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Portillo's Cleaning Checklist: What We Clean (And What We Don't)

February 28, 2025 Blanca Portillo 6 min read
Portillo's Cleaning Checklist

Transparency is the foundation of trust. We believe you should know exactly what to expect from your cleaning service. Here's our complete checklist—what we include in every service and what requires special arrangements.

Our Regular Cleaning Includes

Kitchen

  • Countertops: Cleaned and sanitized with pet-safe products
  • Stovetop & range hood: Exterior cleaning and degreasing
  • Sink & faucet: thoroughly cleaned
  • Microwave: Interior and exterior cleaning
  • Refrigerator exterior: Wiped down, including handles
  • Dishwasher exterior: Cleaned and polished
  • Cabinets & drawers: Front faces wiped down
  • Backsplash: Cleaned and dried
  • Small appliances: Wiped down exterior
  • Floors: Swept, mopped, and dried
  • Trash: Wiped down, emptied and new liner installed

Bathrooms

  • Toilet: Complete cleaning inside and out, including base
  • Shower/tub: Scrubbed, sanitized, and dried
  • Sink & vanity: Thoroughly cleaned
  • Mirror: Cleaned streak-free
  • Faucets & fixtures: Thoroughly cleaned
  • Countertops: Cleaned and disinfected
  • Floors: Swept, mopped, and dried
  • Trash: Wiped down, emptied and new liner installed
  • Towels: Neatly arranged (if requested)

Living Areas & Bedrooms

  • Dusting: All surfaces, furniture, and decorative items
  • Vacuuming: Carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture
  • Hardwood/tile floors: Swept and mopped
  • Mirrors & glass: Cleaned streak-free
  • Baseboards: Dusted and wiped down
  • Light switches & door handles: Sanitized
  • Trash: Emptied and new liners installed
  • Bed making: If linens are available and requested

Quality Promise

Every item on this list is completed during every visit. If we miss something, we'll return to fix it at no charge.

Deep Cleaning Add-Ons

For first-time clients or quarterly deep cleans, we also include:

Additional Kitchen Tasks

  • Inside microwave: Deep cleaning inside and outside
  • Cabinet exteriors: Wiped down
  • Light fixtures: Dusted and cleaned

Additional Bathroom Tasks

  • Grout cleaning: Basic scrubbing and sanitizing
  • Exhaust fan covers: Dusted and wiped
  • Shower doors: Deep cleaning for soap scum removal
  • Medicine cabinets: Exterior cleaning

Additional General Tasks

  • Window sills: Deep cleaning and sanitizing
  • Door frames: Wiped down completely
  • Light fixtures: Dusted and cleaned throughout home
  • Ceiling fans: Blades dusted (reachable height only)
  • Interior windows: Basic cleaning
  • Baseboards: Dusted and wiped down

What We Don't Include (But Can Arrange)

Specialized Tasks

These require special equipment, training, or safety considerations:

  • Exterior windows: Especially second story or hard-to-reach
  • Carpet shampooing: We offer this as a separate service
  • High ceiling fans: Above 9 feet for safety reasons
  • Garage cleaning: Can be arranged separately
  • Basement deep cleaning: We can add it to your service upon request
  • Attic or crawl spaces: Not included in standard service

Appliance Interiors

Deep appliance cleaning available upon request:

  • Oven deep cleaning: Requires special products and time
  • Refrigerator deep cleaning: Full removal of food, shelves and drawers

Personal Organization

We clean, but we don't organize personal belongings:

  • Closet organization: We'll clean around items, not organize
  • Desk organizing: We clean surfaces but don't sort papers
  • Toy organization: We'll clean around toys or move them aside
  • Personal items: We dust and clean around them respectfully

Pro Tip

Want any of these additional services? Just ask! We can provide quotes for specialized cleaning tasks and often combine them with your regular service.

Safety & Liability Exclusions

For Everyone's Safety

We don't clean certain items for safety and insurance reasons:

  • Chandeliers or expensive fixtures: Risk of damage
  • Antiques or collectibles: Unless specifically discussed
  • Electronics interiors: TVs, computers, etc.
  • Biohazard situations: Requires specialized cleaning
  • Areas with mold: Needs professional remediation first

Customizing Your Service

Tell Us Your Priorities

Every home is different. Let us know if you'd like us to:

  • Focus extra time on specific areas (kitchen, bathrooms)
  • Skip certain rooms (home office, baby's room during nap time)
  • Use your preferred products for specific surfaces
  • Work around your schedule for noise-sensitive times

Communication is Key

Before each visit, feel free to let us know:

  • Any areas that need extra attention
  • Items you'd prefer we don't move
  • Special requests or concerns
  • Changes to your regular routine

Quality Assurance

Our Checklist System

Every team uses a detailed checklist to ensure:

  • Consistency: Same quality every visit
  • Completeness: Nothing gets forgotten
  • Accountability: Team leaders verify all tasks
  • Improvement: We track and address any issues

Your Satisfaction Guarantee

If any item on our checklist isn't completed to your satisfaction:

  • We'll return within 24 hours to fix it
  • No additional charge for touch-ups
  • We'll adjust our process for future visits
  • Your feedback helps us improve

Pricing Transparency

What's Included in Your Rate

  • All standard cleaning tasks listed above
  • All cleaning supplies and equipment
  • Liability insurance and bonding
  • Quality guarantee and follow-up

Additional Services Quoted Separately

  • Deep appliance cleaning
  • Carpet shampooing
  • Exterior window cleaning
  • Garage or basement cleaning
  • Organization services

Questions About Our Services?

We believe in complete transparency. If you have questions about what's included in your cleaning or want to add special services, just ask!

Get Your Custom Quote