House Cleaning near you

A home that has gone months without a thorough clean usually needs a deep clean first; after that, recurring visits keep it there with less time on each visit.

Every company has its own checklist, and that checklist is what you are really buying. Ask for it in writing, and point out any rooms or surfaces to skip or to give extra attention.

A cleaner will hold a key to your home and handle your belongings, so compare more than the checklist and the hourly rate.

Health Canada warns never to mix bleach with other chemicals, especially glass cleaners and other products containing ammonia, or acids such as vinegar, because the combination releases toxic gases. It also advises opening windows or running fans while cleaning, wearing goggles and rubber gloves, and storing products tightly closed in their original containers, out of sight and reach of children and pets. A good cleaner follows the same rules in your home and never pours products into unlabelled bottles.

Most surfaces only need cleaning; disinfecting is for spots such as toilets, sinks, counters after raw meat, or when someone is sick. Health Canada notes that authorized hard-surface disinfectants display a DIN on the label, and that their directions say how long the surface must stay visibly wet to work.

Construction dust is much finer than household dust and keeps settling after the work stops, on door tops, in vents and inside closed cabinets. That is why a post-construction clean relies on HEPA vacuums and damp wiping rather than dry dusting, and why a second pass is often needed.

In older homes, that dust can carry lead or asbestos. Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, warns that sanding it creates toxic dust, and advises keeping children and pregnant women away from the work area. It also notes that asbestos was mainly used to insulate buildings and homes before 1990, and recommends having a professional test for it before renovating and a qualified removal specialist take it out. If you suspect lead dust or asbestos debris, the cleanup belongs to the renovation contractor or an abatement specialist, and the cleaners come afterward.

Most people aren't home when the cleaners come, so access needs as much thought as the checklist. Settle the details in writing before the first visit, and revisit them whenever the team changes. Spring cleaning and the moving season are the busiest times of year, so book deep and move-out cleans well ahead.