House Cleaning Almaty

What types of dirt are most common in private homes

A country house is not an apartment: it has a different composition of dust, humidity levels, and sources of dirt. At profi-clean, we notice that homeowners often underestimate three types of dirt that systematically damage finishes and affect health. Let’s break them down in order — from street dust to microscopic allergens.

Sand, clay, and street dust — the main enemy of the first floor

Up to 60% of all dirt enters the house from the surrounding area on shoes and dog paws: sand, fine gravel, clay, and road dust. In Almaty, this is compounded by specific dust from mountain rocks — it is finer and more abrasive than plain dust, scratching laminate and parquet faster. In the kitchen and hallway, such particles mix with grease and moisture, forming a sticky crust that a regular mop cannot handle. Moreover, dry cleaning with a broom only stirs dust into the air — it settles on curtains and upholstered furniture within 20 minutes. In our orders for homes with children or dogs, we always start with wet vacuuming using a HEPA filter: this is the only way to remove abrasives without them resettling on the floor.

Grease, soot, and smoke from heating stoves

In private homes with fireplaces or solid fuel stoves, microscopic soot settles on walls, ceilings, and fabrics — particles 0.1–2 microns in size, invisible to the eye, but giving surfaces a gray coating. If you burn damp firewood (moisture >20%), the amount of soot increases by 30–40%. In the kitchen, cooking grease adds to the soot — it cements the soot, and after six months, a film forms on the kitchen backsplash and hood that cannot be washed off with regular detergent. It is especially difficult to clean soot from textured surfaces — brick around the fireplace or wooden beams: soot gets clogged in the pores. In my opinion, once a season (before and after the heating season), it is worth doing a wet chemical cleaning of walls and ceilings — this prevents soot from eating into paint and wallpaper.

Pollen, mold, and biological contaminants

In spring and early summer, pollen from trees and weeds enters the house through open windows and doors — in Almaty, the main allergens come from poplars and ragweed. Pollen particles, 10–100 microns in size, settle on horizontal surfaces and in carpet fibers, but when humidity exceeds 60% (typical for basements and ground floors), mold fungi — Aspergillus and Penicillium — begin to grow. Mold spores — 2–5 microns — pass through standard vacuum cleaner filters and remain in the air. In homes with poor ventilation (without a forced air system), spore concentrations in the air can exceed the norm by 3–5 times by the end of winter. We use hypoallergenic chemicals from Kiehl and Sodasan for treating upholstered furniture — they do not kill spores but wash them out of the fabric, reducing the allergen load. Before cleaning during the flowering season, we recommend closing windows and installing a breather with a HEPA filter, otherwise, pollen will return within 2–3 days.

Salt stains and efflorescence on basement walls

In homes without quality foundation waterproofing, moisture with dissolved salts — chlorides, sulfates, and calcium carbonates — rises through the capillaries of concrete and brick. On the walls of the basement and first floor, they form white crystalline spots — efflorescence. Efflorescence itself is not dangerous, but it signals constant wall dampness, which over time destroys plaster and wallpaper. If efflorescence is not removed and simply painted over, the salt will seep through the paint within 3–6 months. At profi-clean, we remove efflorescence using a dry mechanical method (a stiff-bristled brush) and treat the wall with a water repellent — this stops salt migration for 2–3 years. Importantly: acidic products against efflorescence destroy cement plaster, so we do not use them in residential buildings.

Oil and technical stains from garden equipment

On areas with a lawnmower, trimmer, or walk-behind tractor, oil stains—a mixture of motor oil, gasoline, and grease—end up on the garage floor, veranda, and even hallway. These contaminants deeply penetrate concrete, tile, and wood—on porous concrete, oil penetrates to a depth of 3–5 mm within a day. If the stain is not treated within the first 2 hours, regular cleaning agents are powerless: the oil polymerizes and forms a film that cannot be washed off with water. For such stains, we use citrus-based organic solvents—they soften old oil in 15–20 minutes, after which the residue is removed with a steam generator. On wooden floors, oil stains should be immediately covered with sawdust or an absorbent (silica gel)—this draws the oil out of the pores before it absorbs.

How to Prepare Your Home for Professional Cleaning

To ensure a deep clean is as effective as possible and cleaners can focus on tough stains rather than clearing clutter, it’s worth doing some light preparation in advance. We’re sharing instructions based on profi-clean’s 8 years of experience on-site in Almaty.

