Our recurring house cleaning service is one of the best ways to keep your home consistently clean without spending every weekend playing catch up. And we want to help you get the most out of your cleaning service. This isn’t about you doing more work, we’re just sharing simple ways for you to really maximize the benefits of our regular cleanings so that your home stays feeling fresher longer, our team is even more efficient, and you gain even more time back each week. A few small habits before and between visits will add even more value to your cleaning experience.
What Is the Best Way to Get the Most From a Recurring Cleaning Service?
The answer is simple – reduce clutter before your cleaning team arrives, keep up with a few simple daily habits between visits, and let us know of any priority areas ahead of time. This gives our cleaning team more time to actually clean surfaces, floors, bathrooms, and kitchens instead of working around items in your home. It allows our team to have time to plan ahead, giving them even more time for the day of your cleaning. Also, regular cleaning services help to prevent dirt, dust, and buildup from becoming harder to manage over time.
Why Recurring Cleanings Work Best When There’s a Simple Routine
Recurring cleanings build on each other, creating a snowball effect of cleanliness in your home. A deep clean tackles the often overlooked areas of your home and build up. This gives your home a clean slate for regular cleanings and helps maintain a clean home instead of consistently needing to reset it.
Weekly or biweekly house cleanings really help to reduce dust, grime, pet hair, bathroom build up, and kitchen mess. The more consistent your schedule, the easier it is to keep your home feeling clean. This is why we recommend starting our services with a deep clean followed by recurring cleaning.
What to Do Before Your Cleaning Appointment
Please do not clean before the cleaners come. We will take care of as big or as little of a mess that is needed. However, to get the most from your cleaning, a few quick and simple tasks give our cleaning technicians more time to focus on the actual cleaning of your home.
1. Pick Up Loose Clutter
Take a moment to clear clutter from surfaces and areas that you want cleaned. This includes:
- Toys
- Clothes
- Dishes
- Shoes
- Papers
- Personal items
- Items on bathroom counters
2. Clear Kitchen and Bathroom Counters When Possible
We’ll have more time to scrub and sanitize bathroom surfaces when you do this. Simply:
- Put away personal care products.
- Move dishes to the sink or dishwasher.
- Group countertop items in a basket or tray if needed.
3. Secure Pets
We love your pets and are happy to clean around them. However, when pets are especially curious, playful, or eager to be near our team, our cleaning technicians may need extra time to work around them. To help us clean your home as efficiently and thoroughly as possible, we recommend securing pets in a comfortable area during your cleaning appointment.
- Put pets in a comfortable room, crate, or outdoor space if needed.
- Let the office/team know about pets ahead of time.
- Make sure supplies or gates are ready.
4. Communicate Special Priorities
Our recurring cleanings are 100% set-it-and-forget it. We will send you a reminder before your upcoming appointment so don’t have to think about it. However, if you have an area of concern or you think needs more attention than usual, letting us know ahead of time gives us time to prepare. Also, since we like to send the same cleaning technician to your home, our team gets to know your home and priorities over time, saving time and making cleanings more efficient over time. Some things you can tell us include:
- “The guest bathroom needs extra attention this week.”
- “The kitchen floor has been getting sticky.”
- “We had company over this weekend.”
- “The kids’ bathroom needs more focus today.”
What Not to Worry About Before Your Cleaning
A lot of homeowners when they start cleaning services feel the need to clean before we come. That’s our job! You do not need to worry about scrubbing, dusting, wiping down, or polishing surfaces of your home. We will not judge you for the mess in your home – this is why you hired us. We only recommend clearing clutter and moving some items that are on your surfaces so that we can clean more efficiently. However, it’s definitely not required. And if some weeks you are not able to get tasks done like put laundry away or load your dishwasher before our cleaning time, that’s ok too. We understand, being busy homeowners too.
You do not need to:
- Scrub bathrooms
- Mop floors
- Dust furniture
- Deep clean appliances
- Vacuum the whole house
- Make your home look perfect
How to Keep Your Home Cleaner Between Recurring Cleanings
Here are a few tasks that you can do between recurring cleanings that will help make the most of your cleanings and overtime work to enhance the cleanliness and order of your home. Remember how we mentioned recurring cleanings build on each other? These simple tasks will help build a routine that becomes almost automatic for you and improves the function and health of your home.
1. Do a 10-Minute Evening Reset
A quick reset in the evenings helps prepare your home and family for the next day and creates a rhythm that improves your home’s function. In the evening quickly:
- Load dishes
- Clear main counters
- Put shoes/bags away
- Pick up living room clutter
- Start one load of laundry if needed
2. Wipe Kitchen Counters After Meals
This keeps crumbs, grease, and sticky spots from building up.
