"The team arrived promptly and performed a spectacular deep cleaning that made every corner sparkle. My in-laws were so impressed they even asked for the company's number!"
Cleaning Checklist
What a Standard Cleaning Includes
What a Deep Cleaning Includes
Preparing for Your Cleaning
How It Works
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Preparing for Your Cleaning
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Room-by-room breakdown · NYC
What Is Included in a Deep Cleaning Service New York City Homes Actually Need
A deep clean is not just a longer version of your regular visit. It's the one that reaches inside the oven, behind the fridge, under the radiator covers, along the baseboards and up on the door frames where a year of city dust has quietly settled. Below is the full list of what our team does, what counts as an add-on, how long it takes, and what it costs across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
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Financial District Post-renovation dust, gone
A real Lily Maids story
Daniel called us because the dust kept coming back.
Daniel L. lives in the Financial District. He had just wrapped a six-week renovation, and the contractors had done a "broom clean" on their way out. Two days later the dust was back. Then it was back again. He wiped the counters on a Monday and by Wednesday there was that gritty white film on the coffee table, the window sills, the top of the fridge, everything.
That's the thing nobody tells you about renovation dust in a NYC apartment. It is not sitting on surfaces waiting to be wiped. Its in the vents, on the door frames, on top of the closet shelves and inside the light fixtures, and every time the heat or AC kicks on it redistributes across the whole place. A standard wipe-down just moves it around.
So we sent a team for a full deep clean. Vents wiped, blinds done slat by slat, baseboards and crown molding, door frames, inside the cabinets, on top of the cabinets, light fixtures pulled and cleaned, then vacuumed with HEPA filtration and mopped last so nothing settled back down. Daniel's words after: "My apartment finally looks like the high-end space I was hoping for." He hasn't seen the film since.
His job is a good example of what a deep cleaning service in New York City actually covers versus what a regular visit does. Everything on this page is the same scope we ran in his place. If you want the short version first, our deep cleaning service page has pricing, and you can compare it against a standard cleaning in about a minute.
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Client Reviews
The short answer
Deep clean vs. regular clean, in plain English.
Most people ask us this before anything else. Here's the difference, no jargon. A regular visit keeps a home that's already in decent shape looking good. A deep clean resets a home that has fallen behind, or has never been reset at all.
A standard clean does
- Counters, sinks, appliance fronts
- Tub, shower, toilet, mirrors
- Dusting of reachable flat surfaces
- Vacuum and mop all floors
- Beds made, trash taken out
- Usually 2 to 4 hours
A deep clean adds
- Inside the oven and inside the fridge
- Inside empty cabinets and drawers
- Baseboards, door frames, molding
- Behind and under moveable furniture
- Blinds, vents, light fixtures, switch plates
- Tile grout, shower door tracks, faucet bases
- Radiator covers and window sills
- Usually 4 to 8 hours
Rule of thumb we give people on the phone: if you can't remember the last time anyone cleaned behind the fridge, you want a deep clean first. After that, a recurring plan keeps it there and costs less per visit.
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Room by room
What is included in a deep cleaning, room by room.
This is the actual working list our teams follow in NYC apartments and houses. Nothing hidden, nothing vague. If a task isn't on here, ask us at booking and we'll tell you straight whether it's included, an add-on, or something we don't do.
Inside the oven, inside the fridge Both included, not extra
The room that takes the longest
Deep Cleaning the kitchen.
The kitchen eats up roughly a third of a deep clean, and its where the biggest visible difference happens. Grease is the enemy. In a NYC apartment with no real ventilation, cooking oil turns into a sticky film that grabs dust and settles on the cabinet fronts, the range hood, the wall behind the stove and the top of the fridge.
- Inside the oven, degreased and scrubbed
- Inside the refrigerator, shelves and drawers wiped
- Range hood filter and hood exterior degreased
- Stovetop, grates and burner pans
- Cabinet fronts washed, tops of cabinets dusted
- Inside empty cabinets and drawers
- Backsplash and wall splatter behind the stove
- Microwave inside and out
- Dishwasher exterior, door edge and gasket
- Sink scrubbed, faucet base and drain descaled
- Behind and under the fridge and stove where they roll out
- Baseboards, floor edges, then vacuum and mop last
We pull appliances out only when the floor and connections allow it safely. If your fridge is boxed in or on old tile that chips, we'll wipe as far back as we can reach instead and tell you. We are not going to break your floor to make a photo look good.
Grout, tracks, and hardware Where soap scum hides
Hard water, old tile, small rooms
Deep Cleaning the bathroom.
