Clear Counters and Surfaces
Decluttering countertops, tables, and other surfaces before house cleaners arrive helps them maximize their time. Charleston, South Carolina, house cleaner Sara San Angelo, founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady, told HuffPost: "If you hire me to clean for a three-hour period and I cannot get to any counter space, that is a problem." She added that she has often arrived to find bathroom counters covered with beauty products, forcing her to spend up to 45 minutes moving items instead of cleaning. Bryan Griffin, founder of Patriot Maids Cleaning Services, told HuffPost that his team is there to clean, not organize. "When everything is picked up, they can actually focus on scrubbing, dusting, and disinfecting instead of moving piles around," he said. It also helps prevent important papers from being misplaced or accidentally thrown away.
Pick Up Items From the Floor
Packages, clothes, children's toys, and pet toys should be put away so cleaners can vacuum and mop effectively. San Angelo said: "Just pick them up before we arrive. I do not want to touch your dirty underwear to vacuum." Since cleaners don't know where items belong, it's more efficient for clients to put them away.
Do the Dishes
Many cleaning services charge extra for washing dishes, San Angelo noted. "If the sink is full and overflow dishes are strewn across the counters, I can either clean around them or spend time moving them," she said. House cleaner Carly Castro, known for the Clean With Carly TikTok account, said in a video: "I also require the sinks to be empty, that way I can clean and polish it quickly. If there are dishes in the sink, I will be charging an add-on fee." Clients should ask about their cleaner's dish policy.
Remove Health and Safety Hazards
Cleaners should not be responsible for biohazards like blood, urine, feces, or mold. Katie Lambert of Clean Queen Maid Service told Better Homes and Gardens: "There are certain things that house cleaners can't clean due to health and safety. This includes items such as pet waste, human waste, and other biohazard items, so we would ask that these items be cleaned away before we arrive."
Secure Pets
Inform cleaners about pets ahead of time. If not home, keep pets in a crate, playpen, spare room, or secure outdoor area. Griffin said: "We love dogs and cats, but vacuums and new people in the house can stress them out. Even friendly dogs can get nervous. If pets are in a crate or separate room, the cleaners can move faster and it's safer for everyone."
Communicate Preferences and Priorities
Let cleaners know specific focus areas or things to avoid. Griffin said: "If there's something specific that matters most, like the kitchen before guests come over, just say so. We're happy to focus time where it counts." Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, told Southern Living that such conversations ensure alignment on scope of work and avoid confusion. Good communication makes the process smoother; Griffin noted: "When clients are clear and respectful, the cleaning teams tend to go above and beyond."
Secure Valuables and Sentimental Items
Move items that could be damaged or misplaced to a safe location. Eliana Coca, founder of E.C. House Cleaning, told Better Homes and Gardens: "Secure your valuables and put personal and irreplaceable items safely away before the cleaner arrives. This helps prevent accidents and lets us concentrate on cleaning without concern for your personal belongings."
What You Can Skip: Pre-Cleaning
There's no need to actually clean before the pros arrive, experts said. San Angelo noted that some clients clean before a first visit out of embarrassment, but this prevents her from assessing the real state of the house for pricing and time allocation. Griffin agreed: "Some clients will wipe things down because they feel embarrassed. There's really no need. We're not judging anyone. We've seen everything. It's literally our job to handle it."
