"The team came in and performed an incredible house cleaning, tackling every dusty corner and leaving my space spotless."
Two service slugs needed shortening. Everything else on this page was already compliant.
```html
Cleaning Checklist NYC | House Cleaning Service Checklist
Find your service The right clean for right now.
Book a cleaning →
Moving day, minus the scrubbing Deposit-ready, done for you.
Move-out cleaning →
Three ways to
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
Cleaning Checklist
What a Standard Cleaning Includes
What a Deep Cleaning Includes
Preparing for Your Cleaning
How It Works
Find your service The right clean for right now.
Book a cleaning →
Move-Out Cleaning Checklist
Rental Cleaning Checklist
Preparing for Your Cleaning
Rescheduling Policy
Moving day, minus the scrubbing Deposit-ready, done for you.
Move-out cleaning →
Manhattan · Brooklyn · Queens
Cleaning Checklist for New York City Homes: What We Clean, Room by Room
Here is the actual list our cleaners work from in your home. Kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, floors, the stuff people forget. No vague promises, no "and more" at the end of a short list. Read it, add what you want, then book online in 60 seconds across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
Locally owned NYC team
Insured & background-checked
If it's not right, we re-clean it
Flat, upfront pricing
Post-repair reset Dust, debris, every surface
A real Lily Maids story
Robert asked us one question: what exactly do you clean?
Robert S. lives in the Financial District. A pipe let go above his ceiling, and by the time the repair crew packed up, there was a fine gray film on every single thing he owned. Books, blinds, the inside of his silverware drawer. Before he booked anything he asked us one very fair question - what exactly do you clean?
Nobody wants to pay for a cleaning and then find the baseboards still gray. So we sent him the list. That same list is on this page. Robert booked a post-repair deep clean, our team worked the list top to bottom, and he later wrote that it "restored my home to its former glory." This cleaning checklist covers what happens on a standard visit, what a deep cleaning adds on top, and what changes for a move-out. Read it before you book, not after.
New York Magazine
Time Out
New York
amNewYork
Gothamist
WNYC Radio
1010
WINS
Brownstoner
Brick Underground
6sqft
Current offers
Three ways to
pay less.
Live promotions across all of New York City. Copy the code, apply it at checkout, done. See pricing for full details.
New client special
Save
10% Off
Your first Lily Maids visit, 10% lighter on the wallet.
- Valid on any cleaning service
- Insured, background-checked cleaners
- Flat, upfront pricing - no surprises
Book now and have a spotless home before the weekend.
Book Now
First-time customers only. Applied at checkout.
Flexible arrival
Save
5% Off
Give us a wider arrival window and save on every single visit.
- Identical cleaning, better price
- Text updates before we arrive
- Savings applied automatically
Only the arrival window changes - never the clean.
Book & Save 5%
Choose a flexible arrival window at booking.
Move in / move out
Save
$30 Off
Moving day is hard enough. We'll take the scrubbing off your list.
- Inside oven, fridge & cabinets
- Built to satisfy strict landlords
- Helps protect your deposit
Hand back the keys with a deposit-ready deep clean.
Book & Save $30
Valid on move-in and move-out cleanings only.
The every-visit list
Standard Basic Cleaning checklist.
This is the core cleaning checklist. Every home, every visit, same order. Our teams work room by room instead of task by task, so a room gets finished before we move on. We bring our own supplies and equipment - you dont need to stock anything. For a task-level breakdown see what is included in a standard cleaning.
Kitchen
- Countertops and backsplash
- Stovetop, knobs and drip pans
- Appliance exteriors, front and sides
- Microwave inside and out
- Sink scrubbed, faucet polished
- Cabinet fronts and handles wiped
- Trash emptied, liner replaced
- Floors vacuumed and mopped
Bathrooms
- Tub, shower walls and tile scrubbed
- Glass door or curtain rod wiped
- Toilet inside, outside, base and behind
- Vanity, sink and counter sanitized
- Mirror and chrome fixtures polished
- Towel bars and switch plates
- Floors disinfected, corners included
Bedrooms
- Beds made, linens changed if left out
- Nightstands and dressers wiped
- Headboard and lamp bases dusted
- Mirrors and glass cleaned
- Visible surfaces straightened
- Under-bed floor vacuumed where reachable
- Floors vacuumed and mopped
Living Areas
- All flat surfaces dusted
- Shelves, tables and consoles wiped
- TV screen and stand dusted
- Sofa cushions straightened
- Upholstery vacuumed
- Windowsills and ledges wiped
- Trash and recycling emptied
Floors & Entry
- Entry mat shaken out
- Hard floors vacuumed then mopped
- Rugs and carpets vacuumed
- Edges and corners detailed
- Stairs and landings, where applicable
- Closet door tracks wiped
Every Room
- Light switches and door handles
- Cobwebs removed from ceiling corners
- Doors and frames spot-cleaned
- Radiator tops dusted
- Reachable vents dusted
- Final walk-through before we leave
0
Homes Cleaned
0
NYC Boroughs
0
Neighborhoods Served
0
Client Reviews
What gets added
Deep Cleaning checklist.
