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Is the word faxina the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the word "faxina" is understood in Portugal, there is a significant difference in typical usage. In Brazil, "faxina" is the standard, most common noun used to describe the act of performing a thorough or intensive cleaning of a house. In Portugal, the word "limpeza" is the natural and standard choice for this activity. While a Portuguese person might use "faxina" to refer to the intensive scrubbing of a specific surface, they would rarely use it to describe the general chore of cleaning the home, preferring "limpeza" or "limpeza a fundo."

Brazilian Portuguese Usage

  1. Hoje é dia de faxina pesada aqui em casa. (Today is heavy cleaning day here at home.)
  2. Contratei uma diarista para fazer a faxina na sexta-feira. (I hired a cleaning lady to do the cleaning on Friday.)
  3. Depois da faxina, a casa ficou cheirosa. (After the cleaning, the house smelled lovely.)
  4. Preciso de uma faxina no meu guarda-roupa. (I need to clean out my wardrobe.)
  5. A faxina de primavera é sempre a mais cansativa. (Spring cleaning is always the most tiring.)

Continental Portuguese Usage

  1. Hoje é dia de limpeza a fundo aqui em casa. (Today is deep cleaning day here at home.)
  2. Contratei uma senhora para fazer a limpeza na sexta-feira. (I hired a lady to do the cleaning on Friday.)
  3. Depois da limpeza, a casa ficou muito cheirosa. (After the cleaning, the house smelled very lovely.)
  4. Preciso de fazer uma limpeza no meu roupeiro. (I need to clean out my wardrobe.)
  5. A limpeza de primavera é sempre a mais cansativa. (Spring cleaning is always the most tiring.)