What Professional Home Cleaners Wish You Knew

Our homes are our personal spaces, whether we regularly welcome guests in or not. But having someone clean your home can feel like the ultimate test of just how comfortable you are with someone else knowing all of your dirty (literally) laundry. Whether you already have a house cleaner keeping things sparkling for you, or you haven’t hired one yet because you’re worried you’ll be judged by your mess, the house cleaners we talked to have some helpful tips to make the most of your cleaning service. Or, if you still need to do the cleaning yourself, we gathered some DIY cleaning tips from the pros, too.

Many of the cleaners we reached out to said you don’t need to fully tidy up, but that it’s helpful if you can make space in the rooms you expect them to clean. “Remove any big items that shouldn’t be in the room like laundry or other bulky personal items,” said Tina Priestly, a Virginia-based home decluttering expert from Ready, Set, REFRESH. “I just need the area clear, especially the floor, to work effectively. If things are piled up, I can’t refresh or declutter as well, and it takes longer than it should.”

Stanley Chen, owner of BerryClean in San Francisco, also says you should feel comfortable relying on your cleaners to do the job. “We understand that some people feel embarrassed or have a strong need for order, but we want our customers to see the full value of our service and spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying other things. In fact, we feel guilty when customers do the work they’ve hired us for! Our goal is to free up our customers’ time and help them focus on achieving their personal goals. Let us do the cleaning.”

When it comes to getting a quote and, eventually, being satisfied with your cleaner’s services, it helps to be clear about what you want from the get-go. “Specific instructions help us deliver the best results,” said Deni Ivanov, digital marketing manager for U.K.-based Magic Pro Cleaning. “For example, if you want extra attention on pet hair removal from your furniture or deep-cleaning grout in your bathroom, mentioning it upfront ensures we can prioritize those areas effectively. Vague requests like ‘make everything look nice’ often lead to misaligned expectations, which can be avoided with a quick conversation before cleaning begins.”

“Make a cleaning ‘wish list’ and list out all the priority spots you’d like for us to clean,” advised Marla Mock, president at Molly Maid USA. “This will help direct us and help us be as efficient as possible.”

“Please avoid micromanaging while I’m working,” Priestly said. “I’m here to make your home shine and make it a more organized space, so trust me to handle the job. Constantly checking in or offering extra directions slows me down, and I do my best work when I have the space to focus.”

Often, cleaners will arrive with products that are stronger, safer or simply better at doing the job than what you might pick up on your grocery run, especially when used properly by a knowledgeable cleaner. “I am a professional, I have my own products and I have my own methods that I use to do my job,” Priestly explained. “But if you have specific preferences, like fragrance-free or allergy-friendly items, please share them, and I’ll be happy to be as accommodating as possible.”

“I wish [clients] understood how much time and effort is wasted when an appointment is canceled at the last minute,” Chen said. “We pay our employees hourly, so all the time spent preparing supplies, loading equipment, traveling to the location, parking, unloading and attempting to gain entry is entirely borne by us. Very frustrating.”

“A common mistake is thinking that all you need is some elbow grease to have a truly pristine room,” said Iryna Balaban, CEO and co-founder of Elite Maids NY, who stressed the importance of cleaners’ expertise in knowing how much is too much for some jobs. “While some surfaces need a quick wash, washing things wrong can damage soft surfaces.” By way of example, Balaban added that “toxic chemicals can fade the look of granite counters, but our cleaners are trained to use natural, stone-safe cleaners.”

Mock also warned that going wild with the cleaning spray isn’t always a good thing either. “We recommend limiting the amount of chemicals you use. Using too many chemicals can cause damage and leave residue build-up — more is not always better!” And we heard from multiple cleaners that, yes, it’s possible to use too much water, too.

“Each cleaning rag or towel should have a designated purpose,” Marla Mock said. “Using the same rag for everything you clean can lead to cross-contamination spreading germs from one area to another. It’s also very important to spray the cleaning product directly on the rag, not on the item being cleaned – this helps prevent damage and provide a more even cleaning application.”