You don't need to clean before the cleaners come. You do need to do these five small things — it makes the visit twice as effective.
Joseph here. Almost every first-time client I talk to apologizes for "how messy" the house is going to be. Please don't. I've seen it all and I'm not judging — that's literally what you're hiring me for. But there are a few small things that make a huge difference, and I want you to know what they are so you get the best clean possible.
The instinct to "tidy up before they get here" is universal. We get it — but a little guidance saves you an hour and gets you a noticeably better clean.
What's actually helpful
- Pick up the floor. Clothes, toys, mail. Every minute we spend moving your belongings is a minute we're not cleaning surfaces.
- Clear kitchen counters of dishes and food. We'll clean around what's there, but a clear counter gets a deeper clean.
- Secure pets in one room or crate. For their comfort and ours. Tell us their name — we'll keep that door closed.
- Tell us about anything fragile or off-limits. One sentence in your booking notes saves a broken heirloom.
- Decide how we get in. Lockbox, garage code, you're home — any works, just let us know.
What you absolutely don't need to do
- Pre-clean anything. That's the whole point of hiring us.
- Provide supplies. We bring our own. (Ask about eco-only or fragrance-free.)
- Tip in cash at the door. Tips are baked into pricing — and we pay our cleaners.
After the first clean
Someone from Fancy Pants follows up within 24 hours of your first clean. If anything was missed, we come back and re-clean it, no charge, no argument. That's the guarantee on every visit — first or fiftieth.
Written by
Joseph Lindsay — Owner of Fancy Pants
I started Fancy Pants because I got tired of watching good cleaners get squeezed and good homeowners get surprised by a bill. I still work homes every week across Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill, so these posts come from the checklist in my head — not a content calendar. Ask anyone on my crew: I am the guy who keeps adding "while we're in there" items.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Call me at 984-300-4626 or read why the company is named after a guy who never cleaned a thing.