It is assumed that they are synonymous, while they are not. “Housekeeping” and “cleaning” vary in the way that the latter one refers to a process of hiring someone for doing household jobs, either being paid according to the hours spent or the actual job done, while in the first case you need to book some hours when the cleaner will do the work according to your directions. The difference between “housekeeping” and “maid service” lies not in the completeness of the job, but rather in who will make a plan.
| At a glance· Housekeeping is a relationship. It is recurring, continuity-based and built around a standing arrangement.· Hourly maid service is a block of time you direct. You set the priorities before each visit.· Deep cleaning is a job, not a schedule. It is quoted by scope and happens once or twice a year.· Most households end up using two of the three: a deep clean to reset, then a recurring arrangement to hold the standard.· The service you book changes who decides what gets done, which is the practical difference that matters. |
The three services, side by side
| Housekeeping | Hourly maid service | Deep cleaning | |
| What you buy | An ongoing arrangement | A block of hours | A defined job |
| Priced by | Package or schedule | Per cleaner, per hour | Fixed quote for the scope |
| Who sets the tasks | Agreed standing checklist | You, before each visit | The scope agreed in the quote |
| Typical frequency | Weekly, fortnightly or monthly | As needed or recurring | Once or twice a year |
| Depth | Surface and upkeep | Surface and upkeep | Opens, moves and reaches |
| Continuity | Same team by design | Often the same team | Not applicable |
Housekeeping: an arrangement, not a visit
Housekeeping Definition It is a responsibility to guarantee that all the activities involved in housekeeping will be carried out regularly. This is because the most important characteristic of the housekeeping services is regularity, not a list of chores to be done. The same crew comes back on time, without having been given any instructions.
This is achieved by Cleantel through its Elite service where there will be weekly, fortnightly or monthly visits. There will also be a list of chores agreed beforehand. The customers will be informed in case of any changes in the cleaners.
In the United Arab Emirates, there is a certain level that one should know about. If one arranges for the housekeeping through an authorized company, the workers will officially belong to that particular firm, and therefore, any question about visas, salaries and liabilities will not be yours. That is why the cost will be different from the other method.
Maid service: hours you direct
Maid Service in Practice – it gives you time. You determine the priorities for a particular day and they will try to meet them. In the case of Cleantel, it is made clear that you will inform them about your priorities before each visit and how many cleaners will come.
Typical cleaning includes cleaning of kitchen surfaces and counters, dusting of living rooms, bathroom cleaning and sanitization, bedroom cleaning and dusting, floor cleaning and sanitization of common areas. Cleaning sessions can be arranged one-off, regularly within an agreed upon appointment time or as part-time assistance without the need of hiring staff directly.
The limitation in this case is the extent of the task. With regard to hourly cleaning session, we will not dismantle the stove, disassemble the filter of the extractor or clean the carpets because it will take more than an hour to complete these tasks.
Deep cleaning: a job with a scope
Deep cleaning purchase is outcome based. The quote provided offers a scope of the task and not the number of hours required to complete them hence deep cleaning is quoted per job.
Deep cleaning offered by Cleantel includes deep cleaning of all the rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, windows, fixtures, skirting and door frames, ceilings, ventilation systems and areas behind the furniture. The equipment used is much more than that used in a normal visit: including high suction and industrial vacuum cleaners, scrubbers, steamers, carpet extractor and UV treatment system. There is supervision of the task room-by-room, and you go through the flat yourself to spot any omissions immediately.
Deep cleaning of a two-bedroom apartment takes one working day. To know the exact scope of this deep cleaning task, please see the deep cleaning checklist.
Which one fits your situation
● You need the house to be kept at a certain standard without actually managing it. Cleaning should be done regularly. There should be an agreement for the list only once.
● You need help for specific tasks performed according to your own terms. Hourly maid services. Cheapest way to attain flexibility.
● Your house is cluttered and needs to be refreshed. Do a deep clean first, then you can decide on a schedule.
● Either you’ve moved into the house or out of it. None of the above. This one is about a move that is clean.
● The house contains an individual who has allergy or asthma. It involves thorough cleaning as well as regular visits to maintain the cleanliness.
It is the deep clean and the recurring system. The deep clean to restore the situation will ensure that all future visits will be easier as you will only maintain the standard.
Three signs you booked the wrong one
● You should spend your time monitoring the cleaners during their visit. A brief during each visit shows that you are paying money for a system while you just need a brief. Choose a recurring schedule with the list already settled.
● Everything looks good in the house, but nothing is really clean. You only keep maintaining the same level with each recurring visit, but the depth of cleaning is constantly deteriorating. Have your house deeply cleaned, and then you can continue with your visits.
● The deep cleaning took longer than expected. Deep cleaning an entire house takes a whole working day and not half a day. In case the cleaning was done in two hours, the scope agreed upon at the beginning was different from what you thought.
What to confirm before you book any of them
● Is the price per cleaner or per visit, and is the material included?
● Are the cleaners employed by the company and do they have insurance? Yes, the company Cleantel has public liability insurance, and their employees have insurance too.
● How will the job be coordinated, and what if something is not completed?
● Will the same people always perform if it is recurring cleaning?
● What notice must be provided for canceling or rescheduling? At least a one day notice is necessary from Cleantel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between housekeeping and cleaning?
“Cleaning” is a nature of the job to be completed, and “housekeeping” is a description of the recurring service of keeping the house functioning according to established standards.
Is a maid service the same as a cleaning company?
Actually, no. Maid service gives you hours of labor of housework that can be organized by you as you want, such as kitchen work, bathrooms cleaning, dusting and floor cleaning. The second type of cleaning company also provides task based services such as deep cleaning, carpet & upholstery cleaning, sanitization and moving cleaning services, which are priced in accordance with the volume of tasks, not time spent.
Which service should I book for a one-off clean?
In case you need particular rooms or services to be completed, choose hourly maid service and specify which services should take priority for you. In case the house needs to be restored but not cleaned, you should order deep cleaning service, because hourly one does not include appliance cleaning, ceiling cleaning and soft furnishings cleaning.
Can I have both housekeeping and deep cleaning?
It happens very often. Two times per year deep cleaning helps to restore those places of your house that were not reached by routine cleaning, whereas regularity in cleaning process guarantees maintenance in-between deep cleaning periods.
Do I need to be at home during the visit?
Not always, but depends on your situation and preferences. Cleantel advises to stay at home in case you have any kids, elders or pets.
Working out which one you need
If you have any concerns, tell them to our specialists without saying anything about the type of services you require. Just tell us what is the problem and how often you want our staff to visit you (+971 50 480 7273).
Scoping and pricing of the services are provided on the “Hourly Maid Services” page, whereas the comprehensive list of all cleaning services identifies the activities that must be scoped and priced accordingly.