How to Prepare for a Cleaning Service Visit — 10 Must-Do Tips
Simple steps to take before your team arrives so the visit runs smoothly and efficiently.
5 min readRead article
Move-In Cleaning Before You Unpack
Move-In Cleaning Before You Unpack
Before your boxes, clothing, dishes, furniture, and daily life go into the home, this is the best time to clean it properly. Maria's Team prepares bathrooms, kitchen, cabinets, closets, floors, baseboards, appliances, and high-touch areas so your new home feels fresh and ready from day one.
Designed for empty or mostly empty homes — before belongings occupy the areas that are easiest to clean now.
Owner-Led Scope PlanningInsured & BondedProfessional TeamProfessional EquipmentStandard or PremiumBefore You Unpack
Before You Unpack
Home Reset Checklist
Bathrooms
Kitchen & appliances
Cabinets & closets
Floors & baseboards
Windows & tracks
Touchpoints reset
By-request add-ons
$55 per labour hour per cleaner + HST
Standard & Premium — same rate
Typical Planning Examples
What a Typical Move-In Cleaning Plan Looks Like
These are typical planning examples based on common Move-In projects. Actual labour may be lower or higher depending on the size, condition, layout, and approved scope of the home.
Recently renovated?
Move-In Cleaning is intended for an empty or mostly empty home being prepared before occupancy. If the property has construction dust, drywall sanding, recent painting, or contractor residue, choose After-Renovation Cleaning instead — even if you are moving in afterward. Construction dust requires a different multi-pass cleaning process.
Condo / Apartment
1 bed · 1 bath · empty or mostly empty · well maintained
Labour plan
9 hrs
total labour hours
Planning subtotal
$495
before HST
Typical team
3 professionals
Approx. onsite
~3 hours
Townhouse / Smaller Home
~3 bed · 2–2.5 bath · smaller house or townhouse
Labour plan
12 hrs
total labour hours
Planning subtotal
$660
before HST
Typical team
3 professionals
Approx. onsite
~4 hours
Medium Detached Home
~3–4 bed · 3–3.5 bath · detached home
Labour plan
18 hrs
total labour hours
Planning subtotal
$990
before HST
Typical team
3 professionals
Approx. onsite
~6 hours
Large Home
4+ bed · 4+ bath · larger detached property
Labour plan
24 hrs
total labour hours
Planning subtotal
$1,320
before HST
Typical team
4 professionals
Approx. onsite
~6 hours
Extensive Move-In / Multiple Add-Ons
Large property · many add-ons · detailed scope · may span more than one day
Starting labour plan
30+ hrs
total labour hours
Starting subtotal
$1,650+
before HST
Typical crew
4 professionals
Typical onsite plan
~7.5+ hrs or split
Projects with extensive add-ons may materially exceed this starting plan. Examples:
+Many detailed windows/tracks
+Cabinet/drawer interiors
+Appliance interiors
+Carpet extraction
+Heavy buildup
+Garage
+Basement
+Organizing
+Residue/removal work
+Large property
Actual-time billing
You pay only for the actual labour time used. If the work takes less time, the final cost is lower.
Client approval/control
We create a realistic labour plan in advance. If additional time may be required beyond the approved plan, we contact you before continuing.
Examples, not fixed quotes
Actual labour depends on the size, condition, layout, and approved scope of the home.
Clear Pricing
Clear Pricing — $55 Per Labour Hour Per Cleaner
Move-In Standard and Move-In Premium are both billed at $55 per labour hour per cleaner + HST. Standard and Premium do not have different hourly rates.
Same hourly rate. Different scope and level of detail.
Premium can produce a larger total because it may include more tasks and require more labour hours — not because Premium labour is billed at a higher hourly rate.
Move-In Standard
$55 / labour hour / cleaner
Professional move-in baseline. High-impact areas, visible surfaces, strong result, practical scope, better budget control.
Move-In Premium
$55 / labour hour / cleaner
Greater level of detail, hidden areas, tighter edges, additional mechanisms, more finishing, more approved labour where required.
Note: $55 per labour hour is the current Move-In rate. It is not a discount, promotion, or temporary offer. Final billing is based on actual approved labour hours. If the work takes less time, the final labour cost is lower.
How Billing Works
What Is a Labour Hour?
One person working for one hour = 1 labour hour. This is the billing unit. The number of cleaners and the onsite duration both affect how labour hours are distributed — but the total labour hours for the same approved scope stays the same.
