Opening · turnovers · closing
Cottage Cleaning in the Kawarthas, Near Peterborough
Arrive at the lake to a cottage that's already clean, beds made and fridge wiped out, instead of spending the first afternoon of the season with a broom.
Walk In to a Cottage That's Ready
Every cottager knows the first trip of the year. You unlock the door to a winter's worth of dust, dead flies on the sills, mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer and a fridge that smells of last October. The first afternoon of the long weekend disappears into cleaning, and the second one goes to cleaning up after your guests.
We take that work on. Book an opening clean before you arrive, turnovers between visitors or renters through the summer, and a closing clean when the season ends. The cottage gets the same careful standard as a home in town, and if you're already a house client, it's simply added to your plan. Peterborough sits at the edge of the Kawarthas, with Chemong, Buckhorn, Stoney, Katchewanooka and Rice Lake all within a short drive, so cottage country is right on our doorstep.
Cottage Cleaning Is for You If…
- You'd rather spend the first weekend of the season on the dock than scrubbing.
- You rent the cottage out and need it turned over between guests, often on a Saturday.
- Family members share the place and nobody agrees whose turn it is to clean.
- You live in Toronto or further and can't get up to open the place yourself.
- You're getting older and the ladder, the stairs and the floors are more than you want to tackle.
What a Cottage Clean Covers
Same careful order as a house, adjusted for a place that's been closed up or full of guests.
High to low
Cobwebs in corners, beams and window frames, light fixtures, ceiling fans, the tops of shelves and cupboards.
Bathrooms
Toilet, sink, shower or tub scrubbed; mirrors and taps polished; floors washed; fresh towels set out if you leave them.
Bedrooms and bunkies
Beds stripped and made with your linens, surfaces dusted, sills cleared of insects, floors done.
Kitchen
Inside the fridge and cupboards, counters, stove and sink, droppings cleaned up and the area sanitized, dishes put away.
Living areas and screened porch
Dust on furniture, shelves and games cupboards, cushions shaken out, porch floor swept, windows on doors wiped.
Floors last, out the door
Vacuum and wash floors, shake mats, sweep the deck by the door, garbage and recycling handled your way.
Opening clean
Usually April or May, before your first trip or the Victoria Day weekend rush. Winter dust and cobwebs come down, insects are cleared from sills and light covers, any droppings are cleaned up and the surfaces around them sanitized, the fridge and cupboards are wiped out, bathrooms are scrubbed, and beds are made with the linens you leave. Book early: spring fills up fast.
Turnovers between guests
For owners who rent the cottage or lend it to family. Between stays we strip and remake beds, set out towels, clean bathrooms, reset the kitchen, wipe out the fridge, do the floors, and deal with garbage and recycling the way your road or marina requires. If anything's broken or missing, we tell you before the next guests arrive. Saturday changeovers are common; tell us your rental calendar and we'll plan around it.
Closing clean
September or October, before Thanksgiving or freeze-up. The fridge is emptied (on your say-so) and wiped, cupboards are cleared of crumbs that attract mice over the winter, linens are washed if there's a machine or bagged for you to take home, and floors are left clean so the spring opening is easier.
What we don't do
This is a cleaning service. We don't open or close water lines, drain plumbing, handle septic systems, put in or take out docks, deal with boats, winterize anything, or do pest control. We clean up after mice; we don't trap or remove them. For those jobs, call a cottage maintenance company or a licensed trade.
How far we drive
It depends on the lake and the road. Tell us where your cottage is, and whether it's road or water access, and we'll tell you straight whether it's in range and what the drive adds to the price.
The Cottage Season at a Glance
Spring opening
April to May
Winter dust, cobwebs and droppings cleaned away, the fridge and cupboards wiped out, beds made up with your linens.
Summer turnovers
June to August
Between guests or renters: fresh beds, towels set out, bathrooms and kitchen reset, floors done, garbage handled your way.
Fall closing
September to October
Before Thanksgiving or freeze-up: fridge emptied and wiped, cupboards cleared of crumbs, linens bagged, floors left clean for spring.
Winter check-in
November to March, optional
A quick clean before a ski weekend or a holiday visit, if your road is ploughed.
What Cottage Cleaning Costs
Opening or closing clean
priced per cottage
What moves it: Size, bunkies, how it was left, and drive time.
Guest turnover
priced per changeover
What moves it: Number of beds, laundry, how many guests stayed.
Winter check-in
priced per visit
What moves it: Road access and how much there is to do.
Cottages vary too much for honest ranges. Expect local hourly rates (roughly $25 to $60 an hour, depending on the work) plus travel time. The exact figure for your cottage is settled before the first visit.
Why Cottagers Book With Us
Timed to the season
We remind you in spring and book closings before the fall rush.
Same standard as home
House clients get their cottage cleaned the way they already like it.
Straight about scope
Cleaning only, clearly. No surprises about what's included.
Booking Cottage Cleaning
Phone us or use the form
Describe the house, the cottage or both, and the cleaning you have in mind.
Get your price
A few quick questions (photos help for cottages), then a firm number, all before a cleaner arrives.
The first visit
Most places start with a deeper reset so later visits can be lighter and quicker.
Regular or seasonal visits
The house on your schedule, the cottage when the season calls for it.