What is the difference between deep and standard cleaning?
The difference is how far the clean goes in each room. A standard clean covers the surfaces you use every day, and a deep clean adds the places where dust and grime build up slowly. Here is what each visit includes:
- Standard: kitchen counters, sink, stovetop, outside of appliances and floors; bathroom toilet, shower and tub, sink, mirrors and floors; dusting, surfaces, vacuuming and mopping in bedrooms and living areas; trash emptied; beds made on request
- Deep adds: baseboards, door frames, light switches and ceiling fans
- Deep adds: blinds wiped and window sills and tracks cleared
- Deep adds: inside the microwave and the outside of cabinets
- Deep adds: behind and under movable furniture
- Deep adds: detailed scrubbing of grout, tile and fixtures
- Neither includes the inside of the oven, fridge or cabinets; each is a $45 extra
How much more does a deep clean cost than a regular clean?
Both cleans are priced by square footage, not by bedrooms or bathrooms, and the price is the same everywhere we work. From 1,500 sq ft up, a deep clean costs exactly twice the standard price for the same home, because the booking form schedules twice the cleaning time at the same $55 per hour.
Side by side at the same square footage:
- 900 sq ft: standard $220 (4 hours booked), deep $220 (4 hours booked)
- 1,200 sq ft: standard $220 (4 hours booked), deep $330 (6 hours booked)
- 1,800 sq ft: standard $220 (4 hours booked), deep $440 (8 hours booked)
- 2,300 sq ft: standard $275 (5 hours booked), deep $550 (10 hours booked)
- 3,200 sq ft: standard $385 (7 hours booked), deep $770 (14 hours booked)
Is a deep clean more expensive for a small apartment?
Under 1,000 sq ft a deep clean costs no more than a standard clean. Both cleans have a 4-hour, $220 minimum, so a standard clean and a deep clean of a 900 sq ft apartment are both $220, and there is no price reason to choose the standard clean for a one-time visit. From 1,000 to 1,499 sq ft the deep clean is $330, only $110 more.
Do I need a deep clean first?
You need a deep clean first when a standard visit would only clean the top layer and leave the buildup underneath. A routine visit does not reach dust on fan blades and blinds, grime in window tracks or darkened grout. The usual signs:
- The home has not been professionally cleaned in a long time, or ever
- You just moved in and the previous occupant's dirt is still there
- You have had a long stretch of guests or a busy season with no time to clean
- Ceiling fan blades leave dust on your finger and baseboards look gray
- Shower grout and tile have turned darker than when they were new
- You are about to start a weekly or every-other-week schedule and want it to begin from a clean baseline
When is a standard clean enough?
A standard clean is the right choice when the detail areas are already in reasonable shape. That is usually true if the home was professionally cleaned recently, if you already have a regular schedule, or if you keep up with baseboards, fans and grout yourself.
If the house is empty because you are moving in or out, book the move-in or move-out clean instead. It uses the deep price table and adds the inside of all drawers and closets, which only an empty home allows.
Standard clean plus extras vs a full deep clean: the math
Sometimes the only thing a standard visit misses in your home is the baseboards and the ceiling fans. Then two extras on a standard clean cost much less than a deep clean: baseboards are $25 and ceiling fans are $10 per fan.
For a 1,800 sq ft home with 4 ceiling fans, a standard clean is $220, baseboards add $25 and 4 fans add $40 (4 times $10), for a total of $285. A deep clean of the same home is $440, so the extras route saves $155. For a 2,300 sq ft home with 5 ceiling fans, the standard clean is $275, plus $25 and $50 (5 times $10), for a total of $350 against $550 for a deep clean, a saving of $200.
The extras do not replace the rest of the deep clean. Door frames, light switches, blinds, window sills and tracks, inside the microwave, the outside of cabinets, behind and under furniture and the detailed grout and tile scrub have no extra on the list, so if those need attention, book the deep clean.
Deep clean before a recurring schedule: what it costs
Recurring schedules are standard cleans with a frequency discount: 15% off weekly and 10% off every other week, while every four weeks is the one-time price. On a new weekly or every-other-week schedule the discount starts with the second visit, as the weekly vs biweekly guide explains.
A deep clean is charged at the deep price: $440 for the 1,800 sq ft home or $550 for the 2,300 sq ft home. Once the discount applies, each every-other-week standard visit for the 1,800 sq ft home is $198 ($220 minus 10%).
That extra cost gets the detail work done once, so the routine visits that follow only have to keep up with it.
Which cleaning should I book?