What to Remove from Floors and Open Surfaces

From the floor and horizontal surfaces (tables, windowsills, dressers), remove everything that hinders washing and vacuuming: small decorative items, children’s toys, shoes, wires, and bathroom scales. Electronics and fragile items: remove them from windowsills and tables—even with careful dusting using microfiber cloths, there is a risk of knocking over a figurine or photo frame. Carpets and runners: if the carpet is small, roll it up—cleaners will wash the floor underneath; heavy carpets will stay in place and be vacuumed on both sides. In our practice, in 30% of orders, cleaners lose up to 20 minutes simply clearing surfaces—this time could be spent scrubbing old stains in the kitchen.

How to Prepare the Kitchen and Bathroom

The kitchen and bathroom are areas with the most intensive cleaning schedule, so preparation here is critical. Dishes and trash: put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher or sink, take out the trash can—cleaners will wash it inside and out. Products and accessories: remove toothbrushes, soap dishes, cosmetics, and razors from sinks, countertops, and bathroom shelves—they might be moved or accidentally get wet. Mirrors and glass doors: if they have stubborn hard water stains (in Almaty, water is moderately hard, 4-6 mg-eq/L), tell the cleaner—our hypoallergenic Kiehl chemicals handle them in one pass, but old buildup may require a second pass. Before the visit, check if any clothes are left in the washing machine—we also clean its external panel and detergent drawer.

Protecting Furniture and Appliances from Moisture

Even when using professional equipment with HEPA filters and sprayers with controlled mist, there are areas best isolated. Upholstered furniture and mattresses: remove all removable covers and throws—they can be washed separately, while the base will be treated by cleaners with an extractor. Books and documents: remove books, folders, and papers from open shelves and étagères—during wet dusting of top shelves, drops could fall on the pages. Appliances: TVs, monitors, speakers, charging stations—wipe them yourself with a dry cloth or cover them with plastic wrap; cleaners work with damp cloths, and water should not get into the ports. On models with open ports (e.g., older LCD TVs with side USB inputs), the risk of moisture ingress is higher—warn the team about this.

How House Cleaning Differs from Apartment Cleaning

Cleaning a private house is fundamentally more complex than an apartment due to the different scale of dirt, types of surfaces, and logistics. At profi-clean, we travel daily to suburban properties in Almaty and its surroundings—the difference in approaches, time, and chemicals is significant.

Difference in Volume and Types of Surfaces

A house with an area 2–3 times larger than an apartment, but the main difference is the ratio of zones. An apartment has a standard set: kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, hallway. A house adds staircases, a terrace, a basement, a boiler room, walk-in closets — each zone requires its own cleaning protocol. For example, a staircase cannot be washed like a floor — each step needs manual treatment, otherwise streaks and drips remain. For us, a two-story house with a staircase takes 40–60 minutes longer than an apartment of a similar area, just because of this element. In practice, the time is calculated individually based on area and condition, but plan extra time — in our orders, houses up to 200 sq.m take 4–6 hours compared to 2–3 hours for an 80 sq.m apartment.

Specifics of dirt: from the street, not from household use

In an apartment, the main dirt is kitchen grease, dust from clothes, and shoe marks. In a house, this is supplemented by street dust, sand, pollen, and dirt from the lawn and road — especially in suburban areas near Almaty (Kargaly, Otegen Batyr, Issyk). This is not just “more dust” — it’s a different composition: quartz sand scratches laminate and parquet if swept with a regular broom. We use industrial vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters — they capture even microscopic pollen particles that cause allergies in Almaty residents during the flowering season. Moreover, if in an apartment one pass with a vacuum cleaner is enough, on the first floor of a house a double cycle is needed: dry cleaning + wet cleaning, otherwise sand remains in the gaps of baseboards and wears down the coating in 2–3 seasons.

Different requirements for chemicals and equipment

A house requires more concentrated formulations than an apartment — and different equipment. In an apartment, a standard set includes: universal floor cleaner, kitchen gel, bathroom cleaner. In a house, you must have: a product for removing garden dirt (from soil, leaves), a composition for terrace boards (they are sensitive to acidic cleaners), an antiseptic for the basement (against mold in basements of Almaty houses with high groundwater levels). We use hypoallergenic chemicals from Kiehl and Sodasan — they are safe for children and animals who often run on freshly washed floors. But in the kitchen of a private house, where meals are cooked for 4–6 people, grease settles more densely — an alkaline concentrate is needed there, not a household spray. Equipment is also different: for a house, we bring not one, but two vacuum cleaners (for dry and wet cleaning) and a steam cleaner for terraces — without steam, it is practically impossible to clean outdoor tiles from moss and dirt.

