How to Prepare Your Home for a House Cleaner
Clear your surfaces, secure your pets, and sort out access. That covers most of it.
Cleaners work around objects rather than move them. A counter with eight items on it gets a partial wipe. An empty counter gets cleaned.
Ten minutes of prep buys you a better result on the same budget.
Clear the surfaces
Pick up what sits on flat surfaces. No tidying. Move things, do not sort them.
- Kitchen counters: mail, chargers, dishes, small appliances you can store
- Bathroom counters: makeup, razors, bottles, hair tools
- Nightstands and dressers: books, glasses, jewelry
- Dining table: paperwork, laptops, bags
- Floors: shoes, toys, laundry baskets, pet bowls
A laundry basket works well here. One pass through each room, everything in the basket, basket into a closet.
Handle the floor first
Floors take the longest and clutter costs the most time there. Clear a path in every room.
Pick up laundry. Move floor plants to one spot. Push dining chairs in.
Secure your pets
Cleaners bring vacuums, and vacuums frighten most animals. Doors also open and close during a visit.
Set your pet up in a closed room, a crate, or a yard. Tell us where they are and whether they are safe to approach.
There is a small add-on for homes with pets. It covers the extra time for hair and dander.
Note any pet you do not want approached. Nobody will take offense.
Sort out access
Tell us how to get in before the day of the visit.
- Gate code or building entry code
- Lockbox location and code
- Door code or where the key sits
- Whether a neighbor or manager can let us in
- Parking notes: assigned spot, permit rules, street sweeping day
Orange County street sweeping and permit zones catch a lot of visits. Mention the rules and we plan around them.
If you have an alarm, either disarm it or give us the code and instructions.
Set your priorities
Tell us what matters most. Every home has one or two rooms that carry more weight.
Say so on the call or leave a note. Two examples:
- "Kitchen and both bathrooms first. Guest room can be skipped."
- "Master bath grout is the priority. Please spend the extra time there."
Priorities help most when the visit is time-bound. The important work happens first.
Put valuables away
Standard practice, and it protects everyone. Jewelry, cash, medication, documents, and small electronics go in a drawer.
Point out anything fragile. Heirlooms, art, unstable shelves, an unsteady lamp. We work around them or skip them on request.
Leave out what you want used
Have a product you prefer? Leave it on the counter with a note.
Your cleaner brings everything, including the steam mop. No supply fee and no travel fee.
Products are plant-based and pet-safe. Fragrance-free is available on request at no charge, so ask when you book.
If you want linens changed, leave the fresh set on the bed.
Skip these
A few things people do that waste effort.
Pre-cleaning. Do not scrub before we arrive. You are paying for that.
Deep tidying. Clearing surfaces helps. Organizing a closet does not change the clean.
Staying to supervise. Most clients leave. Stay if you prefer, and expect us to work around you.
A short checklist
Run this the night before.
- Surfaces cleared into a basket
- Floors picked up
- Pets secured
- Access codes sent
- Parking notes sent
- Valuables put away
- Priorities noted
- Fresh linens out if you want beds changed
- Alarm handled
- Utilities on
What we handle
Tell us your square footage, bedrooms, and bathrooms. We text your price the same day, and it holds.
Regular cleaning starts at $144. Deep cleaning starts at $275, and first-time clients save $50. Our checklist shows every task by tier.
If the clean is not right, tell us within 24 hours. We re-clean at no charge.
Book now or call (949) 850-4333.
