You don't need to clean before the cleaners come, but a little bit of prep makes the visit go faster and gets you a better result for the time you're paying for.
Before they arrive
- Pick up clothes, toys, and clutter off floors and surfaces — a cleaning crew's time goes toward cleaning, not tidying away your belongings
- Secure or crate pets if they're not comfortable with strangers in the house
- Put away anything fragile, sentimental, or irreplaceable, even if you trust the provider
- Clear countertops of anything you don't want moved, including mail and paperwork
- Leave a note (or tell them directly) about anything you want extra attention on, or anything to avoid
What you don't need to do
It's a common instinct to tidy the whole house before a cleaning service shows up — you don't need to. Dishes in the sink, an unmade bed, general everyday mess: that's exactly what you're paying someone else to handle. "Prepping" is about clearing the way, not doing the job yourself first.
Access
Make sure they can actually get in — a key, a code, or someone home to let them in. Confirm this the day before, not the morning of.
After the visit
Walk through while it's fresh in your mind. If something was missed or not to your expectation, most providers would rather hear about it right away than find out through a bad review later.