New York water is hard, and pre-war bathrooms have grout lines that have been soaking up soap for decades. A regular clean makes a bathroom look fine. A deep clean makes it actually feel different under your feet.
- Tile and grout scrubbed line by line
- Shower door tracks and glass, mineral scale removed
- Tub surround, jets and drain
- Toilet inside, outside, behind, and the base bolts
- Vanity inside and out, drawers wiped when empty
- Mirror, medicine cabinet interior, light bar
- Faucet, handles and shower head descaled
- Exhaust fan cover dusted
- Switch plates, door handles, towel bars
- Baseboards and behind the toilet, then floor disinfected
Two honest notes. Grout that is permanently stained will get clean but may not get white again, that's a re-grouting job. And if you have visible mold on drywall or around a leak, thats remediation work, not house cleaning. The EPA's indoor air quality guidance covers when a moisture problem needs a specialist instead of a scrub brush.
Where the dust actually lives
Bedrooms, living rooms and everything vertical.
Here's the part people don't expect. In living areas, most of the dust in a deep clean does not come off flat surfaces. It comes off vertical and overhead surfaces that never get touched, door frames, the tops of picture frames, blinds, ceiling fan blades, the tops of tall furniture and radiator covers.
- Baseboards, crown molding and door frames wiped by hand
- Blinds dusted slat by slat, curtains vacuumed on the fabric setting
- Ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
- Air vent and register covers
- Radiator covers, inside and top where accessible
- Window sills, tracks and interior glass
- Behind and under sofas, beds and moveable furniture
- Upholstery vacuumed, cushions lifted and crumbs removed
- Switch plates, outlet covers, door handles, remotes
- Closet floors and shelves when cleared
- Beds made or linens changed if you leave fresh sets out
- Full vacuum with edge tool, then mop hard floors last
Order matters more than people think. We work top down and dry to wet, so dust falls onto floors that haven't been done yet. Vacuuming first and dusting second is the single most common mistake we see in DIY deep cleans, you end up doing the floors twice.
If anyone in the home has allergies or asthma, this section is the one that matters most. Dust mites and pet dander concentrate in soft surfaces and the edges of carpet, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has good plain-language guidance on keeping indoor allergens down between cleans.
Client reviews · Part 2 of 3
Every borough, same standard.
New babies, surgeries, Thanksgiving dinners, birthday parties, long work trips - here is what New Yorkers say after a deep clean. Read all reviews >
★★★★★
"I was completely overwhelmed and falling behind on chores due to my demanding work schedule. This service stepped in and handled a full deep cleaning that made my entire loft feel brand new. It's such a relief to come home to a spotless space after a long day."
★★★★★
"I needed to get my elderly parents' apartment ready for a safe and healthy visit after my father's hospital stay. The team was so kind and thorough, completing a meticulous deep cleaning that took a huge weight off our shoulders. The peace of mind they provided was truly priceless."
★★★★★
"I was hosting a large dinner party for Thanksgiving and my kitchen was in complete chaos. Thanks to this amazing crew, the whole place got a top-to-bottom deep cleaning, including the oven and fridge, and everything looked flawless. The guests were raving about the beautiful setting and I didn't have to lift a finger."
★★★★★
"My college-age son's apartment was a total mess before we came to visit, and he was panicking. We scheduled this service, and they did a brilliant deep cleaning, making his cramped studio look organized and fresh. It was wonderful to see him so proud of his place."
★★★★★
"I was recovering from surgery and felt helpless watching the dust pile up. This wonderful company came in to help with a deep cleaning, taking care of everything from the bathrooms to the floors without disturbing my rest. I am so grateful for their compassion and efficiency."
★★★★★
"Returning from a long trip to a messy and dusty home is the worst. I pre-scheduled a deep cleaning for the day I returned and it was magical to walk into a perfectly fresh and clean apartment. It completely erased my travel exhaustion."
★★★★★
"We had a huge birthday party for our daughter, and the apartment needed a serious reset afterward. They provided a fantastic deep cleaning that erased all evidence of confetti and cake, leaving our home immaculate. The cleanliness was like a fresh start for the week."
★★★★★
"My partner was moving in, and I wanted the apartment to feel like a brand new start for both of us. The deep cleaning service did a phenomenal job, making the closets and bathrooms look like they'd never been used. It was the perfect welcome home."
★★★★★
"I am a new dad and my wife and I are simply exhausted and overwhelmed. This company came to the rescue with a deep cleaning that made our home feel like a peaceful sanctuary. We can finally focus on our baby without worrying about the grime."
