What Is a Standard Clean? A Room-by-Room Breakdown

This guide explains everything clearly—what a standard clean includes, how each room is handled, what usually isn’t part of the service, and how it compares with more intensive cleaning options. Whether you’re preparing for a new cleaner or seeking clarity before booking, this room-by-room breakdown will give you a complete understanding.

What Does a Standard Clean Include? (Overview)

A standard clean is ideal for regular weekly or fortnightly upkeep. Its aim is to maintain cleanliness and prevent dirt from building up, rather than tackling deep grime or neglected areas.

It typically involves:

• Dusting accessible surfaces
• Wiping high-touch points like handles and switches
• Cleaning bathroom and kitchen surfaces
• Vacuuming and/or mopping floors
• Emptying household bins
• General straightening and tidying

While the routine is consistent, there is usually some flexibility for priorities you’d like the cleaner to focus on. If you're new to hiring cleaners, it can also help to understand what a domestic cleaner does, as this varies slightly depending on the tasks and frequency agreed.

Room-by-Room Breakdown of a Standard Clean

Below is the full breakdown of what a standard clean normally looks like across each part of the home. Individual cleaners may have their own preferred order, but the tasks remain broadly consistent.

Kitchen

Because the kitchen is used heavily every day, cleaners typically dedicate solid attention to surfaces and hygiene.

A standard clean normally includes:

• Wiping all countertops
• Cleaning the hob and splashbacks
• Wiping cupboard fronts and appliance exteriors
• Cleaning the sink and taps
• Wiping small appliances like the microwave, toaster, or kettle
• Emptying bins
• Sweeping and mopping the floor
• Light tidying of worktops

Inside ovens, fridges, and cupboards are not included in a standard clean, as these are usually part of a deep clean or specific add-on service.

Bathroom(s)

Bathrooms require regular cleaning to keep them fresh and sanitised.

A typical standard clean includes:

• Scrubbing and disinfecting toilets
• Cleaning baths, showers, and sinks
• Wiping tiles, splash areas, and taps
• Polishing chrome and mirrors
• Removing soap residue and basic water marks
• Emptying bins
• Mopping floors
  

Heavy limescale removal or mould treatment usually counts as a deep or specialist clean.

Living Room / Lounge

The goal in this room is to restore tidiness and keep surfaces looking clean.

Typical tasks include:

• Dusting tables, furniture, and shelving
• Wiping down TV stands and entertainment units
• Vacuuming carpets, rugs, and sofa edges
• Straightening cushions and throws
• Light tidying

Standard cleaning does not typically include moving heavy furniture or deep-cleaning upholstery.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms benefit from regular refreshing and tidying during a standard clean.

Cleaners usually:

• Dust bedside tables, dressers, and reachable shelves
• Wipe mirrors
• Make beds
• Change bedding if clean sheets are left out
• Vacuum floors
• Tidy visible surfaces

If a bedroom contains a lot of clutter or decorative items, cleaners may focus only on accessible areas unless extra time is allocated.

Hallways, Stairs & Landings

These areas collect dust quickly and are included in most standard cleaning routines.

Tasks generally include:

• Dusting bannisters and skirting boards
• Vacuuming carpets or sweeping/mopping floors
• Wiping high-touch points such as handles and switches

This helps prevent dust and dirt spreading into other rooms.

Dining Room

Dining areas are usually straightforward and focus on maintaining hygiene around food surfaces.

A standard clean includes:

• Wiping the dining table
• Dusting chairs and sideboards
• Light polishing of wood surfaces
• Vacuuming or mopping the floor
• Straightening chairs

What’s Not Included in a Standard Clean?

Although a standard clean keeps your home consistently tidy, it doesn’t cover every task. The following items are usually excluded unless specifically requested as add-ons:

• Inside ovens and fridges
• Inside cupboards, drawers, or storage areas
• Carpet shampooing or steam cleaning
• Mould treatment
• Heavy limescale removal
• Washing walls or detailed skirting board cleaning
• Cleaning behind large appliances
• Interior window cleaning (full panes)
• Organising cluttered rooms or cupboards

If you’re unsure whether something is part of the service, it helps to compare the difference between regular cleaning and deep cleaning, as deep cleaning typically covers more detailed, labour-intensive work.

How Long Does a Standard Clean Take?

The time required varies depending on:

• Size and layout of the home
• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Whether pets are present
• Amount of clutter
• How often the home is cleaned
• Overall condition

As a rough guide, a one-bedroom flat might take around 1.5–2 hours, while a three-bedroom home typically takes around 3–4 hours. Larger homes or homes that haven’t been cleaned recently may require longer or benefit from a deep clean before starting regular maintenance.

Standard Clean vs Deep Clean: Key Differences

A standard clean focuses on maintenance, keeping your home tidy and hygienic from week to week.

A deep clean provides intensive, detailed attention to areas that are often overlooked or hard to reach.

Deep cleaning typically includes:

• Washing skirting boards
• Wiping doors, frames, and radiators
• Cleaning inside cupboards and appliances
• More intensive tile and grout cleaning
• Heavy limescale removal
• Moving light furniture and cleaning behind it
• Cleaning interior windows

A standard clean maintains the results of a deep clean but isn’t intended to replace it long term.

Checklist: How to Prepare for a Standard Clean

Making a few small preparations can help your cleaner use their time more effectively:

• Put away toys, clothes, or general clutter
• Leave clean bedding on the bed if you want sheets changed
• Ensure surfaces are accessible
• Put away valuables and important papers
• Secure pets if needed
• Highlight any priority areas before the cleaner starts

This maximises cleaning time and helps your home look its best after each visit.

What a Standard Clean Doesn’t Replace

Even with weekly or fortnightly standard cleaning, occasional deeper attention is still beneficial—especially for appliances, high areas, and places that collect hidden grime. If you’d like more clarity on the full spectrum of services available, it can be helpful to understand what’s included in a house cleaning service, as this covers the broader choices beyond basic maintenance.

Conclusion

A standard clean provides the essential upkeep that keeps your home fresh, tidy, and welcoming. It covers regular tasks like dusting, wiping, vacuuming, and sanitising the main rooms, helping you maintain a comfortable living environment throughout the week. By understanding exactly what’s included—and what belongs to deeper or more specialist cleaning—you can set clear expectations, get the best value from your cleaner, and enjoy a consistently well-kept home.