Before the visit
How to prepare for a house cleaner
You are not supposed to clean before the cleaners arrive. But there are about fifteen minutes of preparation that meaningfully change what you get for the same money.
The one principle
Clear surfaces. That is essentially the whole thing.
Every counter, table, desk and floor that is clear is a surface a cleaner can clean. Every one that is not is a surface that has to be cleared first, cleaned, and then either left bare or reassembled — which is two or three times the work for the same result.
This is not about tidiness or judgment. It is arithmetic. A kitchen counter with eight items on it takes noticeably longer than an empty one, and the difference across a whole house adds up to a meaningful fraction of the visit.
Everything else on this page is a variation on that principle or a communication point.
Worth doing before a visit
Fifteen minutes, in rough order of payoff.
The big three
- Clear kitchen counters and the dining table
- Empty the sink of dishes, or load the dishwasher
- Pick up anything on the floors — laundry, toys, bags, shoes
Quick wins
- Clear bathroom counters into a drawer or basket
- Put away anything on the bed
- Clear one flat surface per bedroom
- Take the trash out if it is full
Access and safety
- Unlock the door or confirm the code works
- Disarm the alarm or share the code
- Secure any pet that needs it
- Move the car if the driveway is blocked
Not worth doing
Genuinely skip these. Doing them costs you time and buys nothing.
- Wiping counters. That is what you are paying for, and doing it first does not make the proper clean any faster.
- Vacuuming. Same reason, and it is the single most commonly wasted pre-clean effort.
- Scrubbing the bathroom. If you have already done it, the visit will spend those minutes elsewhere — but you did the work for free.
- Apologising for the state of the house. Nobody cleaning your home is surprised by a lived-in house. It is the entire premise of the job.
- Hiding valuables in a hurry. If you want something put away, put it away calmly in advance — but every cleaner working in your home has been vetted and background checked before their first visit.
Four things to tell us
Say these once, on the first visit or in the booking notes, and they stick on your account for every visit after.
- Step 1
What matters most to you
Everyone has a room or a detail they care about more than the rest — the shower glass, the kitchen floor, the fingerprints on the fridge. Tell us and it gets weighted.
- Step 2
What to leave alone
A desk mid-project, a room used for storage, a collection you would rather nobody handled, a shelf you dust yourself. All completely normal.
- Step 3
Anything with a special product
Stone counters, a particular floor finish, an antique surface. If you keep something specific for it, leave it out and we will use yours.
- Step 4
Who and what lives there
Pets, especially anxious ones. Someone who works nights and sleeps during the day. A baby napping. It changes how a team moves through a house.
For a first visit specifically
The first visit is worth being present for, at least at the start. Half an hour walking a team through the house and pointing out the things that matter to you saves several visits of gradual adjustment.
It is also the point to be honest about condition. If it has been a long time, say so — and expect to be told if the house wants the deeper list. That conversation is much easier before the visit than after it.
From the second visit onwards, most people are not home and it makes no difference to the result.
Preparation questions
- Should I be home?
For the first visit, ideally for the first half hour. After that it is entirely up to you — most customers are at work and it changes nothing about the outcome.
- What do I do about my dog?
Whatever normally works for a visitor. Crated, in the yard, in a closed room, or loose if they are fine with strangers. Tell us which, and tell us if a door needs to stay shut.
- Do I need to leave supplies out?
No. Teams bring products, cloths, vacuums and equipment. Only leave something out if you specifically want it used on a particular surface.
- What if the house is a mess when you arrive?
We clean it. A lived-in house is normal and nobody is keeping score. Clearing surfaces helps, but it is a way to get more from the visit, not an entry requirement.
- Can I leave a note instead of being there?
Yes, and it works well — though the booking notes on your account are better, because they carry forward automatically to every future visit instead of living on a piece of paper.
Next step
Book your first visit
Put anything we should know in the booking notes and it carries forward to every visit after.
Book online in a few minutes, or call (972) 440-4421 — texting works too, if that’s easier.