5 things to do before the cleaner arrives

A while ago, I heard a friend say that she clean up the house before the cleaner arrived… what?

Her train of thought was feeling a bit embarrassed with some of the mess, and it is hilarious. Have you felt the same way?

So I thought, I’m going to write the 5 things you should do before the cleaner arrives! bear with me… some of my tips may save you money.

Sometimes it feels like we are cleaning the house, so the cleaner can clean the house. Is that not weird?

Well, bottom line I would say it is common, we need to feel like our house is not falling apart, in a sense this is why we should have a house cleaner coming regularly to our home, right?

Our recommendation

1 – Check that the cleaner is on time

We all have a busy schedule, and planning is sometimes essential to ensure we can leave our house to work, to drop the kids or to meet with friends. If you have a plan, just send the cleaner a quick text to ensure that she(he) are on their way to your house.

This does not apply if you are going to be home, but it is very helpful if you have plans, it is always factors outside of our control (i.e traffic, the bus running late).

A good tip is that if you are using an hourly cleaning service, you have a brief chat with your cleaner of the time she/he arrived at your place, describe your understanding of the time they will leave. Why? Because you will script in their subconscious that you are aware of the time they spend at your home, hence the cleaner would immediately remember that you care about time. (See also: Hourly House Cleaning Service)

2 – Tidy up stuff that is not supposed to be on the floor

Tidying up the rooms and general areas will ensure all the stuff from kids (I would say more likely teenagers…) are not misplaced and can be easily found a bit later. How many times you will hear your children asking for their stuff over and over, you are alike the ‘wisdom’ of the house. It is easier to pick up the items and locate them in a place where your kids can find them easily later.

The key tip is that cleaners are typically engaged to perform a general clean, hence tidying up will consume time and it is best spent in the cleanliness of your home.

3 – Leave a note

If this is the first time the cleaner comes to your house, just before the cleaner arrives, leave a sticky note with your priorities will give the cleaner a good idea of your expectations.

This will also open a communication line with your cleaner, leave a comment such as “If in doubt, please send me a text to 04(number) or leave me a note”, this way the cleaner will have a way to remind small items like to buy more dry towels, microfibre cloths or to fix the vacuum.

Alternatively, if you are going home simply have a brief conversation with your cleaner and let her know your thoughts about the clean.

4 – Make sure the cleaner can get into your home

How many times do we forget to leave the keys behind our preferred hiding place, or forget to unlock the back door? Then on our way to work or meeting, we get a phone call from the cleaner that they cannot get in… Then you think… this I not how I want to start my day… not so early…

Just set a quick reminder for the cleaning days to leave the key or means of access, once it becomes a habit it’s all done.

5 – Get your pet in a comfy place

We adore our dogs and cats. With that note in mind, we want to make sure the cleaner has full access to the places that matter the most to you. In doing so, it is always best if the house cleaner can access the sofas, carpets, all rooms to performs a thorough clean.

So before the cleaner has arrived, we recommend you get your pet in a comfy area either away from the areas that require most attention or on the yard (outdoor) where they will be out of the vacuums and floor mop path.

Just remember

In the end, you are engaging a house cleaner to give you a hand with the house chores. (See also: How much does house cleaning cost in Australia?)

Simply relax and let the professional do their jobs, but just before the cleaner arrives remember to pick up clothes, toys or other items that are out of place.

Do not spend valuable minutes cleaning up to make the house look neat, I suggest you rely on your professional cleaner to give you that extra hand.

Thanks for reading our blog and if you have any additional tips or experiences on things to do before the cleaner arrives, send us a note and get in touch.

If you are still looking for a cleaner near you, see also: How can I find a cleaner near me?