Booking a home cleaning service for the first time raises one natural question: exactly what will they clean, and what won't they touch? Knowing the answer before the team arrives sets the right expectations, helps you plan ahead, and lets you choose the right service level for your needs.
This guide explains what a standard home cleaning in Montreal includes room by room, what's reserved for a deep clean or move-out clean, and how to customize your visit.
 *Photo: Unsplash*
Standard Home Cleaning — What's Included
A standard recurring home cleaning (also called a maintenance clean or regular visit) covers all the key surfaces and tasks that keep your home fresh between deep cleans. It's designed to take 2–4 hours depending on home size and condition, and to be completed without moving furniture or tackling specialized tasks.
Kitchen
- Countertops: wipe and sanitize all counter surfaces
- Stovetop: wipe burners and drip pans; remove obvious food residue (does not include scrubbing carbonized build-up — that's a deep clean task)
- Sink: scrub and sanitize inside the basin; polish faucet and handles
- Exterior of appliances: wipe down fridge, dishwasher, microwave exterior, oven front panel
- Small appliances: wipe toaster, coffee maker exterior, kettle
- Dishes: put away items in the drying rack if clean; dishwashing is not included
- Garbage: empty kitchen bin, replace bag
- Floor: sweep or vacuum then mop
Bathrooms
- Toilet: disinfect bowl, scrub under rim, wipe exterior (seat, lid, tank, base, behind)
- Shower and tub: scrub tile walls, tub basin, chrome fixtures; remove soap scum and mildew from accessible surfaces
- Sink: scrub basin, wipe counter, polish faucet
- Mirror: streak-free clean
- Fixtures and hardware: polish chrome throughout
- Floor: sweep then mop including around the base of toilet and under vanity
- Garbage: empty and replace bag
Bedrooms
- Beds: make with existing linens (note: changing sheets to fresh linen is a separate add-on or included in Airbnb turnover service)
- Dusting: nightstands, dressers, shelving, windowsills, pictures, lamps
- Under-bed: light vacuum of exposed under-bed area (heavy furniture is not moved)
- Floor: vacuum and/or mop depending on surface type
- Mirrors and glass surfaces: streak-free clean
Living Areas and Common Spaces
- Surfaces: dust all accessible flat surfaces — tables, TV stands, shelves, mantle, window ledges
- Electronics: light dusting of TV screen, speakers, monitor (no wet cleaning on screens)
- Upholstered furniture: fluff and restage cushions; light vacuum of visible cushion surfaces
- Hard furniture: wipe with appropriate cleaner
- Floor: vacuum rugs and hard floors; mop hard floors
- Entry/hallway: wipe door handles and light switches; sweep and mop entry floor
Throughout the Home
- Light switches and door handles: wipe and sanitize (high-touch point protocol)
- Baseboards: spot dusting at accessible areas (full baseboard detail is a deep clean add-on)
- Window ledges: interior dust
- Garbage: empty all waste bins throughout; replace bags
What's NOT Included in a Standard Cleaning
Standard cleans keep your home maintained — they don't reset it from scratch. These tasks are reserved for a deep clean or move-out/move-in service:
| Task | Standard | Deep clean | Move-out | |---|:---:|:---:|:---:| | Inside oven (burn-off / scrub) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Inside fridge (remove everything, wipe shelves) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Inside kitchen cabinets and drawers | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Baseboard detail cleaning | spot only | ✓ full | ✓ full | | Window interiors (full pane, tracks) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Behind and under heavy furniture | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Walls and ceilings | ✗ | spot only | spot only | | Ceiling fans and chandelier blades | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Garage, balcony, exterior | ✗ | by request | ✓ (balcony) | | Laundry, ironing, or dish washing | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Deep Clean: What's Added
A [deep clean](/en/services/deep-cleaning) is typically recommended for: - First professional clean in a new or long-unserviced home - Spring grand ménage (seasonal reset) - Before or after a major renovation - Before listing a home for sale or rent
In addition to everything in the standard clean, a deep clean includes: - Full oven interior clean (rack soaking, burn-off removal) - Fridge interior clean (everything out, wipe every shelf and drawer) - Kitchen cabinet interiors (all shelves and drawer faces) - Full baseboard scrub throughout - Window interiors (full pane, sills, and tracks) - Under and behind furniture (moved or cleaned around depending on weight) - Ceiling fans, chandeliers, and light fixture globes - Extra attention to grout lines in bathrooms and kitchen
A deep clean typically takes 4–8 hours for a 2–3 bedroom home and is priced at 2–3× a standard clean. See [how much deep cleaning costs in Montreal](/en/blog/how-much-does-cleaning-cost-in-montreal) for 2026 pricing ranges.
