How to Prepare Your Home Before the Cleaners Come for a Deep Clean

That Cleaning Girl · Deep Cleaning

You don't have to clean before the cleaners come. Really. But a little prep before a deep clean makes a big difference in how much gets done and how fast. Once you know how often you need one (see How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Home?), the next step is getting the house ready for the visit itself.

Pick up, don't clean

The most helpful thing you can do is pick up clutter. Cleaners clean surfaces; when surfaces are covered, they spend time moving things instead of scrubbing. A deep clean is about reaching the details, and clutter blocks the details.

• Clear kitchen counters as much as you can.
• Pick up toys, shoes and clothes from the floors.
• Clear nightstands, dressers and the bathroom counter of daily items.
• Put away mail, paperwork and anything you wouldn't want moved.
• Take down anything you don't want cleaned, like delicate collectibles.

You don't need to make it perfect. A basket of random stuff tucked in a closet is fine. The goal is open surfaces, not a magazine photo.

Dishes and laundry count too. A sink full of dishes means the sink can't get deep cleaned. Run the dishwasher the night before and empty it if you can, or at least clear the sink. Same with laundry: get piles off the floor, especially in the laundry room, so the washer, dryer and floor can be cleaned. If you've asked for laundry or linen changes as an extra, leave the items where we can find them and let us know.

Plan for pets

Pets are family, and we love meeting them, but they can make a deep clean slower and sometimes stressful for them. A few ideas:

• Put pets in a room we can skip, or in a crate with water.
• Take dogs on a walk or to daycare during the visit, if that's easy.
• Pick up pet toys, bowls and beds so we can clean underneath.
• Let us know about any pet that might slip out the door.
• Mention any pet accidents or areas that need extra attention.

We keep pet notes on file for every client, so after the first visit, this part gets easier.

Sort out entry

If you won't be home, make sure we can get in. A key, lockbox or door code goes on file with your entry notes. Let us know about any alarm system and how to handle it, and anything quirky like a door that sticks or a gate latch. If you will be home, that's fine too. Most people just go about their day or step out for errands. If you're working from home, let us know which room you'll be in, and we'll save it for last or skip it. On the morning of the visit, you'll get a text when the cleaner is on the way, so you're never left wondering.

Share your priorities

Every home has a few spots that matter most. Tell us yours. Maybe it's the hard water on the master shower glass, the greasy cabinets by the stove, the baseboards in the hallway or the ceiling fans nobody can reach. Writing it in the quote form or entry notes helps us focus on what makes the biggest difference to you.

This is also the time to mention rooms to skip, like a home office with paperwork everywhere or a teen's room they'd rather keep private.

Choose your add-ons ahead of time

Extras on a deep clean are much easier to plan for when we know ahead of time. If you'd like any of these, say so in the quote form:

• Inside the oven.
• Inside the fridge (empty it as much as you can first).
• Inside cabinets (empty ones go much faster).
• Interior windows.
• Baseboards and blinds if they're extra on a regular visit.
• Laundry, dishes, linen changes and walls or doors.

Products and supplies

We bring our own supplies to every clean. If you prefer certain products, for allergies, scents or special surfaces, leave them out and let us know. If you have natural stone counters, a special floor finish or delicate fixtures, tell us so we use the right cleaner. A little information up front protects your home.

What you don't need to do

You don't need to pre-clean the bathrooms, vacuum or wipe anything down. That's our job. Some people feel embarrassed about the state of the house before a first deep clean. Please don't. We see homes in every condition across the south DFW area, and a house that needs a deep clean is exactly why we're there.

If you have a security camera, doorbell camera or smart lock, let us know how it works so nothing triggers an alert by surprise. Entry notes can hold all of it, so you only have to explain once.

A little prep goes a long way

Clear surfaces, a plan for pets, easy entry and a short list of priorities are all it takes to get the most out of a deep clean. If you're in Waxahachie, Midlothian, Mansfield or nearby and ready to schedule, see our deep cleaning services for everything that's included.