Cleaning Schedule: How Do I Create One for my Clients? 

As an owner of a cleaning business, you will need to have great communication with your clients. You’ll need to learn about their cleaning needs, whether or not they have pets, whether they have allergies or other medical conditions, and whether or not they entertain guests often. This type of information may feel invasive. But it is necessary to help you come up with an effective house cleaning schedule for each client. 

A house cleaning schedule is a schedule that determines how often and to what extent a house will be cleaned. The cleaning schedule is created after speaking with your client about their needs and conditions. A house cleaning schedule will also explain what areas will be cleaned and how they will be cleaned. When creating a cleaning schedule, you will likely include different types of situations. Those could be:

• Standard cleaning 
• Deep cleaning/spring cleaning
• Move out/move-in

Because clients will decide what kind of cleaning, they want you to do, it is important that you are detailed and that you listen to them. Although the above situations will have understood cleaning schedules, it is important to allow your clients to have input into the schedules you create. Keep reading to learn more about cleaning situations and scheduling.

Standard Cleaning

Standard cleaning is just what it sounds like. A general cleaning that you or your staff will complete for a client. This type of cleaning is likely to be utilized by a client who wants consistent cleaning services. This is because it will encompass the whole house or apartment. Think of it as the type of cleaning someone might do weekly in their home. Here’s a list of the types of cleaning that could be done: 

All Rooms

• Dust furniture, shelves, and decor
• Dust windows ledges and blinds
• Dust lamps, light fixtures, and ceiling fans
• Wipe down doors and door frames 
• Clean out all corners for cobwebs
• Dust baseboards
• Tidy shoe closets
• Disinfect door handles and light switches
• Vacuum all floors, carpets, rugs, and stairs
• Mop hard floors 
• Clean glass surfaces 
• Vacuum sofa and other upholstered surfaces
• Straighten pillows and linens
• Empty and replace wastebasket 

Bathrooms

• Remove all dirty towels and washcloths 
• Clean and disinfect shower, bathtub, and sinks inside and out 
• Clean and disinfect toilet bowl, seat, lid, tank, flush handle, and base 
• Clean and shine all mirrors, chrome, and tiles
• Wipe cabinet fronts, fixtures, and countertops 
• Vacuum and mop floor
• Replace rugs
• Empty and replace wastebasket

Kitchen 

• Clean, dry, and shine all appliance surfaces including dishwasher, toaster, oven, top of the refrigerator, stovetop, and range hood
• Clean stove drip pans, burner grates, and control knobs
• Clean and disinfect kitchen sink
• Wipe cupboard fronts, tables, and chairs
• Clean microwave inside and out, including turntable
• Vacuum and mop floors
• Replace rugs
• Empty and replace wastebasket

Looks like a lot of cleaning. However, the standard cleaning checklist can also include add-ons. Some add ons including washing and folding bathroom towels and washcloths. For the bedrooms add ons include washing and changing the sheets. As a standard cleaning is optimally completed every week, changing the sheets is likely to be added on by clients. Something to remember is that these tasks will start out taking a lot of time initially.

This is especially true if a client hasn’t consistently used a cleaning service in the past. However, the momentum of weekly cleanings will mean less dust and fewer in-depth tasks. Remember, a standard cleaning checklist is often completed weekly, but could also occur every two weeks. If your client has pets or small children, I’d recommend weekly.

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Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning requires a more intensive cleaning schedule. This type of cleaning could be done in the spring to gear up for the new season. Or it could be requested before a major event takes place in the home. However, some clients may schedule weekly cleanings and then add a deep cleaning once a month. A deep cleaning will include everything from the standard cleaning. But will also include some extras.

Below I’ve included a sample cleaning checklist for deep cleaning: 

• Clean and disinfect:
  • the inside of the oven
  • inside of the refrigerator
  • inside of the dishwasher
• Clean grout from shower tiles
• Change bedsheets
• Wash windows (inside only)
• Deep clean carpets
• Wash upholstery, curtains, and rugs

As you can see, the deep cleaning will automatically include changing the bedsheets. It will also include a more thorough cleaning of the stove. In the bathroom, deep cleaning requires more attention being paid to the grout and shower tiles. Finally, a deep clean will cover upholstery, curtains, and rugs. This would be extremely useful for those with pets, those with allergies, and those who smoke. When communicating with clients, you’ll learn more about their needs. You’ll be able to recommend a deep cleaning if necessary. Again, I’d recommend a deep cleaning occur monthly. Unless there are medical conditions that would benefit from it occurring more often. 