3. Keep Bathroom Counters Simple
Using baskets and trays for your toiletries and daily items helps to keep things organized and at hand while creating a quick way for our team to clean bathroom surfaces.
4. Stay Ahead of Floors in High-Traffic Areas
Our recurring cleanings tackle vacuuming, sweeping and mopping throughout your home. But, a quick pick up of high-traffic areas will help keep your floors clear between cleanings. High-use areas often include:
- Entryways
- Kitchen
- Pet areas
- Around dining table
- Main walkways
5. Use Baskets for Fast Pickup
As a busy family, your clutter can pile up quickly. A simple solution is to use baskets to quickly organize and contain the clutter. Keep baskets in areas where the clutter often piles up. For example, keep a toy basket where your kids bring toys. Keep a basket on the stairs to quickly stash items that need to go upstairs. Have a counter that accumulates a lot of random items? Keep a bin on the counter to contain the clutter. When you have time, you can organize and put the items away or find a spot to store them. One study found that women who used words to describe their home as “cluttered” or “unfinished” were more likely to feel overwhelmed during the day and had flatter cortisol levels. Our simple solution? Use baskets! Here are some ideas for bins:
- Toy basket
- Stair basket
- Laundry basket
- “Belongs elsewhere” basket
Weekly vs. Biweekly Cleaning: Which Helps Your Home Stay Cleaner?
Do you need to have your home cleaned weekly or biweekly? Which is better for your family and home life? We break it down for you.
Weekly cleaning is usually best for:
- Busy families
- Homes with pets
- Homes with young children
- High-traffic homes
- People who want the home to feel consistently clean
Biweekly cleaning can work well for:
- Smaller households
- Lower-traffic homes
- Homeowners who keep up with light cleaning between visits
- People who want regular support but do not need weekly service
The good news is that you can adjust your cleaning frequency and schedule. Not sure which schedule is right for you? We’ll help you choose a recurring cleaning schedule that works for you, based on your home size, lifestyle, pets, kids, and cleaning goals.
How Recurring Cleaning Saves Time and Reduces Stress
Our recurring cleanings are set-it-and-forget-it so you can start our service and know your home is being maintained on a consistent schedule. Also, our recurring cleanings build on each other so your home experiences less buildup over time. You will spend less time every weekend cleaning, experience less mental load, and fewer overwhelming cleaning days. This gives you more time for your family and helps you feel less stressed in your home.
When to Add a Deep Cleaning to Your Recurring Schedule
Even with our recurring cleanings, some homes can still benefit from an occasional deep clean.
Good times to schedule one:
- Before you start recurring cleaning service
- After holidays or hosting guests
- After sickness
- During spring or fall cleaning
- Before or after moving
- Before special events
- After unusually busy times
Simple Checklist: Before Your Cleaning Team Arrives
Before your recurring cleaning, try to:
- Pick up toys, clothes, and loose items
- Clear kitchen and bathroom counters as much as possible
- Put dishes in the sink or dishwasher
- Secure pets
- Leave out any special instructions
- Make sure the team can access the home
- Let the office know about schedule changes ahead of time
Ready for a Cleaner Home Without the Weekly Stress?
Recurring cleaning works best when it becomes part of your home’s rhythm. With the right schedule, a little preparation, and a cleaning team that knows your home, it becomes much easier to keep your space fresh, comfortable, and manageable week after week.
If you are ready to spend less time catching up and more time enjoying your home, H&R Cleaning can help you find the right recurring cleaning schedule for your household.
FAQ Section
Do I need to clean before my cleaning service arrives?
No, you do not need to clean before your cleaning team arrives. However, picking up loose clutter, dishes, clothes, and personal items can help your cleaners spend more time on the detailed cleaning tasks that make the biggest difference.
How can I keep my house clean between professional cleanings?
The best way to keep your house clean between visits is to focus on small daily habits, such as wiping kitchen counters, doing a quick evening pickup, keeping bathroom counters clear, and staying ahead of dishes, laundry, and high-traffic floors.
Is weekly or biweekly cleaning better?
Weekly cleaning is often best for busy families, homes with pets, and high-traffic households. Biweekly cleaning can work well for smaller households or homes that stay fairly tidy between visits.
What should I do before a recurring house cleaning?
Before a recurring house cleaning, pick up loose clutter, clear counters when possible, secure pets, make sure the team can access your home, and communicate any special priorities for that visit.
How do recurring cleanings help my home stay cleaner?
Recurring cleanings help prevent dust, grime, soap scum, pet hair, and everyday mess from building up. Instead of constantly starting over, your home is maintained on a regular schedule.
Should I start with a deep clean before recurring service?
Many homes benefit from starting with a deep clean before moving into weekly or biweekly service. A deep clean helps reset the home, while recurring cleanings help maintain it.