1 cleaner × 4 hours
4
labour hours
4 × $55 = $220
before HST
2 cleaners × 2 hours
4
labour hours
4 × $55 = $220
before HST
4 cleaners × 1 hour
4
labour hours
4 × $55 = $220
before HST
All three examples = 4 labour hours = $220 before HST
The billing unit is the total labour used — not how many people are present.
Team Size Example
Why More Cleaners Do Not Automatically Mean a Bigger Bill
Example: the home has 4 bathrooms. For this simple illustration, assume each bathroom requires approximately 1 labour hour.
Option A — 2 Cleaners
Hour 1
Cleaner 1
Bathroom 1
Cleaner 2
Bathroom 2
Hour 2
Cleaner 1
Bathroom 3
Cleaner 2
Bathroom 4
Labour hours:2 × 2 = 4
Labour subtotal:4 × $55 = $220
Onsite duration:~2 clock hours
Option B — 4 Cleaners
Hour 1 — All 4 bathrooms simultaneously
Cleaner 1
Bathroom 1
Cleaner 2
Bathroom 2
Cleaner 3
Bathroom 3
Cleaner 4
Bathroom 4
Labour hours:4 × 1 = 4
Labour subtotal:4 × $55 = $220
Onsite duration:~1 clock hour
4 labour hours
Same work completed
$220
Same labour subtotal
Less time
Less time in your home
Common Question
“If 3 cleaners are $55 each, am I paying $165 every hour?”
This is a natural question. Three cleaners do create three labour hours during one clock hour — but they also complete approximately three labour hours of work during that time.
The thinking that misses the point
“3 cleaners × $55 = $165/hr. 2 cleaners × $55 = $110/hr. So 2 cleaners must be cheaper.”
This reasoning focuses on the clock-hour rate but misses how much work is being completed during that hour.
What the arithmetic actually shows
If the approved workload requires 15 total labour hours:
3 cleaners~5 onsite hours
2 cleaners~7–8 onsite hours
15 labour hours × $55 = $825 before HST — in both cases.
Team size changes how the labour is distributed across time. The billing unit remains the total labour used to complete the approved scope.
Larger Example
Example: A 20-Labour-Hour Move-In Cleaning
A medium-to-large home with multiple bathrooms, full kitchen, cabinets, closets, floors, and selected add-ons.
Smaller Team
2 cleaners × ~10 hours
= 20 labour hours
Labour subtotal:20 × $55 = $1,100
Onsite duration:~10 clock hours
Larger Team
4 cleaners × ~5 hours
= 20 labour hours
Labour subtotal:20 × $55 = $1,100
Onsite duration:~5 clock hours
Same approved workload
20 labour hours
Same $1,100
labour subtotal before HST
~Half the onsite time
with the larger team
Honest qualification: Real cleaning projects do not always divide perfectly because some tasks require sequencing, drying time, equipment availability, access, or final quality control. Maria Team chooses team size for efficient execution — not simply to multiply the number of cleaners.
How We Size the Team
We Size the Team to the Workload and Your Deadline
Team size is an execution and scheduling decision. Labour hours are the billing unit. Move-In Cleaning often contains many parallel work zones that a professional team can divide and work simultaneously.
Bathroom 1
Bathroom 2
Bathroom 3
Kitchen
Bedrooms
Closets
Basement
Windows / tracks
Appliances
Cabinets
Floors
Finishing / QC
Typical operational approach:
Most projects use approximately 3 professionals. Larger homes, larger scopes, or time-sensitive move-ins may use 4 or more team members where practical. Maria Team does not promise a fixed crew size — team size is planned based on the approved workload, route, equipment, quality, and deadline.
Team Advantage
Why a Team Matters Before You Move In
Parallel Work
Several bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchen areas can be worked on simultaneously — not one room at a time.
Professional Equipment
Different team members can use different equipment at the same time: professional vacuums, steam/detailing tools, carpet equipment, floor equipment, and surface-specific tools.
Better Sequencing
The team coordinates: dry work → bathrooms/kitchen/details → floors → final finishing and review.
Quality Control
A team structure allows final checking instead of one exhausted cleaner trying to complete a large house alone after a very long day.
Less Disruption
A 20-hour workload does not need to mean somebody is working inside the home for 20 clock hours.
Deadline Flexibility
When movers are arriving the same day, a larger team can complete more of the approved work while the home is still empty.
