Matilde, a young Brazilian woman, is hired by Lane and her husband Charles—two busy, high-powered physicians—as the housekeeper of their suburban home. Unfortunately, Matilde hates to clean. She prefers trying to dream up the funniest joke in the world. Lane's sister, Virginia, however, loves to clean and, in a secret deal with Matilde, arranges to take care of the cleaning behind Lane's back, an arrangement just too perfect to last. At the same time, Charles meets the free-spirited Ana, whose passion evokes a soulful grace in everyone it touches, and casts a wonderfully surreal spell over The Clean House.