Where a deep clean fits
Which service should you book ?
A deep clean isn't always the answer. Sometimes you want the cheaper option, sometimes you want the one that satisfies a landlord. Here's how each service differs, and when people actually book them.
Studios to classic sixes Built for tight NYC layouts
Most of NYC lives in one
Apartment Cleaning
Deep cleaning an apartment is different from deep cleaning a house, and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't worked a fifth-floor walk-up in August. Small square footage means every surface is a working surface. There's no garage, no basement, no spare room to shove things into while we clean. So we plan the route before we start and work one zone at a time.
Our apartment cleaning service covers the same deep-clean scope in pre-war walk-ups, doorman buildings, converted lofts and new-build studios. We coordinate with front desks, follow service elevator rules, and we don't charge extra for stairs. Book the deep clean once, then keep it with a lighter schedule.
Same team when we can Consistency beats intensity
Ongoing help, not a one-off
Maid Service
People use "maid service" and "house cleaning" to mean the same thing, and mostly they are. The difference in practice is rhythm. A maid service in New York City is the ongoing arrangement, the same trained cleaner or pair coming back on a schedule you set, following the same checklist so nothing drifts.
Deep cleaning and maid service work together. The deep clean is the reset, the maid service is what stops you needing another one in six months. Clients who do this pay less overall than clients who wait a year and book back-to-back deep cleans.
The affordable regular option
Standard Basic Cleaning
If your place is already in reasonable shape, a standard basic cleaning is the right call and it costs less. Kitchens, bathrooms, dusting, floors, beds, trash. It's the maintenance visit. What it does not include is inside the oven, inside the fridge, blinds, baseboards or moving furniture, those are deep-clean tasks.
A lot of clients get this wrong on their first booking and then feel let down, so we say it plainly: booking a standard clean for a home that hasn't been cleaned in a year will not give you deep-clean results. Full scope is on the standard cleaning checklist.
Houses, not just apartments Fort Greene to Steinway
Homes, brownstones and row houses
Residential Cleaning
Not everyone in this city lives in a 600 square foot studio. We deep clean brownstones in Fort Greene, row houses in Ridgewood, and family homes out in Mill Basin and Marine Park. Multi-floor residential cleaning takes longer and needs a bigger crew, so we quote it by bedroom and bathroom count rather than a flat apartment rate.
Stairs, banisters, landings and hallway baseboards get included in a residential deep clean, they're usually the dustiest surfaces in a house and almost never get touched. Basements and garages sit outside our standard scope, ask us and we'll tell you what we can do.
Deposit-ready standard Empty-home turnovers
Before the keys change hands
Move in and Move out Cleaning
A move cleaning is a deep clean performed on an empty home, and that emptiness is what makes it different. With nothing in the cabinets, nothing in the closets and no furniture in the way, we reach every surface a landlord checks at the walkthrough. Inside every cabinet and drawer, inside the oven and fridge, closet shelves and rods, window tracks, all of it.
Our move-out cleaning follows the same list NYC landlords use, and the move-out cleaning checklist shows the whole scope. Moving in instead? Move-in cleaning happens before the boxes arrive so your first night is in a genuinely clean place. Code MOVE30 takes $30 off either one.
Weekly · bi-weekly · monthly Costs less per visit
After the reset
Recurring Cleaning
The best homes we service are not cleaned harder, they're cleaned regularly. Once a deep clean has reset the place, a recurring cleaning plan holds the line. Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, whatever actually fits your life, and the per-visit rate drops with frequency.
Most clients rotate the heavy tasks. One visit does the inside of the fridge, the next does the baseboards, the one after does blinds. That way you never need another full deep clean, you just spread it out. Discounts are listed on the pricing page.
No commitment
One Time Cleaning
Not every home needs a plan. Guests landing Friday, a party on Saturday, in-laws visiting next week, a lease showing on Thursday. A one-time cleaning is a single visit with no schedule attached, and you choose whether it's a standard scope or the full deep scope.
For most one-time bookings we'd suggest deep, because the whole point is to reset a place that's fallen behind. That's exactly what Robert P. in Midtown booked after his daughter's birthday party, and what Emma T. in Forest Hills pre-scheduled for the day she flew back from a three week trip.
Also bookable
Three more ways people book a deep clean.
These come up constantly on the phone, so they're worth spelling out.
Housekeeping Service
- Ongoing, scheduled home care
- Same checklist every visit
- Same cleaner where possible
- Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly
- Heavy tasks rotated in
Housekeeping is the long game. Deep clean first, then housekeeping keeps it there without you thinking about it.