Logistics and water access — a hidden factor

In an apartment, water and drainage are available in every room — the cleaner simply fills a bucket. In a private house, especially in cottage communities near Almaty (Zhetygen, Atyrau, Boralday), there is often no central water supply — only a well or delivered water. If the water is hard (and in the foothills of the Almaty region, it has a high salt content), white streaks remain on windows and tiles after washing — they cannot be removed with a regular cloth. Our cleaners carry distilled water for the final rinse of windows and mirrors — otherwise, we spend extra time removing residue, which is not included in the standard timing. Another nuance: heated floors in a house take longer to dry than radiator heating in an apartment — if humidity is not considered, streaks will remain on the tiles in the hallway after cleaning. Therefore, before leaving for a house, we always clarify the type of heating and water supply — this affects the set of chemicals and drying time.

How often should you do a deep cleaning of a house

The frequency of deep cleaning a house depends not on the calendar, but on three factors: the number of residents, the presence of pets, and the seasonal load on filtering surfaces. A universal interval is two to three times a year, but for houses with children and dogs, it is reduced to four to five. Our practice at profi-clean shows that the same area of 120 sq.m requires a different schedule depending on whether a family with two cats or one person lives there.

House with children: why cleaning is needed every three months

In a home with children under 12, a deep clean is necessary every three months — not because of visible mess, but due to the accumulation of allergens in upholstered furniture and carpeting. The children’s room is a high-traffic zone: per square meter, 2–3 times more dust mites settle here than in the living room, due to the constant movement of toys and textiles. Additionally, young children spend up to 70% of their time on the floor — precisely where particles of pet dander, pollen, and dust mite waste concentrate. If a child with allergies lives in the home, we recommend shortening the interval to two months and обязательно включать в заказ обработку матрасов парогенератором — dry vacuuming does not remove mites, only the top layer of dust. For allergy sufferers, it is critical to wash walls and baseboards with an alkaline solution: up to 30% of household allergens settle on vertical surfaces, which regular cleaning misses.

Homes with Pets: The Schedule Depends on Shedding and Fur Type

Dogs and cats introduce two factors that change the frequency: seasonal shedding and the oily secretion on their fur, which settles on fabrics and creates a sticky base for dust. In a home with a short-haired dog (Labrador, Dachshund), a deep clean is needed every 3–4 months — fur is easily collected from smooth floors but gets lodged in parquet cracks and under baseboards. With long-haired breeds (Collie, Spitz) — every 2 months: their undercoat becomes electrified and attracts fine dust, invisible to the eye, but producing a characteristic musty smell after 6–8 weeks. Cats are a different story: their pheromones and urine crystallize on hard surfaces when dry, and without alkaline treatment, the smell returns within 2–3 weeks even after a thorough wet cleaning. Therefore, in a home with two or more cats, we recommend a deep clean with wall and ceiling washing every 4 months, and in between, monthly steam cleaning of sofas and armchairs to soften and remove crystallized protein deposits.

Seasonal Deep Cleaning: What Homeowners Miss

Tying deep cleaning to the seasons is the most reliable way not to miss hidden contaminants that accumulate specifically during the off-season. In spring, after the heating season, up to 40% of suspended particles from radiators and fireplaces remain in the home — they settle on curtains, books, and top shelves of cabinets. In autumn — pollen and street dirt tracked in on shoes and clothing; by November, its concentration in the entryway and hallways peaks. In summer, with open windows, 2–3 times more street dust enters the home than in winter, and high humidity (above 60%) triggers mold growth in ventilation grilles and behind kitchen cabinets — its spores are invisible but cause chronic cough and fatigue in residents. In winter, the main problem is dry air from heating: it stirs up dust that settles on damp surfaces in summer. Therefore, at profi-clean, we recommend scheduling deep cleaning twice a year — in April and October — with mandatory treatment of ventilation and radiators, and for homes with children or pets, adding a third session in mid-summer to curb mold and dust mite growth.

Signs That a Deep Clean Is Needed Ahead of Schedule

Even with an ideal schedule, there are situations when the standard interval doesn’t work. The first signal is dust reappearing on furniture 2–3 days after wet cleaning: this means filtering surfaces (carpets, upholstery, curtains) are overloaded and no longer trap particles. The second is a greasy film left on windows and mirrors after washing: it indicates a high concentration of volatile organic compounds from furniture and finishes in the air, which condense on glass. The third is a musty smell in closets and storage rooms, even if ventilation is working: this points to hidden mold behind baseboards or under linoleum. If you notice at least one of these signs, don’t wait for the scheduled date — call the cleaners within the next two weeks, before the contamination penetrates deep into porous surfaces and requires replacing flooring or upholstery.

