What happens on the day, what to do beforehand, and why the first visit is longer than the rest.
What Happens on Your First DomesticAide Visit
The first visit is longer than the ones that follow, and it is usually a deep clean. That is the single most useful thing to know going in, because it explains both the time and the price.
Before the Day
We agree access when you book: you let us in, you leave a key, or you give us a code. We call the day before with your arrival time, so there is no waiting around.
You do not need to buy anything. Our cleaners bring their own supplies and equipment.
What to Do the Night Before
Not much, and definitely not cleaning. Do pick up the things that would otherwise have to be moved: clothes on the floor, toys, papers on the counter, dishes in the sink. Cleaners who spend forty minutes tidying are not cleaning, and you are paying for cleaning.
If there is anything you would rather we did not touch, an antique, a surface with a particular product, a room to leave alone, put a note on it or tell us when we arrive.
Arrival and the Walkthrough
On a first clean we walk the house with you if you are there. It takes a few minutes and it is worth doing. You tell us what matters most, what gets used and what does not, and anything with a history. One of our clients described exactly this: Holly came with the crew to introduce herself and walk the house before anything started.
If you are not home, leave a note, and call the office beforehand with anything important.
How the Crew Works
Crews work room by room, generally starting at one end of the house and moving through, finishing at the kitchen or the exit so nobody is walking back across clean floors. Our clients describe exactly that in their reviews.
You are welcome to stay or to go out. Most people go out on the first visit and are at work for the ones after.
Pets and Children
Tell us about pets when you book. Most dogs are fine, some need to be shut in a room or crated, and we would rather know which yours is before we open a door. The same goes for anything a small child should not be near while we are working.
When They Finish
Walk the house if you are there. If something was missed or is not how you wanted it, say so, then or by calling the office. That is not awkward and it is not a complaint. It is how the second visit comes out right.
The Visits After the First
Shorter, and less expensive. The house is already at a standard, so the crew is maintaining rather than resetting. They also know your house by then, which is the point of keeping the same crew.
FAQ
Common questions
Should I clean before the cleaners arrive?
No, but do pick up. Clothes, toys, papers and dishes all have to be moved before a surface can be cleaned, and a crew spending forty minutes tidying is forty minutes not cleaning.
Why is the first clean more expensive?
Because it is usually a deep clean. It resets the house, which takes considerably longer than maintaining one already at a standard. The visits after it are shorter and cost less.
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Let Us Get You a Free Quote
Tell us about your space and we will follow up with a straightforward quote. No pressure, and no pushy sales call.
Tell Us About Your Space
Tell us a little about the space and we will follow up with a straightforward quote. No pressure, no pushy sales call.