What to Expect From Your First Professional Home Clean

Whether you're having some guests, spending time with friends at your place, or your mom is coming over and you're not prepared for her subtle glances at the dust on your ceiling fan, it's time to call in the professionals.

A cleaning service can help alleviate the stress and chaos by taking over the ever-so-demanding task of fixing the mess that has gathered in your space. But if you've never had your home professionally cleaned before, you might be wondering what to do.

Do you need to clean before the cleaners come? Do you tip? Do you just let them do their thing?

Booking

Once you pick a service after filling your browser history with searches for cleaners near me, you'll usually go through a short booking process. They might ask for:

• Your home address
• How many rooms you have/want cleaned
• Any specific requests

Some companies even let you customise with specialty services like window cleaning or using eco-friendly products. You'll also pick a time and date that works for you.

Pre-Cleaning

Since you've now called someone to come and clean your home, the logical course of action would be to leave things as they are, right?

Well, not always. You definitely don't need to scrub anything, but doing a quick reset of your space can help cleaners do their job better. By reset, we mean:

• Putting away clothes, clutter, and dishes
• Clearing counters and floors
• Moving pets out of the day

Think of it like clearing the space so the main act can do their thing.

Arrival

Your cleaners will arrive with their own cleaning gear, including mops, vacuums, sprays, and other supplies you didn't even know existed. They might show up solo or as a team, depending on the size of your home and the service you chose.

Most companies give a time window for arrival, so you can prepare mentally and keep the clutter out of the way.

Walkthrough

Before they start cleaning, the cleaners might ask for a quick tour. This is your chance to:

• Point out the problem areas
• Mention what you want them to skip
• Set expectations

Just be honest about your home's condition. You don't need to pretend you clean regularly like how you lie to your dentist about flossing. The professionals know.

Cleaning

Unless you've booked a specialty service, your standard home usually includes:

• Mopping and vacuuming all floors
• Dusting tables, shelves, and baseboards
• Wiping kitchen counters and appliances
• Scrubbing bathroom sinks, tubs, and toilets
• Emptying trash bins
• General tidying and disinfecting

The first cleaning often takes a little longer, especially if your home hasn't been cleaned in a while.

Aftermath

Once the cleaning is done, you can do a quick inspection before the cleaners leave to make sure you're satisfied. If there's an issue, it's best to address it right then and there.

Some companies ask for feedback or offer recurring service discounts if you book regularly. You can take your time, but if you like the work, these offers can save you a lot of time, money, and sanity moving forward.