Almost everyone does some version of this, and most people do the wrong version. Scrubbing the sink before the cleaners arrive is wasted effort. Clearing the counter is the single most valuable thing you can do.
The distinction that matters
Clearing is yours. Cleaning is ours.
A cleaner cannot clean a surface that has objects on it. They can move the objects, clean underneath and put them back, but that takes three times as long as cleaning an empty counter — and it is time you paid for at cleaning rates.
There is a second reason. Personal items get put back in slightly the wrong place, which is irritating for everyone. Clearing them yourself avoids it entirely.
- Kitchen counters cleared of mail, appliances and dishes
- Dining table cleared
- Bathroom vanities cleared of daily items
- Bedroom floors cleared of clothes and shoes
- Toys and pet toys into a basket
- Dishwasher run or emptied so the sink can be used
The fifteen-minute list
- 1Counters and the dining table. Two minutes each, and they are the two surfaces that most affect how much of the kitchen gets cleaned.
- 2Bathroom vanities. Move the daily items into a drawer or a basket.
- 3Floors. Anything on the floor that is not furniture — shoes, laundry, bags, toys.
- 4Sink. Empty it. A full sink means the sink itself does not get cleaned.
- 5Fresh linens. If you want beds changed, leave the sets out on the beds.
- 6Pets. Decide where they will be and note it for the team.
What not to do
- Do not scrub anything. You are paying for that.
- Do not hide the mess. A cupboard stuffed with things that were on the counter is a problem you have moved, not solved.
- Do not apologize for the state of the house. We have seen the state of a lot of houses and it changes nothing about the visit.
- Do not put away the products you want us to use. Leave them out with a note.
- Do not strip beds unless you want them remade — leave the fresh set out and we will handle both.
For a deep clean, clear more
A deep clean reaches surfaces a standard visit does not, which means access matters more. If you want cabinet interiors, the inside of the refrigerator or shelving cleaned, those need to be emptied first — that is your part, and it needs doing before the team arrives rather than during the visit.
If you find yourself deep-cleaning before every visit
That is a signal, and it usually means the frequency is wrong rather than that the standard is. A household compensating for a gap that is too long is paying for a service and doing part of it. Working out the right frequency is the fix.