How to Prepare for Your First Clean

Confirm the visit before the day

Send the cleaner your address, suburb, contact number and agreed task list. Check the arrival window, expected visit length, who will attend and whether products and equipment are included. If the work is a first clean, explain the property's current condition rather than assuming it fits a routine maintenance booking.

Make access straightforward

• Describe parking, stairs, lifts and loading restrictions.
• Agree on keys, entry codes and alarm instructions through a suitable private channel.
• Identify rooms or cupboards the cleaner should not enter.
• Plan where pets will be during the visit.
• Provide a contact for access problems or unexpected extra work.

Clear what you have agreed to clear

Remove fragile valuables and personal paperwork from work areas. Clear loose items from floors and benches if that was part of the booking arrangement. You do not need to perform the clean yourself, but a cleaner cannot spend the same booked time on cleaning and on substantial unplanned tidying.

Explain priorities and delicate surfaces

Give the cleaner a short ranked list and any relevant care instructions. For example, prioritise two bathrooms and the kitchen before a seldom-used spare room. Discuss existing damage and product preferences in advance. Follow instructions for any supplied chemicals; Safe Work Australia explains workplace safety data sheets.

Agree on communication and handover

Decide whether you will be present, how the cleaner can reach you and who can approve extra time. Confirm payment and lock-up arrangements. After the visit, compare the result with the written tasks and raise any missed items promptly. Use that discussion to refine the next visit's scope instead of leaving the cleaner to guess your priorities.