A deep clean is not the standard list done harder. It is the standard list plus the stuff that only gets touched a few times a year. This is what New Yorkers book before guests, after a renovation, at the start of a recurring plan, or when allergy season hits. See the long version on what is included in a deep cleaning.
Kitchen add-ons
- Inside the oven
- Inside the fridge, shelves out
- Inside cabinets and drawers
- Range hub and filter face
- Behind and beside appliances
- Backsplash grout detailed
Bathroom add-ons
- Tile grout scrubbed line by line
- Hard water and soap scum removed
- Shower head and track detailed
- Behind the toilet base
- Medicine cabinet inside wiped
- Exhaust fan cover dusted
Whole home add-ons
- Baseboards hand-wiped
- Door frames and molding
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Radiator fins and covers
- Behind and under movable furniture
- Interior window glass and sills
- Blinds and shade slats dusted
Radiator dust is the one New Yorkers underestimate. Steam heat runs all winter, windows stay shut, and everything settles. The NYC Health Department has plenty on indoor dust and allergens if you want the science behind why a real deep clean in March feels so different.
Pick your list
Five services, one standard.
Hover an image to see the service, click to explore it. Tap once on mobile to preview, tap again to open.
Same list, different jobs
How the checklist changes.
The core list stays the same. What moves is the depth and the extras. Here is how it shifts by service type. Compare prices on pricing or see how it works.
Same checklist, every visit Kitchens · baths · floors
Housekeeping Service
Maid Service and Housekeeping.
Ask ten New Yorkers what they want from a cleaner and nine will say the same thing: I want to stop thinking about it. Our maid service and housekeeping service run the standard checklist above, in the same order, with the same team whenever we can manage it. That consistency is the whole point. When the same person cleans your place, they learn your home - which cabinet sticks, which floor needs less water, where the cat hides.
Nothing on the list gets skipped because someone was in a hurry. If a room takes longer one week because the kids had a project, we tell you rather than quietly cutting the bathroom short.
01
Clear scope before your visit
02
Room by room, not task by task
03
Supplies and equipment included
04
Final walk-through every time
Studios to classic sixes Built for tight NYC spaces
Residential Cleaning
Apartment Cleaning checklist.
Small apartments are harder to clean well, not easier. Every surface works double duty and clutter has nowhere to go. Our apartment cleaning checklist adds a few NYC-only lines: window air conditioner faces, radiator covers, the narrow gap beside the fridge, and the hallway side of your front door where every neighbor's shoulder has brushed past.
We also work with your building instead of against it. Pre-war walk-ups in Harlem, doorman towers in Long Island City, converted lofts in Williamsburg- each one has its own rules about elevators and service entrances, and we follow them.
One Time Cleaning
One-time resets and deep cleans.
People mix these two up all the time, so here is the plain version. A one-time cleaning is the standard checklist, once, no commitment. Great before a party, after a trip, or when you just want the place reset. A deep cleaning is that list plus the deep add-ons above - oven, fridge, baseboards, grout, blinds. It takes longer and costs more, and its worth it if nobody has done those things in six months or more.
Not sure which one you need? Book the standard visit and tell us the home has been a while. We'll flag it if a deep clean makes more sense before we start.
Deposit-ready standard Empty-home turnovers
Move in and Move out Cleaning
Move In and Move Out checklist.
Move cleaning is the deep checklist run on an empty home, which means we can reach everything for once. Inside every cabinet and drawer. Inside the oven and the fridge. Closet shelves, closet rods, closet floors. Behind where the couch used to be. The full scope lives on the move-out cleaning checklist.
Moving in instead? Book move-in cleaning before the boxes land, so your first night is in a genuinely clean apartment and not somebody else's dust. Landlords and property managers usually book turnover cleaning or rental property cleaning on the same list. Tell us about elevator reservations when you book - and code MOVE30 takes $30 off.
Same team, when possible Weekly · bi-weekly · monthly
Recurring Cleaning
Recurring Cleaning checklist.
The cleanest homes in this city arent cleaned harder, they are cleaned on a schedule. With a recurring plan the full standard list runs every visit, and we rotate a few deep items through the year so nothing goes untouched for twelve months. Blinds one month, baseboards the next, radiators before heating season.
