What to Expect From Your First Professional Cleaning
Booking your first professional cleaning can feel like a leap. You're letting strangers into your home. You're not sure what they'll do, what you should do, or whether it's worth the money.
These are normal concerns. Here's a straightforward guide to what actually happens—before, during, and after your first cleaning.
Before the Cleaning
The Quote
Most cleaning companies start with a quote. This might happen over the phone, through an online form, or during an in-person walkthrough. You'll typically be asked about:
Square footage of your home
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
Type of cleaning (standard, deep, move-in/move-out)
Any specific requests or focus areas
Pets in the home
Frequency (one-time or recurring)
Be honest about the current state of your home. If it hasn't been deep cleaned in a year, say so. This helps the company give you an accurate quote and allocate enough time.
Preparing Your Home
You don't need to clean before the cleaners come—that defeats the purpose. But a little preparation helps:
Pick up clutter. Clothes on the floor, toys scattered around, dishes in the sink. The cleaning team's job is to clean surfaces, not organize your belongings. Clearing clutter lets them focus on actual cleaning.
Secure valuables. Not because cleaners aren't trustworthy, but for your own peace of mind. If you have jewelry, cash, or sensitive documents out, put them away.
Make a list. If there are specific areas you want addressed—the oven, the baseboards, behind the fridge—write them down. Don't assume the team will read your mind.
Handle pets. Decide whether your pets will be home and where they'll be. Some animals get stressed around strangers. Some cleaning products (though not ours) can be harmful to pets. Let the company know your situation.
Access
Decide how the team will get in. Options include:
Being home to let them in
Leaving a key
Providing a door code
Lockbox
Most clients aren't home during cleaning. It's easier for everyone—you go about your day, the team works without navigating around you.
During the Cleaning
What Gets Cleaned
A standard cleaning typically covers:
Kitchen: Countertops, stovetop, exterior of appliances, sink, floors, taking out trash
Bathrooms: Toilet, shower/tub, sink, mirrors, countertops, floors
Bedrooms and living areas: Dusting surfaces, vacuuming or mopping floors, making beds (if linens are accessible)
Throughout: Light switches, door handles, baseboards (depending on service level)
A deep cleaning goes further: inside the oven, inside the refrigerator, detailed baseboards, window tracks, ceiling fans, and other areas that don't get attention in routine cleaning.
What Doesn't Get Cleaned
Professional cleaners generally don't:
Do laundry or fold clothes
Wash dishes (beyond what's in the sink)
Pick up or organize clutter
Move heavy furniture
Clean up hazardous materials or biohazards
Handle extreme hoarding situations
If you need something outside the norm, ask. Many companies offer add-on services.
How Long Does It Take?
This varies based on home size, condition, and service type. General estimates:
1-2 bedroom apartment: 1.5–2.5 hours
3 bedroom house: 2.5–4 hours
Deep clean: Add 1–2 hours to standard times
First cleaning: Often takes longer since there's no established baseline
Teams of two clean faster than solo cleaners.
After the Cleaning
The Walkthrough
If you're home, a good cleaning company will do a walkthrough with you when they finish. This is your chance to point out anything that was missed or needs more attention. Speak up—reputable companies want you to be satisfied.
If you're not home, you'll come back to a clean house. Take a few minutes to look around. Most companies have a satisfaction guarantee and will address any issues if you call within 24 hours.
What You'll Notice
The obvious: clean floors, sparkling bathrooms, dust-free surfaces.
The less obvious: the smell. A professionally cleaned home smells different. Not like artificial fragrance (especially with organic cleaning products), but like absence—absence of staleness, mustiness, the accumulated odor of daily life.
You might also notice things you'd stopped seeing. Clean baseboards make you realize how dirty they were. A scrubbed shower reveals tile you forgot was that color.
First Clean vs. Ongoing Service
Your first cleaning takes longer and costs more because there's more to do. Think of it as a reset. Once the baseline is established, regular cleanings maintain it with less effort.
Most people start with a deep clean, then move to biweekly or monthly maintenance. The right frequency depends on your household size, lifestyle, and tolerance for mess.
Common First-Timer Concerns
"My house is too messy to have someone clean it." No, it's not. Cleaning professionals have seen everything. Your mess isn't shocking to them—it's just the job. If anything, transforming a neglected space into a clean one is satisfying work.
"I should clean before the cleaners come." Please don't. You're paying them to clean. The only preparation that helps is clearing clutter so they can access surfaces.
"What if they judge me?" They won't. Professional cleaners are focused on doing good work, not evaluating your life choices. They're not thinking about you—they're thinking about the grout.
"Is it safe to leave strangers in my home?" Reputable companies vet their employees, carry insurance, and stake their reputation on trustworthiness. Read reviews. Ask about their hiring process. Trust your instincts.
"What if I'm not satisfied?" Communicate. A good company wants feedback and will make things right. If you're consistently unsatisfied after giving clear feedback, find a different service.
Making It a Habit
The biggest shift isn't the first cleaning—it's what comes after. Once you've experienced a professionally cleaned home, the decision becomes whether to maintain it.
Most people find that regular cleaning service isn't a luxury. It's a practical choice that pays off in time, energy, and quality of life.
Intracoastal Cleaning offers free quotes and a satisfaction guarantee. Our residential team uses 100% organic products. Serving Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, and the Cape Fear coast. [Book your first cleaning.]