Regular cleaning is maintenance. Deep cleaning is a reset. The mistake most people make is booking a regular clean for a home that needs the reset first, then wondering why the baseboards still look the way they did.
A regular (general) cleaning visit covers the surfaces you live on: counters, sinks, toilets, tubs, tables, floors, and the dust on furniture and ledges. It's designed to be repeated weekly or biweekly, and it keeps a home from ever slipping. What it does not do is scrub grout, degrease the inside of the oven, wipe every door frame and light switch, or move the couch to clean behind it.
A deep clean does all of that. It takes longer, usually two to three times as long as a regular visit for the same apartment, because it reaches everything a regular visit skips: baseboards, vents, window sills, cabinet fronts, tile and grout, inside the microwave and oven, behind and under movable furniture. In a New York apartment, where radiator dust, street grit, and cooking grease build up faster than anywhere else, it's the visit that actually changes how the place feels.
The simple rule: if it's been more than a couple of months since anyone cleaned thoroughly, or if this is the first time you're hiring a cleaner, start with a deep clean. Then switch to regular cleaning on a schedule. The regular visits stay fast and affordable because there's nothing to catch up on.
If you're not sure which you need, describe the space and how long it's been. We'll tell you honestly. Booking a deep clean for a place that only needs maintenance is a waste of your money, and we'd rather have you back every two weeks.