Same Day Cleaning Service
- Depends on that day's schedule
- Deep scope possible if time allows
- Call for the fastest answer
- Common for surprise guests
- Book ahead for more time slots
A full deep clean same-day is tight but we do it when a team is free. See same-day cleaning or just call.
AirBnB Cleaning Service
- Guest-ready turnovers
- Linens changed, beds reset
- Restock check on supplies
- Photo confirmation on request
- Deep clean between seasons
Hosts book a light turnover between stays plus a quarterly deep clean. See short-term rental cleaning.
The results
Proof, borough by borough.
From pre-war kitchens in Lenox Hill to loft bathrooms in Bowery - this is what our teams do every day.
Step inside
Pre-war, walk-up, or loft - we've deep cleaned it.
Hover, or tap, to step inside the kinds of jobs we handle across the boroughs.
The master list
Every deep clean covers.
The same standard, every time, in every borough. We bring our own supplies and equipment, including fragrance-free and greener products on request. See the full checklist > or compare against a standard cleaning.
Kitchen
- Inside oven
- Inside refrigerator
- Range hood & filter
- Stovetop & grates
- Cabinet fronts & tops
- Inside empty cabinets
- Microwave in & out
- Backsplash & splatter
- Sink & faucet descaled
- Behind appliances
- Baseboards
- Floors vacuumed & mopped
Bathroom
- Tile & grout scrubbed
- Shower door tracks
- Tub surround & drain
- Toilet in, out & behind
- Vanity inside & out
- Medicine cabinet interior
- Mirror & light bar
- Shower head descaled
- Exhaust fan cover
- Switch plates & handles
- Baseboards
- Floors disinfected
Bedrooms
- All surfaces dusted
- Baseboards & door frames
- Blinds slat by slat
- Window sills & tracks
- Ceiling fan blades
- Light fixtures
- Under & behind beds
- Closet floors & shelves
- Mirrors & glass
- Radiator covers
- Beds made or linens changed
- Floors vacuumed & mopped
Living Areas
- Crown molding & frames
- Vents & registers
- Behind & under furniture
- Upholstery vacuumed
- Under cushions
- Bookshelves & décor
- TV screen & consoles
- Switch plates & outlets
- Doors & door handles
- Entry & hallway edges
- Stairs & banisters
- Floors vacuumed & mopped
What's not in a standard deep clean, and why: exterior windows above ground floor (that's a licensed trade in NYC), wall washing, carpet shampooing or steam extraction, mold remediation, pest treatment, heavy clutter removal or hoarding conditions, and anything requiring a ladder above two steps. Some of those we offer as add-ons, some we'll refer you out for. We'd rather tell you upfront than surprise you on the day.
Add-ons & timing
Extras, and how long it all takes.
Add-ons are booked at checkout so the price and the time are locked in before we arrive. Nothing gets added on the day without your say-so.
4-6h
Studio or 1-bedroom deep clean, one to two cleaners
6-8h
2-3 bedroom deep clean, usually a two-person team
8h+
Multi-floor homes and post-renovation jobs
24h
To flag anything you're not happy with - we come back and re-clean it
Common add-ons
- Interior window cleaning, ground floor and reachable sashes
- Inside closets and cabinets when they're full
- Laundry wash and fold, if you have machines in unit
- Dish washing and putting away
- Balcony or terrace sweep and wipe-down
- Extra fridge or freezer
- Wall spot-cleaning around switches and doors
Helps us go faster
- Clear counters and the kitchen sink before we arrive
- Empty the cabinets you want done inside
- Pick up floor clutter and loose paper
- Leave out fresh linens if you want beds changed
- Tell us about pets, we'll close doors and go slow
- Note anything fragile or off-limits at booking
- Send doorman or lockbox instructions ahead
Full walk-through on the preparing for your cleaning page. Ten minutes of tidying before we show up can genuinely shave an hour off a deep clean, which is money back in your pocket.
Pricing
Know the price before we knock.
Deep cleans cost more than standard visits because they take longer, sometimes twice as long. Your price depends on home size, bathroom count, current condition, and any add-ons. You see the full flat rate before you confirm, never after. See full pricing >
$150
Standard cleanings start at
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Where we deep clean
Manhattan. Brooklyn. Queens.
Same booking flow, same checklist, same standard - wherever you are in the city. Start with your borough or jump straight to your neighborhood.
Popular neighborhoods.
Questions and answers
Deep cleaning questions we get daily.