Move-Out / Move-In Clean: What's Added
A [move-out clean](/en/services/move-in-out-cleaning) is designed to meet Quebec landlord and TAL (Tribunal administratif du logement) standards for returning a unit to its condition at the start of the lease. In addition to everything in the deep clean: - Full kitchen and bathroom cabinet interiors and exteriors - Light fixtures removed and cleaned - All walls spot-cleaned for scuffs and marks - All doors and door frames wiped - Closets emptied and cleaned inside - Balcony or exterior entrance swept and wiped - Final walkthrough with photo documentation
Read the full [move-out cleaning checklist for Montreal](/en/blog/move-out-cleaning-checklist-montreal) for a step-by-step breakdown.
Montreal-Specific Cleaning Notes
Montreal's 4-season climate creates specific cleaning situations that a professional team accounts for year-round:
Winter (October–April): Calcium chloride and road salt track through entry halls onto hardwood and tile floors. A standard clean includes dry-sweeping the entry before wet-mopping to prevent salt from spreading. Baseboard electric heaters accumulate thick dust pads — these are addressed at every standard visit.
Spring (April–May): Cottonwood and poplar fluff from mature street trees enters through windows and settles on surfaces. Window ledge cleaning during this season takes extra time. Exterior iron staircases on pre-war triplexes and duplexes bring clay-salt residue into entries throughout this season.
Summer (June–September): High humidity in apartments without central air conditioning can cause surface condensation on bathroom fixtures. A standard clean includes wiping and drying fixtures to reduce mold spore settlement.
Fall (October–November): Furnace and forced-air HVAC restart deposits a visible layer of dust on all horizontal surfaces within days of the first heating cycle of the season. A deep clean at the start of heating season (November) is a common add-on.
How to Customize Your Cleaning Visit
Every home is different. When booking, you can note:
- Priority rooms — if you want extra time on the kitchen or a bathroom, the team adjusts
- Specific products — if you have sensitivities to fragrance or need a pH-neutral product for stone countertops, note it at booking
- Pets — homes with pets get an extra pass on pet-hair areas (furniture, rugs, stairs)
- Skip rooms — if a room is occupied or you prefer it skipped, just note it at booking
- Frequency — weekly, biweekly, and monthly visits are available; the first visit often follows a deep-clean protocol to bring the home to baseline
Frequently Asked Questions — What's Included in a Home Clean
How many people come for a standard clean?
Standard cleans are typically done by a team of 1–2 cleaners. Larger homes (3+ bedrooms) may have a team of 2 for efficiency. You don't need to be home — many clients provide a key or entry code.
How long does a standard home cleaning take?
For a 1-bedroom apartment, expect 1.5–2.5 hours. A 2-bedroom takes 2–3.5 hours. A 3-bedroom with 2 bathrooms takes 3–5 hours. Deep cleans and first-time visits take 20–40% longer than recurring visits.
Do you bring your own cleaning supplies and equipment?
Yes. We bring all supplies including vacuums, mops, microfibre cloths, and cleaning products. All products are eco-friendly and safe for homes with children and pets. If you prefer we use your products, let us know at booking.
Are you insured?
Yes. Sparkling Stays is fully insured for residential cleaning. If anything is accidentally damaged during a visit, it's covered under our liability policy.
What if I want the inside of the oven cleaned during a standard visit?
Oven interior cleaning is part of a deep clean, not a standard visit. You can add a one-time deep clean to any recurring plan, or book a standalone deep clean. See the [deep cleaning vs. standard cleaning comparison](/en/blog/deep-cleaning-vs-standard-cleaning-montreal) for a full breakdown.
Does a standard clean include laundry or dishwashing?
No. Laundry, ironing, and dishwashing are not part of any cleaning package. We focus on surface cleaning and sanitation throughout the home. If dishes are in the drying rack and already clean, we'll put them away — but we don't wash dishes.
Can I customize what rooms get cleaned?
Yes. You can specify rooms to skip or rooms that need extra attention at booking. For example, if you have a guest room you'd like us to skip, or a bathroom that needs a longer clean, just note it when you schedule.
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Ready to book a home cleaning service in Montreal? [Request a quote online](/en/book-now) or call 438-867-8770. We serve Montreal, Laval, the West Island, and the South Shore — bilingual French/English team, same-week availability, fully insured.
