What a Regular Clean Includes (and What It Doesn't)

Most disagreements between a client and a cleaning company aren't about how well something was cleaned. They're about what was supposed to be cleaned in the first place. A client opens the fridge after a regular visit and wonders why the shelves weren't touched. Or looks at the baseboards and expects them to look brand new. Nobody did anything wrong. The expectation just wasn't written down.

I built Clean Bee as a high-end service, and my team tends to do more than what's expected. But I've learned that the way to avoid disappointment isn't to promise everything. It's to be clear about what each visit includes, and to put it on a checklist before we start.

Regular clean vs. deep clean, in two sentences

A regular clean keeps a home that's already in good shape looking that way. A deep clean goes after the buildup a regular visit doesn't reach. The full side-by-side comparison is on our Deep Cleaning page. Here I want to talk about the places where expectations usually get crossed.

Why every new client starts with a deep clean

At Clean Bee, the first visit is always a deep clean. It isn't an upsell. A regular clean is designed to maintain a standard, and it can't maintain a standard the home hasn't reached yet. The first deep clean brings the home up to our standard, and from then on, regular visits keep it there.

The four places expectations get crossed

1. Baseboards

On a regular visit, baseboards are dusted. Hand-wiping every baseboard, door frame and door top is part of a deep clean. If your baseboards are the first thing you notice when you walk in, that's a sign it's time for a deep clean.

2. Inside the oven and the fridge

The inside of the microwave is part of every regular clean. The inside of the oven and the inside of the refrigerator are not. On a regular visit, we wipe the outside of both. Cleaning them inside is an add-on on a regular visit, and it's usually part of a deep clean. They take real time: an oven needs degreaser and time for it to work, and a fridge has to be emptied and put back.

3. Clutter

Cleaning and organizing are two different services, and we do both. When counters, tables or floors are covered with mail, toys or laundry, we don't just clean around it. We move things, clean underneath, and leave them in neat piles. A full tidy-up, where everything goes back where it belongs, is an add-on. If you want your home organized, not just cleaned, that's our Home Organizing service.

4. Extras on recurring visits

Clients on a regular plan sometimes ask us to add one extra task to a visit, like the inside of the oven one time and the fridge the next. We're happy to do it. It's an add-on, so your regular visit stays the same and you choose when to add more.

The chandelier

Here's the kind of surprise a checklist can't always prevent. We were cleaning a client's kitchen, and the kitchen had an intricate chandelier. The chandelier wasn't part of the job. But once the kitchen was clean and the glass cabinet doors were clear again, the oil and grime on the chandelier stood out much more than before.

My team had to leave, so I stayed behind and cleaned the chandelier myself, at a discount.

I share this because it's what cleaning really looks like. When one thing gets clean, the thing next to it suddenly looks dirty. A good cleaning company notices that and talks to you about it.

How we keep it clear

• Every quote comes with a checklist of what's included in your visit.
• Every new client's first visit is a deep clean.
• Add-ons are named up front: the inside of the oven, the inside of the fridge, and a full tidy-up.

Being clear with clients and giving them a checklist is what prevents confusion and miscommunication. If you're not sure which visit you need, call us at (732) 400-5018 or request a quote, and we'll go through the checklist with you.

— Cristine DosSantos, founder of Clean Bee

Questions we hear

Does a regular house cleaning include baseboards?

On a regular Clean Bee visit, baseboards are dusted. Hand-wiping every baseboard, door frame and door top is part of our deep clean.

Do house cleaners clean inside the fridge and oven?

Not on a regular Clean Bee visit. We wipe the outside of both. The inside of the oven and fridge is an add-on on a regular visit and is usually part of a deep clean. The inside of the microwave is included in every regular clean.

Should I tidy up before the cleaners come?

You don't have to. We move items, clean underneath and leave them in neat piles. If you'd like everything put away where it belongs, that's a tidy-up add-on.

Why does my first cleaning have to be a deep clean?

A regular clean maintains a standard, and the first deep clean brings your home up to it. Every new Clean Bee client starts with a deep clean, then moves to regular visits.

How do I know what's included in my cleaning?

Every Clean Bee quote comes with a checklist that lists what's included and what's an add-on, so there are no surprises.