How to Prepare for a Professional House Cleaning
Preparing for a professional house cleaning takes about 15 minutes. Pick up clutter from floors and surfaces, secure pets in a safe space, and note any special instructions for the cleaning team. Make sure the team can access all areas of your home. Don't worry about pre-cleaning. That's what you hired professionals for.
The Night Before
Decide on access. Will you be home or out? If you won't be home, arrange entry instructions, a key, garage code, or lockbox code. Most clients give us a key or code and head out.
Make the beds. Strip if you're changing linens; otherwise leave them made.
Pick up pet bowls, toys, and beds. Floors underneath need to be cleaned, and moving pet items takes seconds.
Morning of Your Cleaning
15 minutes. That's all you need.
- Clear floors: toys, shoes, laundry, loose items
- Clear counters: dishes, mail, small appliances
- Clear bathroom counters: toiletries, toothbrushes, personal items
- Put away small items: tuck away accessories and keepsakes so nothing gets shifted around while we wipe down surfaces.
Secure pets. Dogs in a crate, a closed room, or outside for the visit. Cats usually adjust fine on their own. Let us know their hiding spots so we don't startle them.
Leave a light on in rooms that need attention if the home is dark.
When We Arrive
Brief walkthrough. We'll confirm the scope, note any problem areas you want us to focus on, and ask about special instructions, allergies, chemical sensitivities, fragile or sentimental items to work around.
If you're leaving, this takes 2 minutes. Mention any area needing extra attention and go. We have everything we need: products, cotton cloths, vacuum, mop.
During Cleaning
Room-by-room cleaning using our cotton cloth system. A standard Essential Clean takes a few hours depending on home size. Deep Clean times vary by square footage and scope. Move-out clean times depend on square footage and condition. We'll give you a time estimate when you book.
Because we use unscented, plant-based and mineral-based products, there's no chemical smell and no fumes to off-gas. This is especially important for families with young children, pet owners, and anyone with allergies or chemical sensitivities.
When We're Done
Final walkthrough. We'll invite you to check every room. If anything needs attention, we handle it on the spot. You can walk back into a freshly cleaned home immediately: no waiting period, no headache triggers, just clean surfaces.
What NOT to Do
- Don't pre-clean. That's what you hired us for.
- Don't move heavy furniture. We clean around and under what we can safely reach.
- Don't worry about supplies. We bring everything.
- Don't feel you need to stay home. Most clients give us access and head out.
See our cleaning FAQ for answers to common first-visit questions.