Move Out/Move-In

Moving is stressful. It is one of the most tedious tasks that everyone pretty much everyone will experience. There’s the handling of the packing and unpacking. Then, there’s the work to be done to get the new place and the old place ready for habitation. When moving out of a rental, the level of cleanliness is directly connected to receiving the full deposit. Because of this, many people decide to outsource move-out cleaning.

To make sure that the client can get their deposit or that the client is satisfied with the cleanliness of their new space, the following cleaning checklist could be used: 

• Vacuum and sweep all floors
• Wipe down baseboards
• Scrub shower and bathtub
• Scrub toilets
• Clean sinks and countertops
• Clean kitchen appliances
• Dust everything

This checklist is minimal but there is the option for add-on services. For example, a client might want the floors mopped. They might also be interested in having the windows cleaned. These additional services shouldn’t take up too much time. The goal is to make sure that the rental is appropriately cleaned for showing. For a move-in, the cleaning is generally more intensive.

However, this depends on whether the new place has been previously occupied. If it hasn’t, the move-out schedule above could be followed. However, for a previously occupied unit, a deeper cleaning checklist should be followed. Here’s an example:

Bedroom Move-in Cleaning Checklist

• All surfaces dusted
• Closet exteriors and interiors cleaned
• Marks on walls and baseboards cleaned
• Mirrors cleaned
• Interior windowsills and window tracks cleaned
• Baseboards dusted and/or wiped
• Doorknobs, door frames, and doors wiped
• Light switches wiped
• Hard surface floors vacuumed and damp-mopped
• Carpet and area rugs vacuumed

Kitchen Move-in Cleaning Checklist

• Countertops and shelves dusted and wiped
• Cabinet interiors and exteriors cleaned
• Sinks and backsplash washed
• Dishes washed
• All surfaces dusted
• Inside windowsills and window tracks cleaned
• Baseboards dusted and wiped
• Doorknobs, doorframes, and doors wiped
• Light switches wiped
• Marks on walls and baseboards cleaned
• Floor vacuumed and washed

Living Area Move-in Cleaning Checklist

• All surfaces dusted
• Mirrors cleaned
• Inside windowsills and window tracks cleaned
• Baseboards dusted and wiped
• Doorknobs, doorframes, and doors cleaned
• Light switches wiped
• Marks on walls and baseboards cleaned
• Hard surface floors vacuumed and damp-mopped
• Carpet and area rugs vacuumed
• Closet fronts and insides cleaned

Bathroom Move-in Cleaning Checklist

• Bathtub, shower walls, and glass doors cleaned and sanitized
• Sink cleaned and sanitized
• Toilet cleaned and sanitized inside and out
• Mirrors cleaned
• Cabinet interiors and exteriors cleaned
• Countertops and shelves dusted and wiped
• All surfaces dusted
• Inside windowsills and window tracks cleaned
• Doorknobs, door frames, and doors wiped
• Light switches wiped
• Baseboards dusted and wiped
• Marks on walls and baseboards cleaned
• Floor vacuumed and washed

A move-in or move-out cleaning can occur at almost any interval. Because this cleaning schedule is connected directly with an event it can be more difficult to plan for. For example, lease terms can be from 6-24 months. Because of the variation in terms, the amount of cleaning necessary could be very different. This is why discussing with your client will be extremely helpful. The move-in cleaning is pretty intensive but the move-out cleaning isn’t. Make sure you explain these things to your client.

A cleaning schedule is helpful for you and your client because it increases transparency. It makes sure that you both are on the same page about what will be done and how often. It also will offer a baseline for your services. If you start your schedule and your client finds that it doesn’t meet their needs, you then have somewhere to start when making changes. Finally, the cleaning schedule is beneficial to your team because it allows you to have a consistent schedule for all of your staff. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should you consistently review your cleaning schedule? 

Yes, you should consistently review your cleaning schedule. It will allow you and your client to discuss whether the current schedule is meeting their needs. If not, you then can make changes proactively. 

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Please note that the contents of this blog are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any action taken based on the information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk. Additionally, all images used in this blog are generated under the CC0 license of Creative Commons, which means they are free to use for any purpose without attribution.