How to prepare for a cleaning company's first visit: what to put away, what to leave and what to say first

The best time to prepare for a cleaning company's first visit is the day before. Put away valuables, documents and medicines, decide where pets will be during the clean, and check that the hot water runs and the sockets and lights work. Also prepare a short list of sensitive surfaces (oiled wood, stone, lacquered surfaces) and places that should not be touched. Agree in advance what is included in the scope of the clean.

What to clarify when you place the order

Most misunderstandings at a first clean do not arise in the home, but when the order is placed. The cleaner arrives with the picture passed on by the company, and that picture is based on what you wrote or said. So it pays to be specific right from the start.

• Type of clean: a regular home clean, or a more thorough deep cleaning. The difference lies in the scope and the duration, and it is reflected in the price, which you can find in the price list.
• Rooms and area: how many rooms, bathrooms and toilets there are, and whether there is a balcony or terrace.
• Extra work: window cleaning, the inside of the fridge or oven, ironing. If you want these, say so in advance, not only once the cleaner is there.
• Equipment and products: ask whether the cleaner will bring their own equipment or expects to use your vacuum cleaner and mop.
• Access to the building: doorbell number, entrance code, floor, lift, parking options.

If you are considering making the cleaning regular, also read the article how to arrange a regular home clean. This text focuses mainly on the first, one-off visit.

The day before: step by step

Preparation usually takes half an hour to an hour. The aim is not to clean before the clean, but to make accessible the surfaces that are to be washed.

1. Put away valuables and documents. Jewellery, cash, car keys, passports, contracts and medicines should go into a drawer or cupboard that will not be cleaned.
2. Clear the worktops. Remove small items from the kitchen worktop, dining table, bathroom shelves and bedside tables so that they can be wiped.
3. Pick things up off the floor. Clothes, toys, shoes, cables and bags. A floor with nothing on it is vacuumed and mopped more thoroughly.
4. Put away papers and electronics. Move your laptop, chargers and unfinished documents to one place that you mark as "do not clean".
5. Check the water, electricity and lights. Run the hot water, try the sockets in the rooms that will be vacuumed, and replace any blown bulbs.
6. Prepare the products you want used. If you have a special manufacturer's product for a particular surface, place it where it is easy to see.
7. Write a short note. Summarise on paper or in a message what the priorities are, what to skip and what to take care with.

Valuables, documents and personal belongings

Storing valuables is not a question of mistrust. A cleaner works quickly and moves objects in order to wash underneath them. A small ring on the washbasin or cash on the worktop can easily be shifted, fall off or slip behind an appliance.

A locked cupboard or a drawer with a "do not open" sign is a clear signal. Say in advance which cupboards and rooms should not be opened at all, for example a study or a child's room with a half-built construction set. If the clean will take place without you being present, also read the article how to hand keys over to a cleaning company safely.

Pets and children

Dogs and cats often react to the vacuum cleaner or to a stranger during cleaning. Agree in advance where the animal will be: in another room, in a carrier, out for a walk with a family member, or whether it can roam freely. Also say whether the animal is aggressive or tends to run out through open doors.

The US EPA recommends keeping pets and children away from treated surfaces according to the instructions on the label and storing cleaning products where animals cannot reach them. In practice this means letting the floor dry after mopping before you let the animal onto it, and closing the bucket with the solution. You can find more on what to avoid in the article cleaning products and pets.

Cages, terrariums and aquariums are usually not cleaned unless you expressly agree it. It is better to move food and water bowls out of the mop's reach.

Water, electricity and space for equipment

The cleaner needs hot water, working sockets and a place where they can fill and empty a bucket. If you have any restrictions at home, mention them in advance:

• a switched-off boiler, or hot water in the kitchen only,
• a socket that trips the circuit breaker, or an extension lead you do not want used,
• a washbasin or bath where dirty water must not be poured,
• a room with no light or with a faulty switch.

In winter it is useful to know whether you can air the home after the clean, and for how long. Also mention any windows that cannot be opened or that have a child safety lock.

Sensitive surfaces: what to say in advance

This is the most important part of the preparation. The cleaner cannot see what your floor or worktop is made of, and the same product that is fine on tiles may damage another material. Floor manufacturers tend to be specific: for laminate, Quick-Step does not recommend natural soap-based products, products with abrasive particles or single-use impregnated wipes. For oil-treated floors, Barlinek states that they should be washed with a damp mop and treated only with products intended for the purpose.

If you do not know what a surface is made of, say that too. It is better to skip a spot than to try cleaning it blindly. You can find details on caring for the individual types in the article how to clean a wooden floor, laminate and vinyl.

Your own products and chemicals in the home

If you want your own products to be used, leave them in their original packaging with a legible label. Do not decant them into unmarked bottles. The CDC recommends always reading and following the instructions on the label, ensuring good ventilation, wearing gloves and not mixing products.

This is especially important with chlorine-based products. Never mix them with acidic cleaners (for example limescale or toilet cleaners) or with ammonia. For toilet cleaning products, the Czech Toxicology Information Centre warns that they must not be mixed, because chlorine gas may be released. If you have a product poured in the bathroom or toilet that works overnight, tell the cleaner so that they do not use another product on it.

Always test a new product on a sensitive surface first in a small, hidden spot.

What to leave and what not to do in advance

You do not need to pre-clean anything before the first visit. On the contrary, it pays to leave the home in its usual state, so that it is clear how much work the clean actually involves. This also helps with further planning, because the duration of the clean depends on the state of the home.

• Leave: dishes in the sink, if washing up is within the scope, bins to be taken out, dust on furniture.
• Put away: small items from surfaces, things from the floor, valuables and documents.
• Say: priorities, sensitive surfaces, pets, restrictions on water and electricity, rooms excluded from the clean.

If you would like to order a home clean, the scope of the service is described on the page home cleaning.

After the clean

If you are at home, briefly walk through the home with the cleaner at the end. Show them the places you would like done differently next time, and check that none of the sensitive surfaces have been damaged. If you are away, do the check straight after you return and pass any comments on to the company as soon as possible, while both sides still remember what was done.

Air the home, especially if chemicals were used, and let the animals back into the rooms only once the floors have dried. Keep your notes from the first visit; they will save time with later orders.