Preparing for a professional cleaning takes about twenty minutes: clear floors and counters, run the dishwasher, put away valuables, secure pets, and leave a short note with your priorities. You do not need to clean before the crew arrives, but you do need to clear the surfaces they will clean and make sure they can get in. A little preparation turns a good visit into a great one.
- $289Standard clean, 3-bedroom
- $409Deep clean, 3-bedroom
You booked a professional cleaning. Now a small amount of prep, done the day before, decides whether the visit goes smoothly or the crew spends the first twenty minutes moving your laundry. This is a practical checklist: what to pick up, how to handle pets and access, how to write a note the crew will actually use, and which things should stay out.
The day-before prep checklist
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Clear counters in kitchen and bathrooms | Open surfaces get scrubbed, not wiped around your things |
| Pick up floors: clothes, shoes, toys, cords | Crew can vacuum edges and mop the whole floor, not just the open spots |
| Run the dishwasher and clear the sink | The sink can be sanitized and detailed instead of loaded |
| Put away valuables, cash and fragile items | Peace of mind for everyone, even with an insured company |
| Take out overflowing trash and check toilets flush | Small blockers that otherwise eat crew time |
| Decide about beds: strip them or leave a note | Fresh linens only get made if the crew knows you want it |
None of this is cleaning. It is simply getting obstacles out of the way so the crew's time goes entirely to the checklist.
Pets, access and entry
Tell the company about your pets when you book, then on the day, keep them in one room or a crate, or plan to take them with you. Even friendly dogs follow a mop, and open doors plus loose pets are a bad combination. For access, most people in Salt Lake City use a door code, a lockbox or a hidden key; whichever you use, write the exact instructions in your booking rather than texting them the morning of. If a room is off limits, close the door and say so in your note. Whether you stay or go is your call; if you stay, our guide on whether to be home when cleaners come covers how to make that work well.
Notes and priorities that actually help
Crews read notes before they start, so a good one changes the visit. Write it short and specific: "extra time on the master shower glass" beats "bathrooms please." Point at one or two priorities, name any trouble spots honestly (the sticky spot behind the stove, the dusty guest room nobody enters), and mention anything fragile or recently repaired. Skip apologies and long backstories; clear instructions are more useful.
What to leave out for the crew
Leaving the right things out is as important as clearing the wrong ones:
- Clean linens, folded on each bed, if you want beds made
- Your priority note, on the counter where the crew checks in
- The vacuum, if you have delicate flooring with specific care instructions
- A phone number where you can be reached during the visit
- Pet instructions: where they are, whether the backyard door stays closed
Utah note: Winter visits need one extra step: a clear, safe path from the street or driveway to your door. Melting snow on entry floors leaves grit that gets tracked through the whole house, so put out an extra mat and a spot for boots before the crew arrives. In inversion season, dusty porch railings and door glass also show the grime first, so name them in your note if they bother you.
After the visit
Do a quick walkthrough while the crew is still there or later the same day. If a checklist item was missed, tell the company within 24 hours with photos and the crew returns to re-clean it, that is the standard you should hold any service to. For your next visit, the same prep routine takes less time each time, and if you are weighing visit types, deep cleaning vs regular cleaning explains which baseline fits your home.
When professional help makes sense
Honestly, the prep above is the job most people overthink. The cleaning itself is where professional service earns its place: a written room-by-room checklist, supplies included, photo proof of key rooms, flat pricing set before the visit, never by the hour. Wasatch Cleaners serves Salt Lake, Davis, Utah and Summit counties, and you can see your exact price and book in a couple of minutes online. If a first visit has not happened in a while, start with a deep clean so regular visits can actually maintain the baseline.
Book your visit in minutesQuestions people ask
Do I need to be home when the cleaners arrive?
No. Most clients provide a door code, lockbox or hidden key. If you stay, the crew works around you, but they will need access to the room you are in. Either way works as long as entry instructions are in your booking.
Should I clean anything before the cleaners come?
Do not clean, just clear. Pick up floors and counters, run the dishwasher, and put away valuables. The crew brings supplies and works from a checklist, so your prep should only remove obstacles, not replace the cleaning.
What should I do with my pets during the cleaning?
Tell the company about pets when you book, then keep them in one room, a crate or with you on the day. Crews work with open doors and cleaning products, so loose pets slow the visit and create avoidable risks.
How do I tell the crew what matters most to me?
Leave a short written note naming one or two priorities, and put it where the crew checks in. Specific requests, like extra time on shower glass, are far more actionable than a general request to do a good job.
