You’ve scheduled a professional house cleaning. Now you may be looking around your home wondering:
“Am I supposed to clean before the cleaners come?”
The short answer is no. You hired a professional cleaning service so you don’t have to clean the house yourself.
However, there are a few simple things you can do before your cleaning team arrives that can help them spend more time cleaning and less time moving personal belongings, looking for access, or figuring out what you’d like done.
The best way to prepare for a house cleaning service is to pick up clutter, put away important personal items, secure pets if necessary, provide easy access to your home, and communicate any special priorities before the cleaning begins.
Here’s how to get the most from your professional cleaning appointment.

1. Don’t Clean Before the Cleaners Arrive
This deserves to be first because it’s something many people do.
You don’t need to:
Vacuum the floors
Mop
Scrub the bathroom
Clean the kitchen
Dust the furniture
That’s what you’re hiring a professional cleaner to do.
There’s no reason to spend an hour cleaning your house because you’re worried about what the cleaning team will think.
Homes get dirty.
That’s why cleaning companies exist.
What is helpful is making sure the cleaning team can easily reach the surfaces they’re there to clean.
And that’s where picking up clutter makes a difference.

2. Pick Up Clutter Before Your Appointment
There’s an important difference between cleaning and picking up.
You don’t need to clean your bathroom before the cleaning team arrives.
But if the bathroom counter is covered with makeup, toothbrushes, hair products, medications, jewelry, and personal belongings, your cleaner has to spend time moving those things before the counter can be cleaned.
The same applies throughout the house.
Before your appointment, consider picking up:
Clothing
Children’s toys
Shoes
Papers
Mail
Dishes
Personal belongings
Items covering countertops
Items scattered across floors
You don’t have to make your house perfectly organized.
The goal is simply to provide access to the surfaces you want cleaned.
Less time moving clutter means more time actually cleaning.

3. Clear Kitchen Countertops When Possible
The kitchen is one of the most important areas during a professional house cleaning.
If possible, remove unnecessary items from countertops before your appointment.
That might include:
Mail
Grocery bags
Food containers
Dishes
Children’s items
Papers
Small appliances you don’t regularly use
You don’t have to remove everything.
But a relatively clear countertop allows your cleaning team to work more efficiently and thoroughly clean the surface.
The same principle applies to your kitchen sink.
If the sink is filled with dishes, it can make cleaning the sink and surrounding area more difficult.

4. Pick Up Clothing and Towels
Clothing on bedroom floors and towels on bathroom floors can make vacuuming, mopping, and cleaning surfaces more difficult.
Before your appointment, place dirty clothing and towels in:
Hampers
Laundry baskets
Closets
Laundry rooms
Again, you aren’t cleaning.
You’re simply giving your cleaner access to the floor and surrounding surfaces.

5. Decide What You Want Cleaned Most
Every home is different.
Before your cleaning appointment, think about which areas matter most to you.
Maybe it’s:
The kitchen.
Maybe your bathrooms need extra attention.
Maybe you’re hosting guests and want the living room looking especially good.
Maybe pet hair has become your biggest frustration.
If there’s something that’s particularly important to you, communicate that ahead of time.
Clear expectations make it easier for your cleaning company to understand what you need.

6. Put Away Important or Fragile Items
Professional cleaners work carefully, but it’s still a good idea to secure anything that’s especially valuable, fragile, or personally important.
Consider putting away:
Jewelry
Cash
Important paperwork
Prescription medications
Collectibles
Fragile decorations
Sentimental items
Small valuables
This isn’t about distrust.
It’s simply good household practice whenever people are working inside your home.
If something is extremely fragile or shouldn’t be moved, let your cleaning team know.

7. Make a Plan for Your Pets
What should you do with your pets when the house cleaner arrives?
It depends on your pet.
Some dogs couldn’t care less that someone is cleaning.
Others believe the vacuum cleaner is their lifelong enemy.
Cats may disappear into another dimension the moment the doorbell rings.
If your pet is anxious around strangers, protective of the home, or likely to get in the way during cleaning, consider placing them in:
A comfortable bedroom
Their kennel
A fenced outdoor area when appropriate
Another secure part of the home
You can also let your cleaning company know beforehand that you have pets.
This helps everyone know what to expect when they arrive.

8. Make Sure the Cleaning Team Can Get Inside
This sounds obvious, but access should be arranged before your appointment.
If you won’t be home, make sure you’ve communicated how your cleaning team should enter.
Depending on your situation, that might mean:
Providing a door code
Arranging access to a key
Unlocking a specific entrance
Meeting the team when they arrive
Providing other agreed-upon access instructions
If you have an alarm system, make sure you’ve also planned for that.
The easier arrival is, the sooner the actual cleaning can begin.

9. Let Your Cleaner Know About Anything Unusual
If there’s something your cleaning team should know about, communicate it before they begin.
For example:
A broken cabinet hinge
A damaged fixture
A delicate surface
A room that shouldn’t be entered
A door that doesn’t latch properly
An area that requires special attention
A surface that needs specific care
You know your home better than anyone.
Sharing those details helps prevent confusion and allows your cleaner to work more confidently.

10. Know What Your Cleaning Service Includes
Not every type of professional cleaning includes the same tasks.
This is especially important when comparing basic cleaning and deep cleaning.
Basic cleaning is designed primarily to maintain a home that’s already in relatively good condition.
A deep cleaning provides additional attention to accumulated dirt and areas that may not receive the same level of detail during routine maintenance.
Before your appointment, understand which service you’ve scheduled and what’s included.
If there’s something specific you want cleaned, ask about it beforehand instead of assuming it’s part of the service.

