You Don’t Need to Pre-Clean — But Here’s What Should You Do Before Your Cleaner Arrives
What should you do before your cleaner arrives comes down to a few simple steps that take about 15 minutes and can save your cleaning team 30 to 45 minutes of basic tidying:
- Pick up clutter from floors — clothes, shoes, toys, cords
- Clear kitchen and bathroom counters — put away personal items and small appliances
- Empty or load the dishwasher — leave the sink accessible
- Secure pets in a separate room, crate, or outdoor space
- Put away valuables, medications, and private items — documents, jewelry, prescriptions
- Remove any biohazards — pet waste, broken glass, uncapped sharps
- Leave a quick note about priority areas or anything to avoid
That’s it. You do not need to scrub, vacuum, mop, or wipe anything down. That is exactly what your cleaning team is there for.
There is a common debate in a lot of households: do you tidy up before the cleaners come, or is that just cleaning before you clean? The answer is somewhere in the middle — and it matters more than most people realize. A cluttered surface simply cannot be properly cleaned. If your counters are covered or your floors are buried under laundry, your cleaning team may have to work around the mess rather than through it. That means spots get missed, time gets used up on organizing instead of scrubbing, and you get less value from the visit you paid for.
The good news? Preparing your home does not have to be stressful or time-consuming. A quick tidy — not a deep clean — is all it takes to set your team up for success and walk into a genuinely spotless home afterward.
I’m Sabrina Jones, owner of Maids of Movher and a home services professional with over a decade of experience helping Spokane-area families get the most out of their professional cleaning visits — including knowing exactly what should you do before your cleaner arrives to make every appointment count. In the sections below, I’ll walk you through every step so your next cleaning visit goes as smoothly as possible.
What Should You Do Before Your Cleaner Arrives?
When you hire a professional service like ours in Spokane or Liberty Lake, you aren’t just paying for soap and water; you are paying for time and expertise. What should you do before your cleaner arrives is largely about making sure that time is spent on the “heavy lifting” like scrubbing grout and disinfecting surfaces rather than picking up socks.
Spending just 15 minutes on a quick prep can save the cleaning team 30 to 45 minutes of basic tidying. In professional cleaning, that is a massive amount of time that could be spent detailing your baseboards or making your appliances shine. By ensuring surfaces are accessible, you allow us to provide a more efficient visit. This is especially important during a first cleaning, where we are establishing a baseline for your home’s maintenance.
What should you do before your cleaner arrives if you only have 15 minutes?
If you are running short on time before we knock on your door in Spokane Valley, focus on the “Big Three”: Floors, Counters, and Sinks.
- Fast Tidy: Grab a laundry basket and do a sweep of the main living areas. Toss in shoes, toys, and loose mail. You don’t have to put them away perfectly; just get them off the surfaces we need to clean.
- Kitchen Prep: If the sink is full, quickly load the dishwasher or stack the dishes neatly to one side.
- Pet Setup: Ensure the dog is in its designated safe spot and the litter box area is clear of major debris.
- The Priority Note: If there is one specific area that’s driving you crazy—maybe the mudroom floor or the guest bath mirror—leave a quick note.
Should you clean or just tidy before the cleaners arrive?
We hear this all the time: “I have to clean before the cleaners get here!” Let us set the record straight: Tidy only.
There is absolutely no need for deep cleaning, scrubbing, vacuuming, or mopping. In fact, if you pre-clean everything, it can actually make it harder for us to perform an accurate cleaner assessment. We need to see where the dust naturally settles and where the high-traffic grime builds up so we can tailor our service to your home’s needs. We’ve seen it all, and we promise there is no judgment. We are here to help, not to grade your housekeeping.
Why clutter changes the quality of the clean
A cluttered surface simply cannot be properly cleaned. If a bathroom counter is covered in fifteen different bottles of skincare products, a cleaner has to move each one individually, wipe the bottom, wipe the counter, and put it back. This can take 10-15 minutes just for one small area!
