How to Prepare Your Home Before the Cleaners Arrive

To prepare your home before the cleaners arrive: clear surfaces of clutter so they can be properly cleaned, secure pets, flag anything that needs extra attention or should be left alone, and confirm access. That covers most of it.

You do not need to pre-clean. That is the cleaner's job. What you are doing is making it possible for the team to do that job properly.

Clear surfaces — not pre-clean them
Tidy away valuables and personal items
Secure pets or let the team know they are there
Flag children, sensitivities, and product preferences
Note any areas that need extra attention
Note any areas to leave alone
Sort out access before the day
Set realistic expectations about scope
When you barely need to prepare at all
Frequently Asked Questions

Clear surfaces — not pre-clean them

The most useful thing you can do before a domestic cleaning visit is clear surfaces of clutter so the team can reach them. A kitchen bench covered with appliances, mail, and dishes slows the clean down and means some of those surfaces do not get properly cleaned at all. A bathroom vanity packed with products means the team is working around things rather than cleaning underneath them.

Clearing is not cleaning. You are moving things out of the way, not wiping down surfaces. The team handles the surfaces.

The practical list:

Kitchen benches: move appliances to one side or put them away, clear any dishes that are sitting out
Bathroom vanity: put loose products in a drawer or to one side
Floors: pick up items that are sitting directly on floor surfaces you want vacuumed or mopped
Living areas: tidy loose items from coffee tables and side surfaces if you want them cleaned underneath

That is it for surfaces. Do not start wiping things down — you are just replacing work the cleaner would have done.

Tidy away valuables and personal items

Put away jewellery, cash, personal documents, and anything fragile that you would not want moved or accidentally knocked. This is not a trust issue — professional cleaners have strong incentives to maintain client trust, and a reputable service like ours takes that seriously.

The practical reason is risk management. Moving a fragile item to clean underneath it creates an opportunity for it to be damaged. Items left in place that a cleaner works around are safer than items picked up and set down in the process of cleaning. Putting away what you value removes that risk entirely.

The same logic applies to anything you are particular about. A family heirloom, a specific ornament in a specific position, a desk arrangement you have set up deliberately — if it matters where it ends up, put it away or leave a note.

Secure pets or let the team know they are there

Pets create two practical considerations for a cleaning visit.

The first is access. A dog that bolts when a door opens, a cat that hides in a room being cleaned, or an animal that is protective of the house — all of these create complications that slow the visit down or create a safety issue. Securing pets in a room not being cleaned, or in a backyard or crate if that is an option, removes the complication entirely.

The second is products. Some cleaning products, even non-toxic ones, should not be used in an enclosed space with animals present because of fumes or residue on surfaces that pets walk on. Ventilation matters.

Let the team know what pets are in the home before the visit. The Better Health Channel notes that pet dander and allergens in the home accumulate faster than most owners realise — a regular cleaning schedule helps manage that, but the team needs to know what they are working with.

Flag children, sensitivities, and product preferences

Conventional cleaning chemicals are a problem in homes with kids, pets, and people with sensitivities. Eco does not mean less effective. It means you are not trading a clean house for a chemical headache.

A regular client had a toddler who kept getting skin reactions after their previous cleaning company visited. After switching to us and our eco product range the reactions stopped. She has been a client since and has referred three neighbours.

If anyone in the household has asthma, skin sensitivities, a known allergy to fragrances or surfactants, or a newborn — say so upfront. Not because it will change whether the job gets done, but because it lets the team confirm the product approach and take extra care around ventilation and surface contact.

We use only plant-based, eco-certified products on every job. If you have a particular preference about a specific surface — a timber floor that requires a certain product, a benchtop that should not get certain cleaners — mention it before the visit. See our eco approach for the standard we hold to across every job.

Note any areas that need extra attention

If there is a bathroom that has not been professionally cleaned in longer than the rest of the home, a stovetop that has accumulated residue, or a floor area with a particular kind of build-up — flag it.

This does two things. It allows the team to allocate time to it properly rather than discovering it mid-visit. And it gives an opportunity to discuss whether it is a standard clean item, an add-on, or something that should be addressed with a deep clean first.

