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. The landlord has 7 business days after move-out to return it or give notice of a claim; see our damage deposit move-out guide. 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. The City's own numbers, and how to remove the scale, are in our Saskatoon hard water guide.
• 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

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.