How to Prepare for Your First Professional Cleaning
A clear arrival plan: what to put away, what to tell us and which details belong in your written quote.
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Your plan at a glance- Tell usRooms, condition and priorities.
- Clear accessFloors and work surfaces.
- Agree extrasInteriors and bed linens.
- Arrange entryParking, pets and contact.
You do not need to clean before the cleaners
Preparation means making the agreed surfaces accessible. It does not mean scrubbing your bathroom before the team arrives. Put away private papers, valuables, medication and fragile objects. Move everyday belongings off the surfaces you want cleaned, and create a clear route through the rooms.
If clutter cannot be cleared, explain that when requesting the quote. The team needs to know what is accessible and what should be left alone. Organizing possessions and deciding what to discard are different tasks from cleaning.
Send the details that change the work
Start with the address, approximate home size, bedroom and bathroom count, and whether the space is occupied. Describe the condition plainly: a maintained home and a home with substantial buildup can need different first visits.
- Which rooms should be included or excluded?
- Are there pets, delicate finishes or fragrance preferences?
- Is there recent building work, an active leak or another condition the team should know about?
- Do you have a deadline, such as movers or guests arriving?
- Which two or three results matter most to you?
The free walk-through can help explain a surface or concern if you choose to share one. Avoid including private documents or people unnecessarily.
Agree on the first visit and the extras
Whether the first visit needs a deep clean depends on the home's condition. We confirm the initial work and price before agreeing on recurring maintenance. Not every home needs the same starting scope.
Appliance, cabinet and storage interiors cost extra and must be agreed when booking. Bed-linen changes are available on request for an additional $20 per bedroom. We do not wash dishes or wash, dry or fold clothes. Laundry and mudroom areas receive light cleanup only.
For an agreed cabinet-interior clean, ask which cabinets must be emptied. For refrigerator work, arrange food storage. Avoid adding an interior clean at the door and assuming it fits the original time.
Make arrival straightforward
- Confirm the entrance and any parking or building-access instructions.
- Arrange access using an agreed method; do not post access codes in public reviews or messages.
- Secure pets comfortably and tell us which rooms they will occupy.
- Make sure required utilities are available.
- Give the team a contact for questions during the visit.
You may be home or away depending on the arrangement. If you work from home, identify a room that needs to stay quiet and discuss the order of work before arrival. Confirm building or elevator requirements with your management office.
Close the visit with a specific review
Check the agreed areas when the work is finished. If something appears missed, identify the room and surface so it can be compared with the checklist. An inaccessible cabinet, a permanent stain and a missed cleaning task are different issues.
DM's published re-clean terms cover missed agreed checklist items reported within 24 hours; confirm the applicable terms in your booking. Keep the quote so future visits can follow the same scope. When you are ready for a schedule, use the frequency guide to choose a sensible maintenance interval.
