You may benefit from hiring a professional move-out cleaning service, depending on your budget, time frame and whether you will be getting a deposit back. Hiring a cleaning service takes the stress out of your move. But if you’ve had your house regularly deep-cleaned, or if your landlord will charge you for cleaning anyway, you can save costs by DIY-ing it.

There are several services offered by professional house cleaning companies, each suited for a different purpose. These services include:

• Standard cleaning, which is a basic cleaning typically done on a weekly or monthly basis;
• Deep cleaning, which is a detailed cleaning with more intensive work than a standard clean;
• Move-in and move-out cleaning, which is a detailed service preparing a home for residents moving in or out;
• Green house cleaning, which is a service that uses eco-friendly cleaning supplies and products. 

Aside from the type of cleaning services available, homeowners may also choose daily, weekly, monthly or one-time services.

To find the best cleaning service in Phoenix, read house cleaning reviews from past customers and look for information about the house cleaner’s professionalism, punctuality and quality of work. If customers provided before-and-after photos of their house cleaner's work, take the time to review them. 

Due to the dry climate in the Phoenix area, cleaners should have experience cleaning and removing dust and dirt from hard and soft surfaces. Look for both basic and deep cleaning services, as well as the services that cost extra (windows with screens, etc.). 

The national average cost for house cleaning ranges between $25 and $50 per hour, per cleaner. However, the cost of house cleaning services near you might be different.

House cleaning prices vary based on how many square feet your home is, how dirty your house gets and how often the cleaning service comes. And, prices can be lower in areas with a lower cost of living, higher in big cities or affluent regions.

Some companies charge a set amount — such as 5 cents — per square foot, with a minimum amount, such as $100. You may save money by increasing the frequency of your house cleaning visits. Often a company will charge you less per cleaning when you schedule more cleanings per month. The cost advantage rewards your loyalty, and also reflects the fact that more frequent cleanings make it easier to maintain a high level of cleanliness in your home. A housecleaning service may charge more for the first visit or for one-time services than for recurring cleanings.

To learn more about the cost of house cleaning, visit our House Cleaning Cost Guide.

Deep cleaning a house goes beyond the surface level to clear out the dust, grime and gunk that’s collecting on the fan blades, hiding in the blinds, and built up inside the refrigerator drawers. Deep cleaning of a home or apartment costs more than regular house cleaning because it takes more time, effort, and cleaning products. You may choose to have a deep cleaning once or several times a year in addition to your standard cleaning services. You may have a one-time deep cleaning to prepare for company or to clean after a house party. Companies may charge an hourly rate or a price per square foot, or may offer you a flat rate after they have visited your home and estimated work time. The national average house cleaning price is $110-$150, with rates ranging higher for deep-cleaning services. Here are some examples of how a company may calculate their deep-cleaning prices:

• 10 cents per square foot (compared with 5 cents per square foot for standard house cleaning).
• $300 for a 3,000-square-foot home.
• $25 per hour per worker for deep-cleaning services.

Moving is hard enough work even before you have to clean the empty home to perfection. Instead of scrubbing your tile grout with a toothbrush, hire a professional cleaning company to provide move-out cleaning services for you. For moving out of an apartment, cleaning prices can range from $110 to $150. When scheduling a move-out cleaning, talk with the pro and confirm all the key points they will clean to ensure you receive your deposit back.

Important areas to have cleaned include the fridge interior, the oven interior, bathroom tile, the shower and tub, all blinds, and sometimes the walls. Some cleaning companies do not quote a flat rate for a move-out cleaning, as the number of hours it may take to clean structurally identical apartments could vary greatly depending on how clean or dirty the inhabitants were. For example, move-out house cleaning prices may range from $150 to $180 for one- or two-bedroom apartments.

Although some house cleaning and housekeeping duties might overlap, a house cleaner is charged with the top-to-bottom cleaning of a home. House cleaner duties typically include basic and deep house cleaning, such as washing and sanitizing countertops, floors, tubs, toilets, kitchens and more.

Housekeepers or maids are hired to lightly clean and maintain certain aspects of the home. This might include dusting, washing dishes, changing sheets, doing some meal preparation and restocking the client’s groceries and personal care products.

It’s also worth noting that a housekeeper or maid is usually one individual employed to a home (sometimes hired as a live-in), while a house cleaner is oftentimes accompanied by a team of cleaners. 

Generally, getting your house cleaned professionally can take several hours. The time it takes for house cleaners to complete their job depends on the size of your home, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you have, the type of service you require and the condition of your house. It also might depend on how many employees are cleaning and the supplies they are using. If you get recurring cleaning services, the first visit might take a bit longer than the subsequent visits. 

When choosing the best house cleaner for you, ask for an estimate about how long their services will take.

A move-out cleaning is a service offered to people who are preparing to move out of their home or apartment. A move-out cleaning is a more detailed service than a standard cleaning and includes things like vacuuming, washing floors, cleaning baseboards, cleaning light fixtures, cleaning out the fridge interior, washing bathroom tile, cleaning the stove and even spot-cleaning the walls. 

There are several things you can do in preparation for a house cleaning to improve the efficiency and quality of the job. If you’re unfamiliar with a cleaning service, hiding and locking away any obvious valuables lying around can offer great peace of mind.

Depending on the preference of the cleaner, you may need to lock up your pets before the cleaners arrive. Washing dishes and decluttering the house allows a house cleaner to do their job more effectively. And leaving special notes for the cleaners about certain areas in your home that need attention is also helpful.

Ask house cleaners near you about their tips to help you prepare for their services.