Start with priorities and booked extras
Check the rooms and tasks you identified as most important. If you paid for an oven, cabinet interior or other extra, inspect it while access is still clear.
Look in normal lighting at accessible areas included in the booking. A visual check helps identify missed work, but it cannot verify a microscopic disinfection result.
Use a room-by-room review
| Area | Check against the scope |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Counters, sink, agreed appliance surfaces and floor |
| Bathrooms | Basin, toilet, shower or bath, mirror and floor |
| Living areas | Agreed dusting, floors and bin emptying |
| Bedrooms | Floors, accessible surfaces and any booked linen task |
| Extras | The exact appliance, window or detail work purchased |
| Completion | Waste placement, moved items, keys and access devices |
Avoid interpreting a pleasant fragrance as proof of cleaning quality. Focus on the actual task and finish.
Distinguish missed work from damage
Dust or residue left on an agreed surface is different from a scratch, worn coating or permanent stain. Ask the provider to explain uncertain areas. Some problems require repair or specialist treatment rather than another ordinary clean.
If you notice possible new damage, stop using or treating the area until the situation is documented. Record what you observed and discuss it through the agreed issue process.
Give specific feedback
“The inside of the refrigerator was booked but the bottom drawer was missed” is actionable. “It does not feel clean” leaves too much uncertainty. Use focused photographs where useful, avoiding private household details.
Check the provider’s reporting deadline and return-visit conditions. Agree which items will be addressed, when and whether any new work would have a separate price.
Improve the next visit
If the cleaner completed the priorities but time repeatedly runs short, revise the scope or allowance. If instructions were unclear, update the written list. Keep service feedback separate from personal criticism.
For recurring arrangements, save a stable core checklist and record occasional tasks when they are completed. See the cleaning schedule guide and how to compare quotes.