The honest answer for a Maltese depends entirely on the length you keep. The breed has a fine, silky, single coat with no undercoat, and it grows continuously rather than shedding in seasons. Left long, it behaves like human hair: it tangles daily, picks up debris, and mats at friction points. Kept short in a puppy cut, the same coat becomes far simpler to run day to day. Your weekly grooming load is a choice between those two styles, so decide which life you actually want before the coat decides for you.
Full coat: a daily ten to fifteen minutes
In full coat, brush every day for about ten to fifteen minutes, misting the coat lightly first because dry brushing snaps fine hair. Work in layers with a pin brush and finish with a comb, which should glide to the skin; if it snags, a tangle is starting. The mat-prone spots are behind the ears, under the front legs, at the collar line, and where a harness rubs, so those get attention at every session. Loose topknot hair needs tying up or trimming clear of the eyes. Miss two or three days in a row and small mats form that must be teased out gently with fingers rather than pulled, and a badly matted patch is kinder clipped out by a groomer than dragged through.
Puppy cut: two or three brushes and a standing trim
Many pet Maltese live in a puppy cut, and the weekly load drops sharply: brushing two or three times a week for a few minutes, plus a professional trim every four to six weeks to hold the length. The four-to-six-week trim is not optional decoration; let it slide and the coat grows into the awkward middle length that tangles like a full coat without looking like one. Book the next trim as you leave each appointment so the interval holds. Even in a puppy cut, the face, ears, and feet still grow fast, and the comb test still applies at each brushing.
Face, tear staining, and teeth
A Maltese face needs a daily wipe with a damp cloth or pad, working outward from the inner corner of each eye, because tears and moisture stain the white hair rusty-brown and can keep the skin under the eyes damp. Dry the area after wiping. Check the ears weekly for wax and hair growth in the canal, and mention heavy tearing, squinting, or a stained patch that smells to your vet, since eye and dental problems can both drive tearing. Teeth matter as much as coat in this breed: small jaws crowd teeth, so brush the teeth several times a week with a small brush, and expect your vet to check them at every visit.
Bathing and the weekly pattern
A Maltese usually needs a bath every one to two weeks, because the fine single coat shows dirt and tear staining quickly; brush and comb out fully before the bath, since water sets tangles tighter, and dry the coat completely afterwards. The weekly pattern in full coat is therefore daily brushing, a daily face wipe, teeth several times a week, and a bath every one to two weeks. In a puppy cut it is brushing two or three times a week, the same daily face wipe and teeth routine, and a trim every four to six weeks. KinsLe's Pet Services Directory lets you search local groomers and pet services in one place, so you can book a groomer who knows fine Maltese coats before that four-to-six-week trim comes due.