Short answer
Clear surfaces, sort access, contain pets, put valuables away, and say what matters most. You are not cleaning ahead of the cleaner. You are removing the obstacles that quietly eat the visit: clutter on the counters, a locked gate, a nervous dog, and priorities nobody was told about.
The evening before
- Clear kitchen counters and the sink so surfaces can actually be wiped.
- Pick laundry, toys, shoes and bags off the floors that need vacuuming.
- Move paperwork and small items off desks and side tables.
- Put away jewellery, cash, keys and documents yourself.
- Empty the bathroom counter of everything you do not want moved.
None of this is cleaning. It is deciding where your things live so someone else does not have to guess.
Access: settle it in advance
Access is the single most common reason a visit starts late. Confirm which of these applies at your address:
- You will be home to let the crew in.
- A doorman, front desk or building manager will let them in.
- A key, code or lockbox has been arranged and tested.
- The building needs notice, an elevator booking or a loading spot.
If you live in a condo or apartment, building rules matter more than square footage. Our apartment and condo cleaning page covers how those visits are usually arranged.
Pets, children and parking
Say what is in the home before the visit, not during it. Decide where pets will be, and mention if a dog reacts to vacuums or to strangers at the door. If parking is permit only, metered or gated, tell us where to park. Equipment gets carried in, so a three-block walk changes the visit.
Say what matters most
Cleaners work to a scope. If the kitchen matters more than the guest room this week, say so and it will be sequenced that way. Requests worth naming explicitly:
- Rooms to skip entirely, such as a home office or a nursery mid-nap.
- Surfaces with specific care needs: natural stone, unsealed wood, antiques.
- Anything already damaged, loose or unstable, so it is left alone.
- Extras you want in scope: inside the oven or refrigerator, interior windows, cabinet interiors, laundry.
- Sensitivities to strong scents in the household.
Those extras belong in the quote request rather than the doorstep conversation, because they change how long the visit takes. See how the quote process works.
First visit versus recurring visits
A first visit usually takes longer: the baseline is unknown and nothing has been reset yet. If the home has not been professionally cleaned in months, a deep clean is the better starting point, and regular visits hold the result afterwards. Once a recurring schedule is running, preparation shrinks to clearing surfaces, because the rest is already known.
After the visit
Walk through while it is fresh. If something was missed or a surface does not match the agreed scope, say so that day, with a photo if it helps. That is far more useful than saving it up, and it is how a task list gets accurate for the next visit.
Preparing for a move-out or specialty visit
Move-out cleans need the unit empty and utilities on. Carpet cleaning needs floors clear and a room you can leave alone while it dries. Post-construction cleaning needs the trades finished and debris hauled away first. The relevant pages are move-in and move-out cleaning, carpet cleaning and post-construction cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to clean before the cleaners arrive?
No. You do not need to clean, but clearing surfaces helps. Every minute spent moving laundry, dishes and paperwork is a minute not spent cleaning the surface underneath.
Should I be home during the visit?
It is up to you. Being there for the first visit makes it easier to walk through priorities. After that, many households arrange access instead. Either way, agree the arrangement in advance rather than on the day.
What should I do with pets?
Tell your cleaner about them beforehand and decide together where they will be during the visit. A closed room with water, a crate, or being out of the house all work; a surprise does not.
What about valuables and fragile items?
Put jewellery, cash, documents and anything irreplaceable away yourself, and point out fragile or unstable items so they are left alone rather than handled.
How far ahead should I flag special requests?
When you request the quote. Interior appliance cleaning, laundry, inside cabinets or a specific room getting extra attention all change how long the visit takes, so they belong in the scope rather than being added at the door.