Ask yourself these in order, and stop at the first yes:
- Is the home empty because you are moving in or out? Book a move-in or move-out clean
- Is the home under 1,000 sq ft? Book the deep clean, since it costs the same $220
- Are door frames, blinds, window tracks, grout or the areas behind furniture visibly dirty? Book the deep clean
- Are only the baseboards and ceiling fans behind? Book a standard clean with those two extras
- Is everything in decent shape? Book a standard clean, or start a recurring schedule
How do I book a deep or standard clean in Tampa?
Book online at lilly-maids.com/booknow, or call or text (813) 761-7600 if you are unsure which clean fits, and send a few photos so we can plan the time. Prices are the same in Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz and every other area we serve, and we are closed on Sunday. Cancel or reschedule by the day before the visit; rescheduling is free and a late cancellation is $50.
Lilly Maids has been in business for 5 years, and its team of 12 cleaners handles both kinds of visit.
Prices
Priced by square footage. Weekly visits are 15% off and every other week 10% off from the second visit. Minimum booking 4 hours. Extras and details.
| Home size | One-time | Every 2 weeksEvery other week | Weekly | HoursCleaning time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,999 sq ft | $220 | $198 | $187 | 4 h hours |
| 2,000 - 2,499 sq ft | $275 | $247.50 | $233.75 | 5 h hours |
| 2,500 - 2,999 sq ft | $330 | $297 | $280.50 | 6 h hours |
| 3,000 - 3,499 sq ft | $385 | $346.50 | $327.25 | 7 h hours |
| 3,500 - 3,999 sq ft | $440 | $396 | $374 | 8 h hours |
| 4,000 - 4,499 sq ft | $495 | $445.50 | $420.75 | 9 h hours |
| 4,500 - 4,999 sq ft | $550 | $495 | $467.50 | 10 h hours |
| 5,000 - 5,499 sq ft | $605 | $544.50 | $514.25 | 11 h hours |
Weekly and every-other-week prices apply from the second visit. The first visit on a new schedule is charged at the one-time price.
| Home size | Price | HoursCleaning time |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 999 sq ft | $220 | 4 h hours |
| 1,000 - 1,499 sq ft | $330 | 6 h hours |
| 1,500 - 1,999 sq ft | $440 | 8 h hours |
| 2,000 - 2,499 sq ft | $550 | 10 h hours |
| 2,500 - 2,999 sq ft | $660 | 12 h hours |
| 3,000 - 3,499 sq ft | $770 | 14 h hours |
| 3,500 - 3,999 sq ft | $880 | 16 h hours |
| 4,000 - 4,499 sq ft | $990 | 18 h hours |
| 4,500 - 4,999 sq ft | $1,100 | 20 h hours |
| 5,000 - 5,499 sq ft | $1,210 | 22 h hours |
From our customers
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★★★★★
Amazing work! I didn’t move in as a new tenant, so I inherited someone else’s mess and never had a deep clean. Turned my depressing apartment into a place that I actually want to spend time. I’ve just become a regular customer!! 10 out of 10 would recommend!
Kendra L. · Thumbtack · Oct 6, 2026
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★★★★★
Very impressed with the cleaning job. Have a townhouse and it was spotless after the cleaning was complete. Would recommend to family and friends.
3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Standard cleaning, Window cleaning (interior), No pets, Once a month
Nicholas A. · Thumbtack · Aug 26, 2026
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★★★★★
lily maids was very attentive to all questions with no delays. they did a good job on cleaning our place before our move in
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Deep cleaning, No pets, Just once
Kaliyah N. · Thumbtack · Aug 6, 2026
Common questions
Do I have to get a deep clean before recurring service?
No, it is your choice. If the home was cleaned recently, you can start the schedule with a standard visit; if baseboards, fans and grout have built up, a deep clean first gives the recurring visits a clean starting point.
How does a first deep clean fit with a recurring schedule?
Ask when booking how the first deep clean and the schedule line up. The weekly or every-other-week discount starts with the second visit of the schedule.
Can I add baseboards to a standard clean instead of booking a deep clean?
Yes, baseboards are a $25 extra and ceiling fans are $10 per fan on a standard clean. That is cheaper than a deep clean when those are the only areas that need attention.
Does a deep clean include blinds and window tracks?
Yes, a deep clean includes wiping blinds and clearing window sills and tracks, along with baseboards and ceiling fans. On a standard clean they are not on the checklist.
Does a deep clean include the inside of the oven and fridge?
No, the inside of the oven and the inside of the fridge are $45 extras each on any clean.