Cleaning Terms Glossary

A plain-English glossary of cleaning and household-service terminology — for clients, real estate professionals, and curious Saskatoonians.

A

• Agitation — The scrubbing or brushing motion used to loosen dirt from a surface. Cleaning chemicals work best with agitation.
• Airbnb Turnover — A complete clean and reset between short-term rental guests. Includes fresh linens, restocking, and inspection.
• Antimicrobial — A product that kills or inhibits microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, mould).

B

• Baseboards — The wooden trim where walls meet floors. Frequently skipped in low-effort cleans; included in our deep cleans.
• Bonded — The cleaning company has a financial guarantee covering theft or damage by an employee. We are fully bonded.
• Buffing — Polishing a hard floor or surface to a shine using a low-friction pad.

C

• Cleaning Caddy — The portable container a cleaner uses to carry products and tools between rooms.
• Colour-Coded Cloths — Microfiber cloths assigned by colour to specific zones (e.g., blue for bathrooms, green for kitchens) to prevent cross-contamination. We use this system.
• Commercial Cleaning — Cleaning of business spaces (offices, retail, medical, etc.) as opposed to residential.

D

• Damage Deposit — In Saskatchewan rentals, the security deposit (up to one month's rent) held against damage or cleaning costs. Our move-out cleans help recover the full amount.
• Deep Clean — A thorough top-to-bottom clean including baseboards, inside appliances, light fixtures, grout, etc. Typically 2-3x longer than a standard clean.
• Degreaser — A cleaning chemical formulated to dissolve grease and oil. Used in kitchens.
• Disinfectant — A chemical that kills bacteria and viruses on surfaces (different from a sanitizer, which only reduces them).
• Dust Mite — Microscopic organism in bedding and upholstery. Reduced through hot-water washing and HEPA vacuuming.

E

• EcoLogo — Canadian environmental certification for products meeting strict environmental criteria. Many of our products carry this certification.
• End-of-Tenancy Clean — Synonym for move-out clean.

F

• Flat-Rate Pricing — A fixed price quoted in advance, regardless of how long the clean takes. We use flat-rate pricing exclusively.

G

• Green Seal — US-based environmental certification for cleaning products. Often listed alongside EcoLogo.
• Grout — The cement/sand mixture between tiles. Often discolours over time; restored through grout-specific deep cleaning.

H

• Hard Water — Water with high mineral content (common in Saskatoon). Causes white scale buildup on faucets, glass, kettles.
• HEPA Filter — High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter. Captures particles down to 0.3 microns, including pet dander, dust mite waste, and most allergens. We use HEPA vacuums.
• High-Touch Surfaces — Surfaces frequently touched by hands (door knobs, switches, faucets, remotes). Priority for disinfection.

I

• Insured — The cleaning company carries commercial liability insurance covering accidental damage to your home. We carry full commercial coverage.

M

• Microfiber — Ultra-fine synthetic fabric that traps dust and bacteria mechanically, reducing the need for chemicals.
• Move-In Clean — Detailed cleaning of a property before you move into it.
• Move-Out Clean — Detailed cleaning of a property you're vacating, designed to meet landlord/buyer standards.

N

• NAP — Name, Address, Phone — key local SEO data that must be consistent across the web.

P

• pH-Neutral — A cleaner that is neither acidic nor alkaline. Safe for sensitive surfaces like marble, granite, hardwood.
• Post-Construction Clean — Specialty clean removing drywall dust, sticker residue, sawdust, fine particles after renovation or construction.

R

• Recurring Clean — Scheduled cleaning service on a regular interval (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).

S

• Sanitize — To reduce bacteria to safe levels (different from disinfect, which kills).
• Spot Clean — Targeted cleaning of a specific stain or area, not a full surface clean.
• Standard Clean — Regular maintenance cleaning — surfaces, floors, bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms. Does not include detail tasks like inside appliances.
• Steam Cleaning — Cleaning with vapour at high temperatures — effective on grout, upholstery, carpets.

T

• Top-to-Bottom Clean — Cleaning method starting at ceilings/fans and working down to floors, so dust falls onto surfaces yet to be cleaned.
• Turnover Clean — Same as Airbnb turnover — quick reset between rental guests.

V

• VOCs — Volatile Organic Compounds. Chemicals that off-gas from conventional cleaning products. Eco-friendly products minimize VOCs.

W

• WCB — Workers' Compensation Board (Saskatchewan). Legitimate cleaning businesses carry WCB coverage for their employees.

Z

• Zone Cleaning — Cleaning method that divides a home into zones and tackles one per session/day, instead of trying to clean the whole house at once.

Have a Term We Missed?

Text us at 306-700-6576 and we'll add it. We update this glossary regularly.