A first-visit surprise around scope — a heavily soiled area that was not mentioned — tends to mean either that area gets less time than it needs, or other areas get less time to compensate. Neither is a good outcome. Being direct about what needs attention before the team arrives produces a better result.

See the extras list for add-on options that can be booked alongside any regular visit without triggering a full deep clean.

Note any areas to leave alone

The reverse also applies. If there is a room you would prefer the team not enter — a home office, a child's bedroom with a particular arrangement, a study with papers that should not be touched — leave a note or mention it when booking.

Locked rooms are handled easily: lock the door and let the team know it is not in scope. Unlocked rooms where you have a preference about what is touched are better handled with a specific note than left to chance.

Sort out access before the day

Access is the one thing that cannot be resolved the morning of the clean without causing delays. Confirm before the visit:

How the team enters (front door key, key safe code, letting them in yourself)
Whether you will be home or not
What to do if there is a problem (a contact number, a backup plan)

For a first visit, most clients prefer to be home to walk the team through the property and flag anything specific. For ongoing visits, a key safe or spare key arrangement is common and means the clean can happen without the client needing to be present.

The access conversation should happen at the time of booking, not on the morning of the first visit. It is a brief discussion that removes a significant potential problem.

Set realistic expectations about scope

A standard domestic cleaning visit covers kitchens, bathrooms, floors, living areas, and bedrooms. It does not cover oven interior, fridge interior, inside cupboards, windows inside and out, or outdoor areas. Those are add-on or deep clean items.

If you are expecting the oven to be cleaned and have not specifically booked that, it will not be done. If you are expecting the inside of the fridge, same situation. Setting that expectation before the visit — rather than reviewing the result afterwards and finding it missing — is worth thirty seconds before booking.

For a full breakdown of what is and is not included, see what a regular domestic cleaning service includes.

When you barely need to prepare at all

For clients on an ongoing fortnightly or weekly schedule, preparation before each visit is minimal. Surfaces are already in good condition, the team knows the property, and the routine is established.

The preparation question mostly applies to first visits and to infrequent cleans where the home has accumulated more than a regular schedule would allow. Once you are on a regular schedule, the two weeks between visits does not produce the kind of build-up or disorder that requires significant preparation. A quick tidy of surfaces and securing the pets is typically enough.

If you are thinking about starting a regular schedule for the first time, see what to expect from your first professional home clean for a fuller picture of how that first visit works.

Queensland Health advises that in Queensland's subtropical climate, regular cleaning is particularly important for managing mould, dust, and indoor air quality — which is why establishing a consistent schedule rather than occasional visits produces a meaningfully different indoor environment over time.

Ready to set up a regular cleaning schedule? See what your property works out to at greenwavecleaning.com.au/get-a-quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I prepare my home before the cleaners arrive?

Clear clutter from surfaces the team needs to access — benches, vanities, floors. Put away valuables and anything fragile. Secure pets. Flag any areas that need extra attention or should be left alone. Confirm access. You do not need to pre-clean; the team handles the cleaning. The preparation is about making the space accessible so they can do that properly.

Do I need to clean before a professional cleaner comes?

No. Pre-cleaning before a professional cleaner defeats the purpose of the service. What helps is clearing clutter from surfaces so the team can reach them. Wiping, scrubbing, or cleaning in advance is unnecessary.

What should I do with my pets before a cleaner arrives?

Secure them in a room not being cleaned, a crate, or a backyard if possible. Let the team know what animals are in the home before the visit. Pets that roam freely during a clean create access issues and may be affected by cleaning products and fumes even in well-ventilated spaces.

Should I be home when the cleaner arrives?

For a first visit, being home to walk the team through the property and flag anything specific is useful. For ongoing visits, most clients are not home — access is handled via key safe, spare key, or another arrangement discussed at booking.

What if I have specific preferences about certain surfaces or rooms?

Mention them before the visit — at booking or in a note left for the team. Locked rooms that should not be entered, surfaces that require a specific product, arrangements that should not be disturbed — all of these are straightforward to accommodate when flagged in advance and much harder to address after the fact.

How much preparation is needed for an ongoing regular clean?

Very little. A quick clear of surfaces and securing pets is typically enough. The preparation question mainly applies to first visits or infrequent cleans where there is more accumulated build-up. A regular fortnightly schedule keeps the home in a state where each visit requires minimal setup.

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