Areas covered in items may be skipped over entirely if the cleaner is worried about breaking something or if they are working within a specific hourly time limit. When you organize versus leaving it to us to clean, you are ensuring that every square inch of your granite or hardwood actually gets sanitized.
| Task | Tidying (Do This!) | Pre-Cleaning (Skip This!) |
|---|---|---|
| Floors | Pick up toys, shoes, and laundry. | Vacuuming or mopping. |
| Counters | Put away mail, bread loaves, and makeup. | Wiping down with disinfectant. |
| Sinks | Clear out dirty dishes. | Scrubbing the basin or faucet. |
| Bathrooms | Put away toothbrushes and razors. | Scrubbing the toilet or shower. |
Clear the Right Areas So Cleaners Can Actually Clean
To get that “Maids of Movher sparkle,” we need a clear path to the dirt. Clear the Clutter Before the Cleaner So Your Surfaces Can Shine is our golden rule.
What should you do before your cleaner arrives in the kitchen?
The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also the most time-consuming room to clean. If you hire a cleaner for a three-hour period and they cannot get to any counter space because of clutter, that is a problem.
To help us out, try to:
- Manage the Dishes: Many cleaning services charge an extra fee if you want them to wash dishes. It’s best to have the dishwasher running or the sink empty so we can scrub the basin.
- Clear Small Appliances: If you can, move the toaster or the heavy mixer to a cupboard so we can reach the crumbs behind them.
- Wipe Major Spills: If a gallon of milk exploded in the fridge five minutes ago, a quick paper towel swipe helps us get straight to the sanitizing.
What should you do before your cleaner arrives in bathrooms, bedrooms, and living spaces?
In the bathroom, the goal is “clear vanity.” Put your toiletries, razors, and medications into a drawer or a small bin. This allows us to deep clean the sink and backsplash without playing “musical chairs” with your perfume bottles.
In bedrooms and living areas:
- Laundry: Pick up clothes and towels from the floor.
- Nightstands: Clear off loose change, glasses, and books.
- Electronics: Bundle cords where possible so we can vacuum around them safely.
- Under-Bed Access: If you want us to vacuum under the bed, make sure it isn’t being used as a storage unit for old suitcases and holiday decor.
What to do with dishes, trash, and pet-related messes
While we are happy to take out the trash, we generally ask that you handle “specialty” messes.
- Pet Accidents: For health and safety reasons, professional cleaners generally cannot handle biohazards like pet feces, urine, or vomit. Please ensure these are cleaned up before we arrive.
- Litter Boxes: We focus on the surfaces around the box, but the actual scooping is usually a task for the homeowner.
- Drying Racks: If you have a rack of clean dishes, moving them to a cupboard ensures we can clean the counter underneath them.
Put Away Private, Valuable, and Hazardous Items
Trust is the foundation of our business. We are a woman-owned company that treats your home with the same respect we treat our own. However, for your peace of mind and the safety of our team, certain items should always be secured.
Personal and private items to secure before the visit
We recommend putting away:
- Valuables: Jewelry, cash, and small electronics.
- Paperwork: Passports, confidential work documents, and mail.
- Private Items: Journals, adult materials, or sex toys should be tucked away in a drawer.
- Prescriptions: Keep medication bottles in a medicine cabinet or secure drawer.
Health and safety hazards cleaners should not encounter
Our team’s safety is a top priority. Cleaners are not equipped to handle biohazards, which include blood, human waste, or uncapped syringes. If there is broken glass, please sweep up the large shards before we arrive.
If your home has a significant mold issue or an infection risk, please let us know in advance. We want to ensure our team has the right protective gear or can refer you to a specialty remediation service if the situation is outside our scope of residential cleaning. Stop the Mix: How to Ensure Your Cleaning Routine is Safe is a great resource for understanding why we take these boundaries seriously.
