How to Prepare Your Home Before the House Cleaners Arrive

You don't need to clean before the cleaners come. But spending 20 or 30 minutes on a few specific tasks the night before means the team spends their time scrubbing and detailing instead of moving piles. Here's exactly what to do, what to skip, and what to tell your cleaning team before they walk in.

Why a Little Prep Pays Off

Professional cleaners work on a schedule. Every minute spent picking toys off the floor or figuring out where to put a stack of mail is a minute not spent on the shower glass or the baseboards. A small amount of prep gets you a noticeably better result for the same visit.

There's also a safety and privacy side. Putting away valuables and medications protects everyone, and clear walkways help the team move equipment without bumping into things.

The Night-Before Checklist (About 30 Minutes)

Pick up the clutter

This is the single most helpful thing you can do. Cleaners clean surfaces, and they can't clean what's buried.

• Toys, shoes and backpacks off the floor
• Mail, papers and kids' artwork off the kitchen counters
• Clothes off the bedroom floor and into a hamper
• Dishes into the dishwasher or at least stacked by the sink
• Bathroom counters cleared of hair tools and toiletries

You don't need to organize anything. A laundry basket that you fill and stash in a closet works fine.

Put away valuables, cash and medications

Jewelry, cash, prescription bottles, important documents and anything sentimental should go in a drawer or closet. This isn't about trust. It's about removing any chance of something being moved, misplaced or knocked over.

Make the beds, or strip them

If you want sheets changed, strip the beds and leave fresh linens folded on top of each mattress. If not, make the beds so the team can dust and vacuum around them. Tell your cleaning company which you prefer.

Plan for pets

• Decide where pets will be during the visit: a closed room, a crate, a walk with a neighbor, or free to roam if they're calm with strangers
• Pick up pet toys and food bowls from the floor
• Let the team know about any pets that might try to slip out the door

For pet hair strategies between visits, see our guide on cleaning tips for homes with dogs and cats.

Clear the path in and out

Cleaning teams carry vacuums, mops and caddies back and forth from the car. Make it easy:

• Leave room in the driveway or tell us where to park
• In winter, shovel and salt the walk and steps. In Norwood, Sharon and Foxborough, a December morning can turn a front step into a skating rink
• Turn on the porch light for early or late appointments

What to Tell Your Cleaning Team

A short note or a two-minute conversation at the door makes a big difference. Cover these:

1. Your priorities for this visit. "Kitchen and both bathrooms first, please" helps the team focus.
2. Rooms or areas to skip. A home office, a sleeping baby's room, the basement workshop.
3. Special surfaces. Marble counters, a vintage table with a delicate finish, unsealed butcher block, a natural stone shower.
4. Known trouble spots. A toilet that runs, a sticky drawer, a cabinet door that comes off its hinge.
5. Product preferences. If anyone in the household has sensitivities or you want eco-friendly products, mention it when you book.
6. Alarm and access details. Lockbox codes, which door to use, and how to arm the alarm on the way out.

What You Don't Need to Do

Plenty of people overdo the prep. Skip these:

• Pre-cleaning. You're paying professionals to clean. No need to scrub the tub first.
• Buying supplies. Most professional cleaning teams bring their own products and equipment.
• Moving heavy furniture. If you want behind the couch or under the bed cleaned, mention it and the team will handle what's safely possible.
• Staying home. Many clients are at work. If you'd rather be there, that's fine too.

Special Situations

Before a deep cleaning

A deep cleaning covers more ground, so prep matters a little more. Clear the tops of cabinets and the refrigerator if they're used for storage, empty the dish rack, and take items off open shelves you want wiped down. If inside appliances are included, empty the fridge of anything expired.

Before a move-out cleaning

The house should be empty, or close to it. Remove everything from closets, cabinets and drawers, and take out all trash. Leave the utilities on: the team needs lights, water and ideally heat. Our move-out cleaning checklist for Massachusetts renters has the full rundown.

Before a recurring visit

Once you're on a regular schedule, prep becomes a 10-minute habit: clutter off surfaces, dishes away, pets settled. Many families do it right after dinner the night before.

A Printable Quick List

• Clutter picked up from floors and counters
• Dishes in the dishwasher or by the sink
• Valuables, cash and medications put away
• Beds made or stripped with fresh sheets out
• Pets planned for
• Driveway and walkway clear
• Note left with priorities, skips and special surfaces
• Access and alarm info shared