Mover Deadline
Movers Arriving the Same Day? This Is Where Team Size Really Matters.
Once furniture and boxes enter the property, the cleaning window closes fast.
Once movers arrive:
Floors become dirty again
Cabinets may be filled
Closets become occupied
Walls and baseboards become obstructed
Furniture blocks access
Movers create traffic
Detailed work becomes slower
Two teams can interfere with each other
Maria Team may recommend:
Early start — often ~6:00–7:00 AM where scheduling permits
Larger team to complete access-sensitive tasks first
Finishing cabinets, closets, floors before movers begin
Concrete example:
If the approved workload is approximately 20 labour hours and movers arrive around 11:00 AM:
2-person teamCannot complete 20 hrs before 11 AM
4-person team, early start~5 onsite hours — possible
The purpose of the larger team is to finish more of the approved work while the home is still empty — not to charge for more people.
Control Your Total
Want to Control the Total? Control the Scope — Not the Team Efficiency.
The hourly rate stays at $55. The total is controlled primarily by the approved scope and the labour time required to complete it. You can reduce the expected total by choosing the work that matters most.
Priority scope (highest impact)
- Bathrooms
- Kitchen
- Cabinets
- Closets
- Main floors
- Baseboards
- Touchpoints
Optional / by-request (add what you need)
- →Inside oven
- →Inside fridge/freezer
- →Detailed window tracks
- →Blinds/screens
- →Carpet shampoo
- →Detailed grout
- →Floor steam
- →High fixtures
- →Organizing/unpacking
The principle: The hourly rate stays the same. The total is controlled primarily by the approved scope and the labour time required to complete it. Adjusting scope is the right way to manage the total — not negotiating the hourly rate.
Choose Your Level
Standard vs Premium
Same hourly rate. Packages differ by scope and level of detail.
Standard
Move-In Cleaning Standard
$55 / labour hour / cleaner + HST
Best for
Professional move-in baseline with strong visible result and better budget control
Focus
High-impact areas, visible surfaces, kitchen, bathrooms, floors, cabinet fronts, closets, touchpoints
Recommended
Premium
Move-In Cleaning Premium
$55 / labour hour / cleaner + HST
Best for
Greater level of detail, hidden zones, tighter edges, more finishing, more approved labour where required
Adds
Cabinet interiors, drawer rails, gaskets, drains, steam/detailing, blinds/screens, surface finishing
Do not say “Premium rate.” There is no Premium rate. Both packages are $55/hr. Premium may require more labour hours because it includes more tasks and greater detail.
What Affects Labour Time
What Can Increase Your Move-In Cleaning Time?
Two homes with the same number of bedrooms and similar square footage can require very different labour hours. This is why Maria Team gives realistic planning ranges rather than pretending every home can be priced precisely from square footage alone.
Number of bathrooms
Previous-owner dirt and buildup
Heavy kitchen grease
Old buildup under empty surfaces
Inside cabinets and drawers
Inside oven
Inside fridge/freezer
Range hood grease
Detailed appliances
Heavy bathroom scale / mildew
Grout detail
Window quantity
Detailed window tracks
Blinds and screens
Basement size
Additional basement rooms
Basement bathroom
Basement kitchen
Carpet shampooing
Stairs
Floor steam / detailed floor treatment
Wall spot cleaning
High fixtures / chandeliers
Behind/under appliances where safe
Furniture remaining in the home
Poor access
Client-added scope
Why estimates are ranges, not fixed prices:
Two homes with the same number of bedrooms and similar square footage can require very different labour hours. A home with 4 bathrooms, heavy kitchen grease, inside-cabinet detail, carpet shampooing, and detailed window tracks will take substantially more labour than a similar-sized home with 2 bathrooms and a clean kitchen. Maria Team reviews your specific property before confirming a planning range.
By Request
By-Request Move-In Add-Ons
Add only the extra tasks you want included. These items allow you to customize the scope rather than buying an artificially oversized package. Scoped and billed by approved labour hours.
Inside Oven
For clients who want the oven cleaned before cooking begins.
Inside Fridge / Freezer
Fridge must be emptied before cleaning.
Inside Cabinets / Drawers
Best before dishes, pantry items, and household items are unpacked.
Window Tracks / Blinds / Screens
For clients who want more detailed window-area work.
Carpet Shampoo
By approved scope, where suitable.
Upholstery Cleaning
By approved scope, where suitable.
