Any advice before a cleaner starts weekly visits to our home?

[Binfire]

Hi all, we are about to take on a weekly clean from a local cleaner and I just wondered if anyone had any advice or suggestions as it’s all new to me!
We’ve already met and agreed on times etc, and she starts on Tuesday. Do I need to make sure all surfaces are clear? At the moment I’m itching to clean before the cleaner comes!
Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

I make sure the house is not cluttered and that my cleaner can actually clean. I also strip the beds and leave the new sheets etc on it for her to put on. I have a cleaners tray with handles for cleaning products and a pile or cloths for her all ready.

I also have a list of jobs for each room that I like done. Somethings I will ask for something else to be done instead. If there is anything special - like always use this on the job and nothing else - I note that too.

We do "The Big Tidy" the night before. Takes about 10 minutes - all surfaces cleared, clothes away etc.

I change the beds as she doesn't. I hoy the dishwasher on and shout at dh till he scrubs the toilet bowl before we leave for work that morning

That's it. My only request was "clean like you live here please" I've no idea what she does really but the house is clean enough and that's good enough 🤩

Tidy away clutter so the cleaner can actually spend the time cleaning. We do a house reset the night before the cleaner comes, it’s actually worked out really well, everyone in the family knows what the expectation is for their rooms to be tidy enough for the cleaner to come. I love it as it’s removed nagging and arguments throughout the week about tidying up. Everyone has naturally realised that making lots of mess during the week means a big tidy up chore the night before the cleaner comes!

Tidy up!! Half the reason I have a cleaner is to force me to tidy.

Ours does annoying things, like I ensured the spare toilet rolls holder was full with 3 rolls, so they can focus on cleaning.
But still they put 6 rolls in the room - all balanced on top of each other above the parameter of the holder….. Don’t know why…….

She will fold any clothes left out and hang towels just so.
I don’t care about that and think ‘just clean, please!!’

But she’s nice and I can’t bear the hassle of finding another, so…..

Write down what you want and give them a list - they are not mind readers and what you see as important might not be important to them!

For example

• wipe dust from radiator
• move bin and hoover behind