Every cleaning company in London — from big platforms like Fantastic Services and Housekeep to your local independent — lists both "regular" and "deep" cleaning. But what actually separates them, and when is it worth paying more? The short answer: a regular clean in London keeps your flat ticking over week to week. A deep cleaning service is the full reset — behind the oven, inside every cupboard, into every corner you've been avoiding for months. Here's exactly what each involves, what it costs, and when it makes financial sense to book the upgrade. See also: how often should you deep clean your London home.
What a Regular Clean Covers
A regular domestic clean typically runs 2–3 hours for a standard home. It maintains visible cleanliness and removes everyday build-up. Think: surfaces wiped, floors hoovered and mopped, bathrooms and kitchen cleaned to a hygienic standard, beds changed if requested.
- Kitchen surfaces, hob top, and sink
- Bathroom and WC — surfaces and fixtures
- Hoovering all floors and mopping hard floors
- Dusting accessible surfaces
- Emptying bins
- Tidying to enable cleaning (where agreed)
What a Deep Clean Adds
A deep clean goes into every area a regular clean skips. Minimum 4 hours, often 6–8 for larger or heavily soiled properties. It's not just more of the same — it's a fundamentally different scope.
- Oven interior: cavity, racks, glass, seals — full degreasing
- Inside all cupboards and drawers
- Behind and underneath appliances
- Tile grout scrubbing
- Limescale removal from shower screens, taps, and showerheads
- Skirting boards and window tracks
- Light fittings and ceiling fans
- Walls and door frames (removing scuffs and marks)
- Behind radiators
When to Book a Regular Clean
Regular cleans are for maintenance — keeping your home in a clean, liveable state without effort on your part. Most clients book weekly or fortnightly. The right frequency depends on the number of people in the property, whether you have pets, and your personal standard. For most London households, a fortnightly regular clean is the most popular option.
When to Book a Deep Clean
A deep clean makes sense at key transition points or when a regular clean can no longer keep up with accumulated build-up. Common triggers include: moving into a new property (regardless of what the previous occupants claimed to have done), after renovation work, after a period when regular cleaning was skipped for several months, end of tenancy handover, or a seasonal reset — many clients book once or twice a year. If your regular cleaner is spending most of their time on catch-up work, it's a sign the property needs a deep clean first.
Cost Comparison (Including What Big Platforms Charge)
At DS Cleaners, a regular clean starts from £21/hr (2-hour minimum) — a typical session runs £42–£84. A professional deep clean starts from £27/hr with a 4-hour minimum — a standard London flat runs £108–£162. For comparison, platforms like Fantastic Services and Housekeep charge similar or higher hourly rates but add platform fees on top, meaning what looks like £20/hr can land at £27+ after charges. The playbook most of our clients use: book a one-off deep clean to reset the property, then maintain with a fortnightly regular clean. You're not paying deep-clean rates every fortnight — just keeping the standard you've already paid to achieve.