Cleaning Specifics for Homes in Almaty (Climate, Dust)

Almaty’s climate creates a unique pollution profile for private homes: dry summers with dust storms, wet winters with mud, and a year-round problem — fine particulate dust that regular vacuum cleaners cannot handle. Let’s break down how this affects cleaning tactics.

Seasonal Cycle of Contaminants in Almaty’s Climate

In spring and summer, the main enemy is fine dust from vacant lots and construction sites on the outskirts (Alatausky, Nauryzbaysky, Zhetysusky districts). It settles on open terraces, in gazebos, and on all horizontal surfaces in the house — tables, windowsills, shelves. In autumn and winter, wet dirt from lawns and paths, brought in on shoes and dog paws, is added to the dust. During the heating season, the air in the house is overdried, and dust rises from the slightest movement. In our orders, we have noticed: homeowners in the foothill areas (Kamenka, Gorny Gigant) more often complain about deposits from exhaust fumes and coal dust, while in cottage communities on the plain, they complain about sand from nearby vacant lots. Therefore, we divide cleaning into two seasonal scenarios: in summer, the focus is on wet treatment of facades and terraces with hypoallergenic Kiehl chemicals; in winter, on repeated washing of floors and carpets with Sodasan to remove reagents and salt.

Why a regular vacuum cleaner cannot handle Almaty dust

Most household vacuum cleaners with a bag or cyclone filter allow up to 30% of fine particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 back into the air. In Almaty, this problem is exacerbated by the high concentration of dust in the surface layer — especially in calm weather, when smog and dust hang over the city. We use industrial vacuum cleaners with HEPA H13 filters, which trap 99.97% of particles up to 0.3 microns. In practice, this means: after cleaning, there is no “secondary dust” left in the house that settles an hour after the vacuum cleaner is turned off. For homeowners with children who have allergies or asthma, we strongly recommend not skimping on filtration — a cheap vacuum cleaner only redistributes dust, not removes it.

Winter reagents and their impact on floors and carpets

From November to March, paths and steps of private houses in Almaty are sprinkled with a sand-salt mixture or technical salt. Residents bring it on their shoes into the hallway, living room, and kitchen. The salt crystallizes on carpets and laminate, leaving white streaks, and at high humidity, it corrodes parquet seams and tile joints. At profi-clean, we use a two-stage treatment: first, dry cleaning of carpets with Sodasan (it neutralizes salt deposits), then wet cleaning of floors with a pH-neutral Kiehl solution. Without this stage, the reagents remain in the pile and gradually destroy the structure of the carpet or natural stone. In homes with heated floors, salt penetrates tile joints faster — there we additionally use a steam cleaner to wash it out completely.

Cleaning open terraces and verandas — a separate challenge

In summer, a layer of dust, pollen, and poplar fluff accumulates on open terraces and verandas. If not washed regularly, this deposit is carried by the wind into the house through open doors and windows. We wash terraces with a Karcher high-pressure washer with a soft nozzle — it knocks dust off wooden decking and tiles without damaging the surface. On verandas with a polycarbonate roof, we use a telescopic pole with microfiber and Kiehl plastic cleaner — it leaves no streaks and does not yellow in the sun. Homeowners with barbecue areas and grills should know: grease from the grill settles on nearby surfaces and attracts dust twice as fast, so such areas are washed separately, with an alkaline compound, before treating the rest of the terrace.

Specifics of dust storms and their consequences

In Almaty, dust storms occur 3-5 times during spring-summer, especially with a southeast wind. In a few hours, the wind brings up to 2-3 kg of sand into the house through open windows, ventilation grilles, and cracks in doors. After a storm, sand settles not only on the floor but also in upholstery, curtains, and carpet pile. Regular wet cleaning is ineffective here: sand scratches laminate and parquet when wiped with a cloth. Our post-storm protocol: first, dry cleaning with an industrial HEPA vacuum cleaner, then wet treatment of floors with Sodasan, and only then — cleaning upholstery and curtains with a steam cleaner. If the first stage is skipped, the sand turns into an abrasive, and the floors lose their shine in 2-3 such seasons.