House Cleaning Checklist for Denver Homes

Standard House Cleaning Checklist (Recurring Service)

A standard recurring clean — weekly, biweekly, or monthly — is designed to maintain a home that is already in good condition. The scope below applies to most Denver metro homes on a recurring plan.

Kitchen

• Wipe down all reachable counters, backsplashes, and tile surfaces.
• Clean exterior of appliances (fridge, oven, microwave, dishwasher, range hood).
• Clean inside the microwave.
• Wipe down stovetop, including under removable burner grates.
• Clean and sanitize the sink, including faucet and disposal area.
• Wipe down cabinet exteriors and reachable handles.
• Empty kitchen trash and replace liner.
• Sweep and mop the kitchen floor.

Bathrooms

• Scrub and sanitize toilet, including base and behind.
• Clean and disinfect shower, tub, and glass enclosure.
• Clean tile grout in shower and tub area (surface clean; deep grout work is an add-on).
• Wipe down sink, faucet, vanity, and mirror.
• Polish all chrome and glass fixtures.
• Empty trash and replace liner.
• Sweep and mop the bathroom floor.
• Restock any provided supplies (towels, toilet paper) if requested.

Bedrooms

• Make beds and straighten linens (linens are changed only if left out for the cleaning team).
• Dust nightstands, dressers, shelves, picture frames, and other reachable surfaces.
• Dust window sills and reachable blinds.
• Vacuum carpets, area rugs, and under accessible furniture.
• Sweep and mop hard floors.
• Empty trash and replace liner.
• Spot-clean smudges on doors, light switches, and door frames.

Living Room, Dining Room & Common Areas

• Dust all reachable surfaces, electronics, decor, and shelving.
• Vacuum upholstered furniture (couches, chairs) including cushions.
• Wipe down tables, including dining table and coffee table.
• Clean reachable glass surfaces and entryway mirrors.
• Vacuum or sweep all flooring; mop hard floors.
• Straighten cushions, throws, and visible items.
• Wipe down high-touch surfaces (door handles, light switches, remotes).
• Empty trash in main living areas.

Deep Clean Add-Ons (One-Time or Quarterly)

A deep clean covers everything in the standard checklist above plus an expanded scope. Most Denver homes benefit from a deep clean as a first visit before starting recurring service, or as a quarterly reset on top of biweekly service.

• Inside oven cleaning, including racks and door glass.
• Inside fridge cleaning, including shelves, drawers, and door bins.
• Inside cabinets and drawers (when emptied and accessible).
• Baseboards wiped down throughout the home.
• Interior window sills and tracks cleaned.
• Door frames, light switches, and trim work hand-wiped.
• Ceiling fans dusted (when reachable with a step ladder).
• Air vents and return grates dusted.
• Detailed bathroom grout cleaning and limescale removal.
• Hard-water spot treatment on glass shower doors.
• Behind and underneath appliances (when easily movable).
• Detailed dusting of decor, lampshades, and tops of high furniture.

Move-In and Move-Out Cleaning Checklist

Move-in and move-out cleans focus on cleaning empty (or near-empty) homes thoroughly enough that the next occupant arrives to a fresh space, or that landlords return security deposits. This is the most detailed scope.

• Everything in the deep-clean checklist above.
• All interior cabinets, drawers, and pantry shelves cleaned (now accessible because items are removed).
• Inside and around all appliances staying in the home.
• Refrigerator interior, including freezer compartment and seals.
• Oven interior including hidden surfaces and broiler pan.
• Inside dishwasher cleaning, including filter.
• Washing machine and dryer wiped down, including drum and detergent tray.
• Inside closets — shelves, rods, and floors.
• Interior windows cleaned (both sides if accessible).
• Walls spot-cleaned for marks, scuffs, and adhesive residue.
• All baseboards, door frames, and trim hand-wiped.
• Garage interior and entry-door area swept if requested.
• Detailed floor care: vacuum, mop, and spot-treatment of stains.

If your move is in Denver metro, the move-out cleaning prep guide walks through what to do before the cleaning team arrives so you don't lose deposit money on missed items.

What to Do Before the Cleaners Arrive

A short prep step on your end makes the cleaning visit faster, more thorough, and easier on the cleaning team. None of this is required — but a 10-minute prep usually translates to a noticeably better result.

• Pick up loose items from floors so cleaners can vacuum and mop without obstruction.
• Clear off kitchen counters of small items so surfaces can be fully wiped.
• Secure or contain pets if they get anxious around vacuums or strangers.
• Communicate any priority areas or fragile items in advance.
• Leave dishes either in the dishwasher or stacked to the side — most plans don't include hand-washing dishes.
• Note any access details: door codes, garage codes, or where to leave the key.
• Set the thermostat to a comfortable level if you're not home.
• If using your own supplies, leave them visible with a quick note.

Post-Construction Cleanup Checklist

Renovation and new-build projects leave a different category of mess: fine drywall dust, paint splatter, adhesive residue, and construction debris on surfaces standard cleaning doesn't address. Post-construction cleaning is its own service.

• HEPA vacuuming of all surfaces including walls, ceilings, and air vents.
• Removal of construction dust from light fixtures, ceiling fans, and high shelves.
• Window cleaning including frames, tracks, and stickers/labels from new glass.
• Paint splatter removal from floors, fixtures, and finished surfaces.
• Detailed cleaning of all new appliances, including protective film removal.
• Cabinet interior and exterior cleaning, including hardware.
• Bathroom tile, grout, and fixture detail cleaning.
• Floor finishing: sweeping, mopping, and polishing as appropriate to the floor type.
• Removal of any remaining job-site debris from interior spaces.

What's Typically Not Included

Knowing what's excluded is just as important as knowing what's covered. The following items are usually scoped separately or declined entirely by most reputable Denver cleaning companies, including Kathy Clean.

• Cleaning up pet, child, or bodily waste accidents.
• Hoarding or biohazard situations (these require specialized services).
• Mold remediation beyond surface mildew in bathrooms.
• Climbing on tall ladders to reach two-story-high areas.
• Exterior window cleaning above the first floor.
• Carpet shampooing or steam cleaning (separate service category).
• Heavy furniture moving (cleaners work around furniture rather than relocating it).
• Laundry, ironing, and dish-washing as standalone services.
• Cleaning of human or animal remains — these require licensed remediation.

How to Use This Checklist When Comparing Cleaning Companies

Most cleaning companies in Denver advertise "house cleaning" without publishing a scope. The fastest way to compare quotes apples-to-apples is to ask each provider which items on a checklist like this one are included, which are add-ons, and which are excluded entirely.

For pricing context, see the house cleaning cost guide for Denver metro. For help choosing between cleaning frequencies, the cleaning frequency guide covers weekly, biweekly, and monthly trade-offs.