathrooms
Clean the exterior of all the bathroom cabinets
Dust ledges, door frames, pictures, light fixtures and décor
Vacuum ceiling vent
Clean all walls in the bathroom, especially around the toilet
Clean inside, outside and behind the toilet
Clean the inside of the tub or shower including any doors
Clean the backsplash in the bathrooms
Clean any mirrors and windows panes
Clean sink, faucet and countertop
Clean all of the doors, door frames, and door handles in the bathrooms
Clean all baseboards in the bathrooms
Vacuum and hand wash every inch of bathroom floor.
Common Rooms and Bedrooms and Hallways
Dust ceiling fans
Dust wood blinds
Remove all cobwebs
Wet wipe all of the switch plates throughout the home
Spot check walls
Spot check windows for large marks
Dust and wet wipe window sills throughout the house
Dust/wipe down doors and door frames
Vacuum/wipe down the accessible baseboards
Dust any reachable light fixtures
Vacuum couches and straighten pillows and blankets
Dust furniture and woodwork throughout the home.
Vacuum under all furniture that can be reached with a standard extension tube.
Vacuum all accessible hard and carpeted surfaces including edges and baseboards
Wash all hard surfaces