Most clients start with one deep clean, then settle into weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Weekly suits families and pets. Bi-weekly is the sweet spot for most apartments. Monthly works if you are tidy and mostly just need the bathrooms and kitchen handled properly.
Client reviews · Part 2 of 3
Nine homes, one checklist.
New apartments, new babies, surgeries, holidays, renovations. Same list, very diffrent reasons for booking it. Read all reviews >
★★★★★
"I just moved into a new apartment and the previous tenant's dust and grime were everywhere. The service provided an absolute top-to-bottom scrub, making the place feel brand new for me. This professional house cleaning saved me so much time and stress during the moving process."
★★★★★
"My elderly parents can no longer keep up with their home, and I was worried about the dust and clutter. We booked a comprehensive cleaning that left their apartment fresh and safe, tackling everything from the floors to the baseboards. This compassionate house cleaning service was a lifesaver for our family."
★★★★★
"After a major plumbing leak, we were left with a mess and a lot of stress. The team came in for a post-renovation cleanup and dealt with all the lingering dust and debris efficiently. Their thorough house cleaning restored my home to its former glory and made it livable again."
★★★★★
"My husband just returned from the hospital after surgery, and I needed the house to be a clean and safe sanctuary for his recovery. They did a spectacular job sanitizing the entire place and reducing allergens. This thoughtful house cleaning service was exactly what we needed during a stressful time."
★★★★★
"I was hosting Thanksgiving this year and my apartment was in no shape to receive guests. The team did a fantastic deep clean, making my kitchen look brand new and the entire place sparkling. Their expert house cleaning took all the pressure off, allowing me to enjoy the holiday with my family."
★★★★★
"We just had a beautiful baby girl and the last thing I had energy for was scrubbing the bathrooms. We booked them for a meticulous clean that eliminated all the accumulated grime, leaving a perfectly sanitary environment for our newborn. This amazing house cleaning service was the ultimate gift for new parents like us."
★★★★★
"My college-aged daughter is coming home for winter break, and her room and our shared spaces were a disaster. The cleaning crew came in and transformed the apartment, making the floors gleam and removing months of dust. It was a top-notch house cleaning that made our home feel welcoming again."
★★★★★
"I was going through a divorce and felt completely overwhelmed managing the household alone. Just having them come in to give the place a thorough scrub lifted such a weight off my shoulders. This essential house cleaning service helped me get a fresh start in a clean and organized space."
★★★★★
"With a demanding work schedule, my apartment quickly became a cluttered and dusty mess. The team was incredibly efficient and did a fantastic job deep cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, two areas I just couldn't keep up with. This professional house cleaning was a game-changer for my work-life balance."
Bolt these on
Extras you can add to any visit.
None of these are hidden fees. You tick them at booking, the price updates before you confirm, and the cleaner sees them on the job sheet. Full rates on pricing.
Kitchen extras
- Inside oven, on a standard visit
- Inside fridge, shelves removed
- Inside cabinets and pantry
- Dishwasher interior wiped
Home extras
- Interior windows and sills
- Blinds detailed slat by slat
- Laundry wash and fold
- Extra bedroom or bathroom
On request
- Green products for kids and pets
- Sanitizing focus on high-touch spots
- Pet hair heavy-duty pass
- Balcony or terrace sweep-down
Turnover speed Same list, tighter clock
Fast turnarounds
Same Day Cleaning Service and AirBnB Cleaning Service.
Two different kinds of panic, one solution. Guests landing tonight? Our same-day cleaning service runs the standard checklist on whatever time we have, and we tell you up front what fits in the window. Same-day always depends on that day's schedule, so call rather than guess.
Hosts book our AirBnB cleaning service on a tighter version of the list: reset the beds, restock the paper goods, wipe every high-touch surface, photograph anything broken. Details live on the short-term rental cleaning checklist and the short-term rental cleaning page. Party the night before? That is our after-party cleaning list, and yes, we've seen glitter.
The results
Checklist finished, borough by borough.
Real jobs from real visits. Every one of these homes got the same list.
Step inside
Pre-war, walk-up, or loft - same list.
Hover, or tap, to see the kinds of jobs the checklist gets run on.
Being straight with you
What is not on the checklist.
A cleaning checklist is only useful if it tells you the limits too. We dont do these, and we would rather say so now than on your doorstep. For heavier situations, the CDC's hygiene guidance is a good starting point for what needs a licensed specialist instead of a housekeeper.
Needs a specialist
- Mold remediation
- Pest treatment or extermination
- Water damage restoration
- Biohazard cleanup
Outside our scope
- Exterior windows above ground floor
- Construction debris hauling
- Carpet steam extraction
- Chandelier or high-ceiling fixtures
Safety limits
- Anything needing a tall ladder
- Moving heavy furniture alone
- Handling pet waste or litter boxes
- Cleaning inside a live fireplace
Pricing
Know the price before we knock.