Floor Steam / Floor Refresh
Surface-safe floor steam or refresh treatment where appropriate.
High Areas / Fixtures
Extension-tool detail where safe and practical.
Closet Organizing
Set up closets by season, category, colour, or use frequency.
Unpacking Support
Selected unpacking support for kitchen, pantry, linens, bathroom storage, or household items.
Furniture / Decor Reset
Available by request using client reference photos where practical.
Note: By-Request items are not automatically included unless selected, scoped, and approved. They allow you to customize the scope rather than buying an artificially oversized package.
Real Work
See Real Work Before You Book
Maria's Team does not rely only on promises. View real case studies, videos, and project proof to see how we work.
Featured Case Study
After-Renovation Cleaning & Furniture Reset
A real project showing a 4-person team, 1.5-day project, construction dust removal, walls / windows / baseboards / doors, furniture and decor reset, and owner-led coordination.
Why Maria Team
The Move-In Result Formula
The result does not happen by accident. It comes from experience, teamwork, professional equipment, surface-safe products, enough approved labour time, clear scope, and owner-led accountability.
When those pieces work together, the home feels easier to move into. Cabinets feel ready. Bathrooms feel comfortable. Floors feel fresher. Closets are easier to use. The client can unpack with more peace of mind.
The “magic” means the finished result produced by professional execution — not vague marketing language.
Why Clients Choose Us →The Move-In Result Formula
Experience
Surface knowledge and professional practice
+
Teamwork
Correct division and sequencing of work
+
Professional Equipment
Commercial vacuums, steam, Kärcher, task-specific tools
+
Enough Approved Time
Proper cleaning cannot be achieved by rushing
+
Clear Scope
Standard, Premium, and By-Request explained before booking
+
Owner-Led Accountability
Direct communication, quality control, real follow-up
=
A Home That Feels Ready to Move Into
The result clients feel after the work is done
The “Magic” Is the Result
Why Clients Choose Maria's Team
For move-in cleaning, the goal is comfort before you unpack — a home that feels fresh, safe, and properly reset before your belongings go into cabinets, closets, bathrooms, and living spaces.
The wow effect does not happen by accident. It comes from experience, teamwork, proper tools, enough approved time, and direct owner-led accountability.
Experience
Daily professional practice, surface awareness, and refined cleaning technique.
Teamwork
A trained team can divide work, sequence rooms, and deliver a more consistent result.
Professional Equipment
Commercial vacuums, steam/detailing tools, Kärcher equipment where appropriate, and task-specific tools for approved scope.
Clear Scope
Standard, Premium, and By-Request items are explained so expectations are clear before booking.
Accountability
Direct communication, owner-led planning, insured and bonded service, and real follow-up.
For clients who want the right team, clear scope, and the best result — not just the cheapest rate.
What's Included — Room-by-Room Scope
Move-In Cleaning focuses on preparing the home before your belongings fully enter the space. Standard covers the key visible and high-impact areas. Premium adds deeper details, hidden zones, and specialty finishing where suitable.
Standard — Typical Move-In Cleaning FocusPremium Detail Adds→ By Request / Notes
Kitchen
StandardPremiumBy Request
Standard Focus
- ✓Countertops and backsplash
- ✓Sink and faucet
- ✓Stovetop surface
- ✓Appliance exteriors
- ✓Cabinet fronts and handles
- ✓Visible shelves
- ✓Inside microwave
- ✓Floors and visible buildup
Premium Adds
- +Inside cabinets/drawers where requested
- +Drawer rails and mechanisms
- +Refrigerator gasket
- +Appliance gaskets
- +Dishwasher door gasket/filter where accessible and safe
- +Range hood underside/filter where safely removable
- +Cabinet tops where accessible
- +Stove bottom drawer
- +Stainless steel polish where appropriate
- +Steam/detailing where suitable
By Request
- →Inside oven
- →Inside fridge
- →Heavy cabinet interior detail
- →Behind/under appliances if safely movable and pre-approved
Bathrooms
StandardPremiumBy Request
Standard Focus
- ✓Toilet full detail
- ✓Sink and countertop
- ✓Mirror
- ✓Shower/tub surface
- ✓Shower glass where applicable
- ✓Tiles and fixtures
- ✓Visible soap scum, lime scale, and mildew where removable
- ✓Floors and visible edges
Premium Adds
- +Accessible shower drain detail
- +Shower head mineral buildup detail
- +Tight fixture backs and small edges
- +Cabinet/drawer interiors where requested
- +Steam/detailing pass where suitable
- +Fixture polish where appropriate
By Request
- →Heavy grout detail
- →Inside vanity drawers/cabinets
Bedrooms / Nursery
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Dusting visible surfaces
- ✓Floors
- ✓Baseboards
- ✓Doors and handles
- ✓Closet floors and visible shelves
Premium Adds
- +Closet shelves and interiors where requested
- +Closet doors both sides where relevant
- +Drawer rails
- +High ledges where accessible
- +Surface-safe finishing where appropriate
For nurseries or children's rooms, we can prioritize floors, touchpoints, closets, and low surfaces.