11. Consider a Deep Cleaning for Your First Appointment
If this is your first professional cleaning—or your home hasn’t received a thorough cleaning recently—starting with a Deep Cleaning may make sense.
Why?
Because recurring cleaning works best when there’s already a clean foundation to maintain.
A deep cleaning can address accumulated dirt and commonly overlooked areas before you transition to a recurring schedule.
A typical plan might look like:
Deep Cleaning → Bi-Weekly Cleaning
A busier household might prefer:
Deep Cleaning → Weekly Cleaning
And a lower-traffic household may choose:
Deep Cleaning → Monthly Cleaning
The goal is to establish a level of cleanliness and then choose a schedule that helps maintain it.

12. Think About How Often You Want Professional Cleaning
Your first appointment is also a good time to think about whether you’d benefit from recurring cleaning.
Weekly Cleaning
Weekly cleaning can work well for:
Busy families
Homes with children
Pet owners
High-traffic households
People who don’t want to clean much between visits
Bi-Weekly Cleaning
Every-two-week cleaning can be a good choice for:
Moderate-traffic households
Smaller families
Homeowners who do light maintenance
People who want regular professional help without weekly appointments
Monthly Cleaning
Monthly cleaning may be appropriate for:
Smaller households
Lower-traffic homes
People who regularly clean themselves
Homeowners who primarily want periodic professional help
There’s no universal cleaning schedule.
The right schedule is the one that keeps your home at the level of cleanliness you want without requiring more work from you than you want to do.

13. Preparing for a Cleaning Before a Party Is Different
If you’re hiring a professional cleaner because you’re hosting an event, think about when you schedule the cleaning.
For example, you probably don’t want to schedule your cleaning several days before a large children’s birthday party if everyone will be running through the house before guests arrive.
Consider your:
Party date
Guest arrival time
Food preparation
Decorating
Overnight guests
Other event preparation
Jenny Maids offers All Occasions Cleaning for homeowners who want help getting their homes ready before special events or cleaning up afterward.
A little planning can help your professional cleaning stay fresh until your guests arrive.

14. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
If this is your first time hiring a professional house cleaner, it’s completely reasonable to have questions.
Ask them.
You may want to know:
What should I put away?
Do I need to be home?
What cleaning supplies are used?
What’s included?
How long will the cleaning take?
What should I do with my pets?
Should I start with deep cleaning?
How frequently should I schedule service?
It’s better to understand what to expect before the appointment than to make assumptions.
Good communication helps create a better experience for everyone.

Do You Need to Leave the House While the Cleaners Are There?
Not necessarily.
Whether you stay home during your cleaning appointment depends on your schedule and the arrangements you’ve made with your cleaning company.
If you work from home, you may want to choose one room to work from while the rest of the house is being cleaned.
If you’re leaving, make sure the cleaning team has:
Access to the home
Any necessary instructions
Information about pets
A way to contact you if necessary
Many homeowners enjoy leaving for a while and coming back to a freshly cleaned home.

What Should You NOT Do Before a Professional Cleaning?
There are a few things you generally don’t need to do.
Don’t deep clean the house yourself.
That’s why you hired someone.
Don’t feel embarrassed.
Professional cleaners see homes in all different conditions.
Don’t hide important information.
If something is broken, delicate, or shouldn’t be touched, communicate it.
Don’t assume every service includes everything.
Understand what you’ve scheduled.
Don’t create unnecessary work for yourself.
The goal of professional cleaning is to make your life easier—not give you another list of chores.

First-Time House Cleaning Checklist
If this is your first Jenny Maids appointment, here’s the simple version.
Before your cleaning:
Pick up unnecessary clutter
Clear important countertop areas
Put clothing and towels away
Secure valuables and fragile items
Make arrangements for pets if necessary
Provide access instructions
Identify your biggest cleaning priorities
Communicate anything unusual about the home
Understand which cleaning service you’ve scheduled
That’s it.
You don’t need to clean before the cleaners come.

Professional House Cleaning in Wichita, KS
Jenny Maids provides professional residential cleaning throughout Wichita and surrounding communities.
Our services include:
Basic Cleaning
Deep Cleaning
Weekly Cleaning
Bi-Weekly Cleaning
Monthly Cleaning
Spring Cleaning
Fall Cleaning
All Occasions Cleaning
Blinds Hand-Wipe Cleaning
We serve homeowners throughout Wichita, Andover, Augusta, Derby, Goddard, Maize, Park City, Valley Center, Kechi, Peck, Wellington, and nearby communities.
Whether you’re scheduling your first professional cleaning or looking for dependable recurring service, our goal is to make maintaining your home easier.

Ready for Your First Professional House Cleaning?
Preparing for a professional cleaning doesn’t mean cleaning your house before your cleaner arrives.
The most helpful things you can do are simple:
Pick up clutter, provide easy access to the surfaces being cleaned, secure important belongings, make arrangements for pets, and communicate your priorities.
Then leave the actual cleaning to the professionals.
If your home hasn’t been professionally cleaned recently, Jenny Maids can help you decide whether to begin with a deep cleaning or another service.
And if you’re ready to stop spending your weekends cleaning, we can help you choose a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning schedule that fits your household.
Contact Jenny Maids today to request a free cleaning estimate for your Wichita-area home.