Every answer is open by default, nothing hidden behind a click. Still curious? Our full FAQ page goes deeper, and the cleaning checklist has the task-level detail.
What is included in a deep cleaning service that a regular clean skips? 01
The big ones are inside the oven, inside the refrigerator, inside empty cabinets and drawers, baseboards, door frames and molding, blinds, vents, light fixtures, tile grout, shower tracks, radiator covers, window sills and tracks, and moving furniture to clean behind and underneath. A regular visit does surfaces you see and use daily. A deep clean does everything else. Side-by-side comparison is on the standard cleaning page.
How long does a deep cleaning take in a NYC apartment? 02
A studio or one-bedroom usually runs four to six hours with one or two cleaners. Two to three bedrooms is typically six to eight hours with a two-person team. Multi-floor homes and post-renovation jobs can go beyond that. Condition matters as much as size, a 700 square foot apartment that hasn't been deep cleaned in three years takes longer than a 1,100 square foot one cleaned last spring.
Do you move furniture during a deep clean? 03
Yes, anything two people can safely move without tools. Sofas, beds, nightstands, dining chairs, and appliances that roll out on a floor that can take it. We don't move pianos, wall-mounted units, aquariums, heavy antiques or anything that could damage your floor or itself. If you want something specific moved, mention it at booking and we'll tell you honestly whether we can.
Do I need to be home for the cleaning? 04
No, and most of our deep-clean clients aren't. A deep clean is a long visit and sitting through it is nobody's idea of a good day. Doorman handoff, lockbox or a smart-lock code all work. Just add access instructions when you book, we coordinate with front desks and follow building rules. Details are on preparing for your cleaning.
Do you bring supplies, and can you use green products? 05
We bring everything, professional supplies, microfiber, and vacuums with HEPA filtration. You don't need to stock a thing. If you have kids, pets, or someone with sensitivities, ask for fragrance-free or greener products in your booking notes and we'll use them. Got a specific product you love for a specific surface, marble, unsealed wood, a particular finish? Leave it out with a note and the team will use yours instead.
How often should a New York City home get a deep clean? 06
If you're on a recurring plan, usually once a year or not at all, because the heavy tasks get rotated into regular visits. If you clean yourself between visits, once or twice a year, typically spring and before the holidays. City apartments accumulate faster than suburban homes, closed windows all winter with radiator heat drying everything out, then windows open all summer letting street dust in. The NYC Health Department has useful guidance on managing indoor dust and allergens in apartment housing.
Will a deep clean get my security deposit back? 07
We can't promise what a landlord will do, nobody honestly can. What we can do is clean to the standard that landlord walkthroughs check, which is what our move-out cleaning checklist is built around. Cleaning doesn't fix damage, holes, or normal wear. But a spotless empty apartment removes cleanliness from the conversation entirely, and thats usually the part deposits get docked for.
What if something isn't done right? 08
Tell us within 24 hours and we come back and re-clean the areas in question at no charge. That's the deal on every visit, in every borough. Deep cleans are long jobs and things get missed occasionally, we'd rather fix it than argue about it. Full terms on our satisfaction guarantee page.
Client reviews · Part 3 of 3
Rated 5.0 by New Yorkers.
A selection from the 400+ five-star reviews clients across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens have left us. Read all reviews >
Recent deep cleaning reviews
Michael B.
Washington Heights · Manhattan
Verified client
"I was dealing with a severe allergy season and needed to get the dust and pet dander out of my home. Their deep cleaning was thorough and professional, even tackling the air vents, and I can breathe so much easier now. This service has truly improved my quality of life."
Allergy Deep Cleaning · Washington Heights, Manhattan Abigail D.
Long Island City · Queens
Verified client
"We were preparing to put our condo on the market and needed it to look its absolute best for the open house. They completed an incredible deep cleaning, making the wood floors gleam and the tiles shine. The realtor said it was one of the best-looking units she's seen."
Pre-Sale Deep Cleaning · Long Island City, Queens Sarah M.
Ditmas Park · Brooklyn
Verified client
"I was moving out of my rental and panicked about getting my security deposit back. These professionals delivered an absolute top-notch deep cleaning that made the apartment spotless. The landlord had zero complaints, and I got my full deposit back without any issues."
Move-Out Deep Cleaning · Ditmas Park, BrooklynNo reviews match that search.
Find us in NYC
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Based at 101 Wall Street in the Financial District, serving neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Questions about scope or scheduling? Contact us any time.
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Lily Maids House Cleaning Service
101 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005
support@lilymaidhousecleaningservices.com
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