Living / Dining
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Dusting surfaces
- ✓Floors and edges
- ✓Baseboards
- ✓Railings
- ✓Switches and handles
- ✓Furniture surfaces if present
Premium Adds
- +Chair bottoms
- +Table legs underneath
- +Chandelier/fixture detailing where safe
- +Accessible vent covers removed, vacuumed, and replaced
- +Wood/furniture polish where appropriate
Windows / Blinds / Screens
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Interior glass where accessible
- ✓Sills and frames
- ✓Window tracks/rails wipe where accessible
Premium Adds
- +Blinds cleaned slat by slat
- +Window screens removed, washed, and reinstalled where possible
- +Heavier track detail where needed
Laundry / Utility
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Washer/dryer exterior
- ✓Laundry sink where present
- ✓Shelves and visible surfaces
- ✓Floors and corners
Premium Adds
- +Washer gasket detail
- +Detergent tray where removable
- +Utility sink buildup detail
- +Behind/under machines if safely movable and pre-approved
- +Floor edge steam/detailing where suitable
Entry / Mudroom
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Door area
- ✓Handles and touchpoints
- ✓Floors
- ✓Baseboards
- ✓Visible dirt/salt buildup
Premium Adds
- +Door edges and both sides where relevant
- +Threshold detailing
- +Shoe area detail
- +Floor edge steam/detailing where suitable
Floors & Finishing
StandardPremium
Standard Focus
- ✓Vacuuming
- ✓Mopping
- ✓Edge cleaning
- ✓Visible buildup removal
- ✓Floor-safe cleaning products
Premium Adds
- +Steam pass on suitable hard floors
- +Wood/laminate-safe care products where appropriate
- +Rejuvenate-style floor refresh where appropriate
- +Surface-specific polishing for wood, stainless steel, furniture, and fixtures
- +Carpet/upholstery shampoo where requested/applicable
Steam, polish, and finishing products are selected based on surface type and condition. We do not use products or equipment where they may damage the surface.
Professional Equipment
Professional Equipment — Operational Value
Move-In Cleaning can involve multiple equipment-intensive processes. A coordinated team may be able to use multiple task-specific tools simultaneously — something a solo cleaner cannot do efficiently on a larger home.
Professional Vacuums
Commercial-grade vacuuming for floors, edges, and detailed areas.
Steam / Detailing Equipment
Steam and detailing tools for bathrooms, kitchen buildup, grout, and floor edges where suitable.
Kärcher Equipment
Professional Kärcher equipment where appropriate for the scope.
Carpet Equipment
Carpet cleaning equipment when selected and scoped.
Floor Equipment
Floor-specific tools and products for hard floors, wood, laminate, and tile.
Surface-Specific Products
Task-specific products and detail tools for kitchen degreasing, bathroom detailing, and surface-safe finishing.
Note: Not every machine is used on every project. Equipment selection depends on the approved scope, surface types, and property condition.
Move-In Cleaning — Frequently Asked Questions
Including answers to the most common team-size and pricing questions.
Ready to Move In
Plan My Move-In Cleaning
You pay for the labour required for your approved scope. Maria Team chooses an efficient team size so that work can be completed properly and, where possible, much faster onsite.
If you want transparency, professional equipment, trained people, protected surfaces, and the best move-in result before unpacking, we are built for that.
The result comes from experience + teamwork + professional equipment + enough approved time + accountability.
Service Areas
MississaugaEtobicokeOakvilleRichmond HillMarkhamVaughanSelected GTA Areas
Maria's Team is based in Mississauga and regularly serves selected premium GTA areas for move-in cleaning projects. For larger one-time projects, we may accept selected nearby areas depending on schedule, route, scope, and project size.