How often should you deep clean your house?

The short answer

For most homes, a deep clean a few times a year keeps things in good shape. Plenty of people tie it to the seasons: a reset in spring, another before the holidays, and one when life gets hectic. There is no single right number, though. The real answer depends on how your home is lived in and whether it has regular cleaning in between.

What changes the timing

Regular cleaning in between

A home that has a regular clean every week or two needs fewer deep cleans, because dust and grime never get the chance to settle in. A home that is only cleaned when someone finds the time will need a deeper reset more often.

Who lives there

Kids, pets and a busy kitchen all speed things up. Pet hair works its way into baseboards and corners. A kitchen used for real cooking collects grease on cabinet fronts and the backsplash faster than one used mostly for coffee.

Where you live

In Reno's dry, windy climate, fine dust gets in around windows and doors and settles on every flat surface. If your home sits near open land or construction, you will notice it sooner. We cover that in more detail in dealing with high-desert dust.

Signs a deep clean is overdue

• Soap scum or water spots on shower glass that a quick wipe no longer moves.
• A film of grease on kitchen cabinet doors or the range hood.
• Dust lines along baseboards and the tops of door frames.
• The microwave interior you have been meaning to get to for a while.
• Rooms that look tidy but don't feel clean.

A simple yearly rhythm

• Spring: after winter grit and closed windows. See our spring cleaning checklist.
• Late summer: especially after a smoky stretch. See cleaning after wildfire smoke.
• Before the holidays: so the house is ready for guests.

Between those, regular cleaning keeps everyday mess in check.

What a deep clean includes with Tracy

A deep clean from Tracy's Tidy Homes covers everything in a standard clean, plus baseboards, door frames, inside the microwave and detailed bathroom scrubbing. Tell Tracy where you want the most time spent and she plans the visit around it. She sees each home before giving a price, so request an estimate and she will take a look.