What Do House Cleaners Actually Do on a Regular Visit?

If you've never hired a cleaner, it's hard to picture what actually happens in the two or three hours someone is in your house. You hand over the keys, or you work from the kitchen table, and the place is better when you look up. This post lays out what a recurring visit covers room by room, the things we don't do, and how a little preparation makes the visit go further.

The kitchen

The kitchen takes the most attention because it takes the most abuse. Appliances, counters and floors all show use within a day. A routine visit covers the following.

• Dust and clean the countertops, disinfecting where food is prepared
• Clean appliances inside and outside, including the microwave and stovetop
• Wipe cabinets and hardware, handles and light switches
• Polish stainless steel
• Wipe the table and chairs
• Sanitize the sink and faucet
• Vacuum and wash the floors
• Empty the trash and replace the liner

Living areas and bedrooms

In the rooms where you relax, the work is mostly about dust and floors. Dust moves in layers, so the team works from the high spots down, which keeps it from settling back on surfaces already cleaned. Beds are made, and carpets and rugs are vacuumed.

• Dust cobwebs, baseboards, furniture, picture frames and décor
• Dust light fixtures, ceiling fans and vents
• Dust electronics and TV screens with a duster only, never a wet cloth
• Wipe window sills
• Vacuum carpets and rugs, and mop hard floors
• Make the beds

The bathrooms

Bathrooms get the most thorough sanitizing, since they're where bacteria and soap scum build up fastest. The team cleans from the cleanest surfaces to the dirtiest, so the toilet comes last.

• Dust cobwebs and baseboards
• Sanitize sinks, tubs, showers and shower doors
• Clean the toilets, inside and out
• Clean mirrors and polish fixtures
• Wipe the outside of cabinets and drawers
• Wash the floors

What we don't do

Clear limits protect both of you, so here is the honest list. We don't clean high-to-reach areas or exterior windows, anything outside the home, or walls and doors that need heavy scrubbing. Our team doesn't move or lift anything over 25 pounds. For safety reasons, we also don't handle the following.

• Bio-hazards such as mold, blood and bodily fluids
• Animal waste or human waste
• Cat litter boxes
• Insects and rodents

Pets themselves are fine. The team doesn't feed them or clean up after them, but they're happy to work around a friendly dog. If you want something beyond the routine visit, like the inside of the refrigerator or oven, inside windows or cabinets, laundry, folding or dishes, ask about it as an add-on.

How the visit runs

A recurring visit is done by a team of two, and wherever possible it's the same team each time. Before anyone sets foot in the house, your preferences, priority rooms, pet details and entry instructions are on file. If you're not home, your key is marked with an ID code instead of your name or address and kept locked in a safe that only top management can open.

Our people complete 100 hours of training with a one-on-one coach and an assessment before they go into a home, and we never subcontract. When the visit ends, a checklist or survey is left behind, so you can see what was done and tell us what you'd change. If something isn't right, call within 24 hours and we'll re-clean it, no questions asked. If something gets damaged, the team leaves a note and the office calls you to talk about repairing or replacing it.

How to prepare

A cleaner's time is limited, and every minute spent picking up is a minute not spent cleaning. Before the team arrives, pick items off the floors, so vacuuming and mopping can happen all the way to the walls. Put away valuables and anything fragile that you wouldn't want moved. In winter, clear the sidewalk and steps so the team can get in safely and doesn't track slush through the house.

You don't need to clean before the cleaners come, which is a common worry. A little tidying helps, but nobody is judging the state of your counters. They've seen busy kitchens, full laundry baskets and toys on the stairs, and they came to deal with exactly that. We bring all supplies and equipment, our products are eco-friendly, and the team of two works from a checklist that's kept on file with your preferences and priority rooms.

To see what a visit would look like in your home, call (608) 886-4535 or request a free estimate.