What is Domestic Cleaning?

“But what is domestic cleaning?” He wasn’t being facetious. He wanted a genuine answer.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the kind of work I do. When I mentioned I was working with a cleaning company, he was intrigued.

“Obviously,” he continued, “I know what cleaning is. But how does a stranger cleaning my home make a difference in my life? Aside from saving me a couple of hours, of course…”

He smirked. I knew that smirk. After being friends with someone for more than 15 years, you know exactly what they’re thinking. And he was thinking I didn’t have a good answer, even though he wanted one. He was wrong.

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll explain. But remember – you opened this door, not me.”

So what is domestic cleaning?

In this article:

• Domestic cleaning - what it is and what it isn't
• Types of domestic cleaning
• One-off cleaning
• Regular domestic cleaning
• Benefits of domestic cleaning
• Healthier home environment
• It's good for mental health
• Protects you from harmful mistakes
• Conclusion

Domestic cleaning – what it is and what it isn’t

Domestic cleaning is a cleaning service performed at your home. It covers most of those pesky, time-consuming chores we all love and cherish, especially after a long week at work. We’re talking dusting, vacuuming, wiping, doing laundry, mopping, tidying, washing, etc.

When you hire a domestic cleaner, all this tedium vanishes from your everyday life. Just like that. Suddenly, you find yourself with a bit more time on your hands.

A poll in 2018 revealed people in the UK spend about 2 years of their lives, on average, cleaning. 2 bloody years! That’s your college degree, right there. Or enough time to write a book. Or learn how to paint. Or, my favourite – a long vacation.

47% of respondents said they spend more than 5 hours a week cleaning. 31% revealed (somewhat reluctantly, I would imagine) they spend a whopping 10 hours, on average. And a mind-boggling 10% admitted they pour 11 to 15 hours (a week!) cleaning.

Can you imagine what you would do if you had between 250 and 500 hours a year more? I certainly can. Hiring a domestic cleaning company solves this problem for you in a jiffy.

The only downside is you’d have to pay for it. But with that extra time, you can easily make up the difference, especially if you have a well-paid job.

Note: Domestic cleaning is often mistaken for end of tenancy cleaning but they’re not the same thing.

Types of domestic cleaning

There are two types of domestic cleaning. Yes, that’s right, there’s more than one type of cleaning. My friend was very surprised at this revelation.

One-off cleaning

Okay, maybe you don’t want to free up hundreds of hours a year. Maybe you want to free up, say, Saturday afternoon so you can go to the cinema, but the in-laws are visiting on Sunday. Which usually means spending the entire day prior to this momentous occasion knee-deep in cleaning supplies (lest you never hear the end of how you’re not taking care of your home).

Stereotypical? Sure. But tell me it doesn’t happen. Anyway, so what do you do? Do you skip the movie, don your cleaning gloves and start scrubbing? Or… do you pick up the phone, call in some reinforcements and get on with your day?

If you want to do the latter, then one-off cleaning is the service for you. You simply call (or use the contact form) and you’re done. Your in-laws won’t have anything to criticise. Especially if you go for the deep cleaning option.

It’s a one-time service. You book a few hours, the cleaners take care of your chores, and we all go our merry ways (although more than half our clients book us for regular cleaning after that first service). Having more time is addicting.

Regular domestic cleaning

Now we get to the good stuff – the backbone of any reputable cleaning company. Doing one-off cleaning services is easy, especially in London. There are so many clients, it’s unlikely you will see these people again. It’s like a drive-by service. Many companies count on such services to stay afloat.

The real challenge is providing a quality regular cleaning service in London that keeps people coming back. Every reputable cleaning company in London has a focus on regular cleaning services.

Regular domestic cleaning is different from one-off cleaning. Unlike one-off, you book a number of hours on a regular basis. It can be weekly, fortnightly, or monthly – whatever you need. But it’s regular and requires trust.

This service is great when you want to completely forget about cleaning while still living in a clean and healthy home.   

Benefits of domestic cleaning

“Alright,” my friend said. “I get all that, but it still doesn’t answer my question. What benefits do these services provide, other than saving time?”

“I was just getting to that part,” I said. “Hey, have you noticed you have mould in your bathroom?..”

Healthier home environment

Regular cleaning helps keep your home environment safer and healthier. It’s a preventative measure for a number of potential problems, including mould, pests, asthma, and allergies.

Since professional cleaners know how to get more done in less time, you can expect better cleaning results from a cleaning company (given the adequate hours, of course – cleaners are not miracle workers). In most cases, cleaners take care of spots in your home you’d never think about cleaning.

Note: Regular cleaning is not a panacea. If you’re having medical problems, turn to your general physician. However, by removing potential pathogens from the environment, cleaning is a great method of prevention.

It’s good for mental health

The relationship between cleaning and mental health has been well-documented. Cleaning offers a boatload of benefits, including improved mood, concentration, and stress reduction.

Our outside environment is often a reflection of what’s going on inside our minds. But this is a two-way street – sometimes a mess on the outside can contribute to our mental burden. 

Protects you from harmful mistakes

Cleaning seems like a no-brainer. You just pick up a bunch of cleaning supplies, spray, and scrub. It’s not a big deal, right?

Wrong. Especially if you’re using commercial products, you can cause serious harm by mixing some of them. Most people, for example, know they shouldn’t mix ammonia and bleach. But how many people know they shouldn’t mix bleach and citrus cleaners?

Okay, let’s say you’re only using natural products (which is great). Those are safer, but mistakes can still happen. For example, you might use vinegar in your dishwasher and ruin your appliance. Or ruin your marble countertops. Or your hardwood floors. Cleaning mistakes can be costly, even if they don’t involve anyone’s health.

Conclusion

Some people waste years of their lives in the pursuit of cleanliness. And there are many benefits to it. After all, we all want to feel the safety and security of a clean home.

However, this is not an either/or proposition. You can live in a clean and healthy home without wasting hours on end every week. This is why domestic cleaning services exist. And they’re not even that costly when you put things into perspective.

In the end, my friend was convinced domestic cleaning offers serious benefits. Are you?  

Disclaimer: Samyx Cleaning is a cleaning company and this is a cleaning blog. None of the advice above should be interpreted as medical advice. If you have any medical problems, make an appointment with your general physician or another health specialist.

Author: Atanas Dzhingarov

Hi, I’m Atanas - brand consultant and writer. I’m helping Samyx Cleaning create the best cleaning company blog on the Internet. Join us on our journey and learn how to live a cleaner, healthier, happier life in the process.