Ten minutes of preparation before the first visit saves a great deal of confusion afterwards. Most of it is information rather than tidying — you do not need to clean before the cleaners arrive.
Before the first visit
| Item | Why it matters | Who usually sorts it |
|---|---|---|
| Access arrangement | Key safe, spare key, or someone home — agreed in advance | Family or the client |
| The do-not-touch list | Display cabinets, desks, workbenches, particular shelves | The client, in their own words |
| Rooms in and out of scope | Which rooms we clean and which we leave entirely | Family and client together |
| Pets | Where they will be, and whether they can be let out | Whoever is home |
| Product sensitivities | Fragrance, particular chemicals, preferred brands | The client |
| Point of contact | Who we call about scheduling, and who about anything else | Family |
| Preferred time | Around appointments, meals and rest | The client |
The do-not-touch list is the important one
This is where most upset in aged care cleaning comes from, and it is entirely preventable. Older clients often have arrangements that look like clutter and are not: papers in a particular order, a shelf arranged a certain way, ornaments in a set position.
Write it down, do not rely on the day
A verbal 'do not touch the desk' said once, to one technician, will not survive a staff change. Anything on the written checklist survives.
What you genuinely do not need to do
- Deep clean before we arrive — that is what we are for
- Move furniture; we ask before shifting anything
- Buy products; everything comes with us
- Be present, once access is arranged
- Apologise for the state of the house — we have seen every version of it
Things worth flagging for safety
Not because we will fix them, but because they change how we work in the space and are worth someone knowing about.
- Rugs with curling edges or no underlay
- Trailing cords across a walkway
- A light that has been out for a while in a hallway or on stairs
- A loose handrail or a wobbly step
- A shower with no mat and no rail
- Anything stored somewhere it has to be reached for awkwardly
If we notice something like this we will mention it. We are not tradespeople and we will not attempt a repair, but a hallway light nobody has noticed is out is worth a phone call.
The first visit itself
A walk-through together
We go through the home with the client, or with family, and confirm the checklist room by room.
A longer first clean
The first visit usually takes more time than the routine that follows. That is normal.
Agree the routine
Day, time, frequency and who to contact.
Adjust after a couple of visits
Almost every checklist changes slightly once everyone has seen how it works in practice.
We are cleaners, not carers
3 Piglets Cleaning is a cleaning business. We clean the home and keep it comfortable and easy to move around in. We do not provide personal care, nursing, medication support or any form of medical assistance, and nothing on this page should be read as health advice.
We provide aged care cleaning across Melbourne's eastern suburbs from our base in Croydon. If you would like to talk it through, get in touch — there is no pressure either way.
Frequently asked questions
Does someone need to be home?
Not once access is arranged. For the first visit it helps to have the client or a family member there for the walk-through.
Should I tidy before the cleaner comes?
Putting away personal items helps us spend the time cleaning rather than moving things, but you should not clean. That is the job you are paying for.
What if my parent says they do not want a cleaner?
That is common and worth taking seriously rather than overriding. A short first visit covering only the bathroom and kitchen is usually a much easier starting point than a whole-house clean.
3 Piglets Cleaning
We are a Croydon-based cleaning company serving Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs. Our technicians are police-checked and fully insured, and those working with NDIS participants and older clients hold NDIS Worker Screening Clearances. More about us.