Why you should not pre-clean with chemicals
This is a big one! Please never use chemicals or strong cleaners right before we arrive. Mixing different cleaning products can create toxic fumes (like mustard gas from bleach and ammonia) or cause permanent damage to your surfaces.
We use safe, eco-friendly products that are effective without being harsh. If you’ve just sprayed a heavy-duty degreaser on the stove, it might react poorly with our plant-based cleaners. For a healthier home, check out our guide on How to Clean Your House Without Harsh Chemicals or a Hazmat Suit.
Make the Visit Smoother With Pets, Access, and Clear Communication
A successful cleaning is a partnership. The more we know about your home in Mead or Airway Heights, the better job we can do.
How to manage pets during the cleaning visit
We love pets! Maids of Movher is a pet-friendly company, but we also know that even the friendliest dog can get stressed by a loud vacuum or a stranger in their space.
- Secure Them: It is highly recommended to keep pets in a crate, a separate room, or an outdoor area. This prevents them from “bolting” out an open door and keeps them calm.
- Vacuum Noise: High-powered vacuums can be scary for cats and dogs. Providing them a quiet space helps reduce their anxiety.
- Safety First: If your pet is protective of certain rooms, please let us know so we can avoid any stressful encounters.
For more tips on balancing a busy household, read How to Clean Your House Without Worrying About Your Kids.
What to communicate to your cleaner before they start
Don’t be afraid to speak up! Whether you’re home for the visit or leaving us a note, clear communication ensures you get exactly what you need.
- Priority Rooms: “Please spend extra time on the kitchen, and don’t worry about the guest room this week.”
- Fragile Decor: Point out that antique vase or the delicate marble countertop that needs special care.
- Allergies: If anyone in your home has a fragrance sensitivity, let us know so we can adjust our product kit.
- Do-Not-Touch Zones: If you have a home office with sensitive files, it’s perfectly okay to ask us to skip that room or only do the floors.
What to expect from the first cleaning versus recurring visits
The first cleaning (initial or deep clean) always takes longer because we are establishing a baseline. We are tackling the dust on top of the fridge and the grime in the shower tracks that may have been neglected for a while.
Once that baseline is set, recurring visits are much faster and focus on maintenance. Understanding this helps you Stop Watching the Clock and Learn What to Expect During a Maid Visit.
After the Cleaning: Walkthrough, Feedback, and Tipping Etiquette
Once the work is done, we want to make sure you are 100% satisfied. Our goal is to brighten your home and your day!
Should you do a walkthrough before the cleaner leaves?
If you are home, we encourage a quick walkthrough. This is your chance to see the sparkle and ensure we didn’t miss a spot. If we did, we want to fix it right then and there! It also helps us learn your preferences for future visits—like exactly how you want your couch pillows chopped or where the remote should live.
How to give feedback and handle tipping politely
Feedback is a gift! If you loved the service, let us know. If there is something we can improve, we want to hear that too. We are committed to “making it right.”
Regarding tipping:
- Is it required? Tipping is never required, but it is a wonderful way to show appreciation for a physically demanding job.
- How much? A standard tip is typically 15 to 20 percent of the service fee, or a flat amount (like $10-$20 per cleaner) for regular visits.
- Feedback: A kind review or a thank-you note is also incredibly meaningful to our hardworking team.
Conclusion
Knowing what should you do before your cleaner arrives isn’t about doing our job for us—it’s about clearing the way so we can do our best work for you. By spending just a few minutes tidying clutter, securing your pets, and communicating your priorities, you ensure a respectful partnership that results in a healthier, happier home.
At Maids of Movher, we are proud to be a woman-owned, locally-operated business serving the greater Spokane area. We believe that by taking care of our employees with the highest wages in the area, they take better care of you. Let us give you your weekends back so you can enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest instead of scrubbing floors.
Ready to experience a truly professional clean? More info about recurring cleaning services is just a click away. We can’t wait to make your home sparkle!