Your price depends on home size, which checklist you pick, and any add-ons. You see the full flat rate before you confirm - never after. See full pricing >
$150
Standard cleanings start at
0
Hidden fees. The price you book is the price you pay
5%
Off every visit with a flexible arrival window - code FLEXIBLE
60s
To get an instant online quote
Where the list gets run
Manhattan. Brooklyn. Queens.
Same checklist, same standard, whatever borough you're in. Start with yours or jump to your neighborhood.
Popular neighborhoods.
Questions and answers
Checklist questions, answered plainly.
These are the ones people ask us before they book. Every answer is open by default - nothing hidden behind a click. More on the full FAQ page.
Can I change the cleaning checklist for my home? 01
Yes. Add a note at booking and we'll adjust. Most people ask us to skip a room, spend extra time on a bathroom, or leave the home office alone. The core list stays as your baseline so nothing gets quietly dropped, and anything you add shows up on the cleaner's job sheet before they arrive. Not sure what to ask for? Read preparing for your cleaning first.
What's the real difference between standard and deep cleaning? 02
Standard covers the surfaces you use daily - counters, sinks, toilets, floors, dusting, beds. Deep adds the things nobody does weekly: inside the oven and fridge, cabinet interiors, grout, baseboards, blinds, radiators, behind furniture. If it's been six months or more since a proper clean, start with a deep one. Compare the two lists on standard cleaning and deep cleaning.
Do you bring your own supplies and equipment? 03
Yes, everything. Vacuum, mop, cloths, products. You dont need to stock a thing. If you have kids or pets and want greener products, ask for EPA Safer Choice certified options in your booking notes. If you swear by a specific product for your countertop or floor, leave it out with a note and the team will use that instead.
How long does the full checklist take? 04
A standard cleaning in a one-bedroom usually runs two to three hours. Two bedrooms, three to four. A deep clean roughly doubles that. Clutter is the biggest variable - a tidy three-bedroom can finish faster than a packed studio. We give you an estimated window when you book and text you before we arrive.
Do I need to be home while you work the list? 05
No, and most clients arent. Doorman handoff, lockbox, or a smart-lock code all work fine - just put the access details in your booking notes. We coordinate with front desks and follow building rules on elevators and service entrances so you dont have to run interference from the office.
What if something on the checklist got missed? 06
Tell us within 24 hours and we come back and re-clean those areas at no charge. Point at the list and name the item - it makes the fix fast and specific. That promise applies to every visit in every borough. Full details on the satisfaction guarantee.
Is the move-out list different from a deep clean? 07
Slightly. It's the deep list, but the home should be empty or close to it so we can reach inside every cabinet, closet and appliance, and behind furniture that's already gone. Landlords check those spots at the walkthrough. See the scope on the move-out cleaning checklist, and use code MOVE30 for $30 off any move-in or move-out cleaning.
Client reviews · Part 3 of 3
Rated 5.0 by New Yorkers.
A few of the 400+ five-star reviews left by clients across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Read all reviews >
Recent reviews
Laura K.
Brooklyn Heights · Brooklyn
Verified client
"We had just finished a major home renovation and the entire place was covered in a fine layer of construction dust. The cleaning team did a phenomenal job cleaning every surface, including the windows and windowsills, leaving everything pristine. Their post-renovation house cleaning made our 'new' home finally feel move-in ready."
Post-Renovation Deep Cleaning · Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Daniel M.
Murray Hill · Manhattan
Verified client
"I was hosting a birthday party for my son and realized the apartment hadn't had a deep clean in months. They arrived on time and executed a phenomenal scrub, making the carpets and furniture look new again. This incredible house cleaning service ensured our home was perfect for the celebration."
Deep Cleaning · Murray Hill, Manhattan Jennifer A.
Prospect Heights · Brooklyn
Verified client
"My fiancé's parents were coming to visit for the first time, and I was panicking about the state of our place. The team did an amazing job, leaving every room organized and smelling fresh, and even polished our old wooden floors. This outstanding house cleaning service made a fantastic first impression on our guests."
One-Time Cleaning · Prospect Heights, BrooklynNo reviews match that search.
Find us in NYC
Downtown roots, citywide reach.
Based at 101 Wall Street in the Financial District, serving neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Questions about the checklist? Contact us any time.
Your next reset
Hand the list to us.
Pick a service, pick a time, and let somebody else work through every line of it.
Lily Maids House Cleaning Service
101 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005
support@lilymaidhousecleaningservices.com
Serving Manhattan · Brooklyn · Queens
Get directions >Book Now