How do I prepare my home for a cleaning service's first visit?
Quick answer
Before the first visit, send the cleaner a short briefing with the agreed arrival window and entry instructions, your top priorities, rooms or items to skip, and anything delicate or easily damaged. Arrange a calm, secure place for pets, clear ordinary clutter where practical, and ask what the quoted service includes, what supplies are needed, and how to handle questions if you are away. Confirm the plan in writing.
The question, the details, the next step.
I booked a cleaning service for the first time. What should I tell them before they arrive, and what should I do at home?
Send one practical briefing rather than a long list of assumptions. Include five things: how the cleaner can enter, your highest-priority areas, what to skip, delicate or sensitive items, and where pets will be. Then confirm what the service includes and whether you need to provide anything.
You do not need to make the home spotless first. Put away personal items you do not want handled and move everyday clutter if it would block the areas you want cleaned. If anything is unclear, ask before the visit rather than expecting the cleaner to guess.
What counts as useful access instructions? I may be out during the appointment.
Give only the directions needed for the agreed visit, using placeholders in any draft you share publicly. For your actual arrangement, confirm the arrival window, the agreed entry method, any building or parking directions, and what to do if the cleaner cannot get in. If you will be away, agree in advance how the cleaner should contact you through your chosen channel and what decisions they may make without you.
For example: “Arrival window: [time]. Entry: [agreed method and location]. If entry does not work, please [agreed next step]. Please do not enter [restricted area].” Avoid leaving important access details in a public note.
How do I explain priorities without micromanaging? There are a few rooms I care about most.
Rank the work, name the rooms, and describe the result you want in ordinary terms. For example: “Please prioritize the kitchen counters and bathroom sink, then vacuum the living room. If time is limited, skip the guest room.” That gives the cleaner a useful order and a fallback.
Also identify exclusions: a room not included, a surface you do not want touched, or an item that should stay where it is. If you have a particular preference about a task, state it briefly instead of assuming every service handles it the same way.
What should I do about fragile things and my cat? And how do I know what they will actually clean?
Put away small valuables, private papers, and fragile items you do not want moved; flag larger delicate objects or surfaces and ask how the cleaner prefers to handle them. For your cat, agree on a calm, secure arrangement before the visit, such as a room the cleaner will not enter if that suits your home and the service plan. Tell the cleaner where the pet will be and whether there are any access restrictions.
Ask for a clear list of included tasks and exclusions, whether supplies are provided, and how they handle a task that cannot be completed as planned. Do not assume that inside appliances, changing linens, dishes, or other extra tasks are included; confirm the specific items with the service.
Can you give me a short message I can copy and fill in?
Use this as a starting point and delete anything that does not apply:
“Hi, for the first visit on [date], the arrival window is [time]. The agreed entry instructions are [instructions]. Please prioritize [room/task 1], then [room/task 2]. If time is limited, please [fallback]. Please skip [areas/items]. Please take care around [delicate or sensitive items]; [specific request]. [Pet] will be [arrangement], so please [pet-related instruction]. Could you confirm whether [tasks you are unsure about] and [supplies or other question] are included? If you cannot enter or need a decision, please [agreed next step]. Thank you.”
Before sending, check that the entry plan and pet arrangement are settled, the priorities are realistic for the booked visit, and the questions are clear. Keep a copy so you can refer to the same plan after the visit.
A practical checklist
Confirm the appointment window, agreed entry method, and what to do if access fails.
Rank two or three cleaning priorities and name a fallback if time is limited.
List rooms, surfaces, or belongings the cleaner should skip or treat carefully.
Put away personal papers, small valuables, and fragile items you do not want moved.
Agree on a calm pet arrangement and tell the cleaner about relevant restrictions.
Ask which tasks are included, what is excluded, and whether supplies are provided.
A few more useful answers
Should I tidy before the cleaner arrives?
Move ordinary clutter if it blocks the areas you want cleaned, and put away belongings you do not want handled. You do not need to clean the home first; ask the service how clutter may affect the planned tasks.
What if I am not sure whether a task is included?
Ask about that exact task before the visit and request a clear yes or no, including any limits. Do not rely on a general description of the service to settle details that matter to you.
Should I leave special cleaning products or instructions?
Ask whether the cleaner brings supplies and how to flag a surface or item that needs special attention. Share only the instructions relevant to the agreed work, and confirm how the cleaner will handle anything they are unsure about.