6 Things Pro Cleaners Ask Themselves Before They Have People Over
As better weather continues to roll in, you might be thinking about hosting your loved ones in your home. Whether a quiet catch-up with friends on the patio dining set is on the cards or a full-on family reunion, it can be a time that’s both exciting as well as stressful to prepare for.
To help ease some of your worries, I spoke to professional cleaners Karina Toner of Spekless and Muffetta Krueger of Muffetta’s Housekeeping to discover the questions they always ask themselves before letting company through the door to ensure their home is clean and guest-ready.
Asking yourself these kinds of questions and viewing your home from a guest’s perspective can be truly eye-opening, as well as incredibly helpful.
Do Any Rooms Smell Off?
It can be easy to become nose-blind to the everyday odors in your home, but a guest entering the space with fresh senses will pick up on those details. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and happens to lots of people. I’m still trying to combat the “old house smell” that came with my place, and it’s been a few months since I moved in!
“Sometimes I go nose-blind to certain smells in my own home, so I do a mini scent check if I’m expecting company,” Toner says. “I’ll air out the rooms, empty the trash, and maybe light a subtle candle or simmer something like lemon slices and rosemary. Not to cover anything — but to make it feel fresh.”
Asking a friend, family member, or neighbor who isn’t in your space frequently to give your home a once-over before your company is due can be a great help as well.
Is the Bathroom Stocked?
You don’t have to stock your bathroom to the level of a luxurious hotel, but it can be awkward for shy guests especially if the bathroom lacks essentials they may have forgotten and won’t ask for.
“I always check the guest bathroom (or the one most likely to be used) and ask myself, ‘If I were visiting, would I find everything I need without asking?’” Toner says. “That means an extra roll of toilet paper visible, a clean hand towel, and maybe even some mints or a pretty soap. Tiny things that show you thought of someone else’s comfort.”
Is There Anything Visually Chaotic?
When you scan each room of your home, does it feel neat and tidy? Are there any areas that stand out and seem out of place, but for the wrong reasons? Unfortunately these areas are often rather eye-catching, so tackling them before hosting can make a big difference to the visual and vibe of a room.
“This one’s less about cleanliness and more about vibe,” Toner says. “I try to spot random clutter zones — mail piles, tangled chargers, five half-empty water bottles — and do a quick tidy. Even if everything’s technically clean, too much visual noise can feel a bit stressful to a guest. Calm surfaces equal a calm brain.”
Do I Feel Comfortable Sitting Down?
If a chair or toilet seat looks uninviting, a guest will immediately feel less comfortable in your home. Think about how you might feel going to the bathroom in a public toilet without seat covers, and you’ll understand a heightened version of this sentiment.
“This is a gut check for comfort and cleanliness,” Krueger says. “Guests should never hesitate to relax — a dirty bathroom or stained seating creates discomfort.” A quick clean using disinfectant and throwing cushion covers in the wash will go a long way to making your seating look and feel more inviting.
Have I Created Enough Open Space to Move Around Comfortably?
“Asking yourself this question before gatherings helps to ensure that your home isn’t just clean, but functionally welcoming, with clear walkways and surfaces,” Krueger says.
I have a small apartment, so if I’m inviting company over I tend to rearrange my furniture to make the available space work better for hosting people. I bring out my collapsible dining set, tuck away my office chair, and bring out the nice soft furnishings from under my bed to make the sofa look cozy. If I didn’t do this, my guests likely wouldn’t know where to sit or what to do with themselves.
I also get as many things off the floor as possible, creating the illusion of a larger space and removing potential trip hazards. This is a factor often forgotten in smaller homes like mine, where less people tend to be present at any one time, as well as in busy homes where walkways are often obstructed.
Did I Neglect the Small Details?
In the rush of preparing your home for a guest, it’s possible to start neglecting small details, like cleaning switches, faucets, mirrors, and the baseboards. You’ll be surprised by what a huge difference cleaning these areas makes though, from adding sparkle and shine to making a room better for a guest prone to allergies.
“Guests notice when the ‘hidden corners’ are dirty,” Krueger says. “Checking these tells you whether your cleaning was surface-level or truly complete.”