Your First House Cleaning: What to Expect, How to Prepare and Whether to Tip
On your first clean, a background-checked crew arrives with its own supplies, works through the house room by room and sends you a finish photo. A standard clean takes 2 to 4 hours (the first one runs longer), you do not need to be home, and tipping is up to you: Suite 5 never expects or requires it.
Updated October 21, 2026 by the Suite 5 Cleaning Co team, Rockford, IL
Booking your first clean
It starts with a quote request. The online form takes about 60 seconds. Tell us about the space, how often you want it cleaned, and anything unusual, like pets, allergies or a locked entry. A real person from the Suite 5 team replies inside 24 hours with a quote, an available window and answers to anything you asked. You can also call (815) 391-0795.
The quote is a flat rate for the house, not an hourly estimate. In Rockford a standard clean starts at $150. If the house has not been professionally cleaned in a while, the first visit is usually a deep clean, which starts at $250. After that, recurring visits cost less: from $105 weekly, $112 every two weeks or $128 monthly.
How to prepare
You do not need to clean before the cleaners come. The point is for the crew to clean surfaces, not work around piles. A little prep makes the visit go further:
- Pick up clutter, like clothes, toys, mail and dishes, from the surfaces you want cleaned
- Leave a note in the booking for anything extra, such as laundry, dishes or a specific project
- Leave fresh linen out if you want the beds fully changed
- Tell us about pets and whether they will be loose or put away
- Put away anything fragile or valuable you would rather nobody moved
- Leave your own products out if you want us to use them instead of ours
- Mention older floors, plaster walls or a finished basement so the crew comes prepared
- Set up access before the day
You do not need to be home
No. Most clients are not. Access can be whatever works for you: a smart lock code, a hidden key, a garage code, a lockbox, or someone home to let the crew in. Access details stay secure and are only shared with your assigned crew, and they lock up when they leave.
Some people like to be home for the first visit so they can walk through priorities with the crew. That works too. After the first visit, the same crew comes back each time, so you are not letting strangers in.
What happens on the day
The crew arrives on time, in branded gear, with their own supplies. Our products are eco-safe by default, which also makes them pet-safe and kid-safe. Then they work through the house in the same order every time. We call it the Suite 5 Method:
| Step | What gets done |
|---|---|
| 1. Kitchen Reset | Counters, sinks, stovetop, microwave, appliance exteriors, floors mopped and edged |
| 2. Bathroom Renewal | Tubs, showers, toilets, mirrors, fixtures polished, floors mopped, grout wiped |
| 3. Bedroom Refresh | Beds made, surfaces dusted, floors vacuumed or mopped, mirrors and switch plates wiped |
| 4. Living Spaces | Dust and vacuum every surface, blinds and baseboards, cushions and throws tidied |
| 5. Finishing Touches | Glass and fixtures polished, drawer pulls and cabinet edges, the corners other cleaners skip |
The kitchen comes first because that is where most homes need the most attention. When the crew finishes, you get a finish-out photo, and a follow-up if anything needs a second look.
Pets, allergies and your own products
Our products are eco-safe by default, so there are no harsh chemical smells when you walk back in, and they are safe around pets and kids. If someone in the house has allergies or sensitivities, mention it in the quote request. If you would rather we use specific products of yours, leave them out and the crew will use them instead.
For pets, the main thing is to tell us they are there. Some people put a dog in a room or a crate for the visit, some leave them loose. Either is fine as long as the crew knows before they open the door, and knows about any doors that need to stay shut.
Older homes and finished basements
Rockford has a lot of older houses. Original hardwood, plaster walls and older tile need different products and less water than a new build, so tell us what you have and the crew will come prepared. A finished basement counts as living space, so include it when you tell us the size and the quote will be right the first time.
What a standard clean does not include
A standard clean maintains a house. Some jobs belong to a deep clean instead: inside the oven and refrigerator, behind and under moveable appliances, hand-wiped baseboards and trim, vent covers, light fixtures, ceiling fans and grout lines. If you want those done, book a deep clean for the first visit.
How long a house cleaning takes
| Type of clean | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Standard clean | 2 to 4 hours for most homes |
| Deep clean | 4 to 8 hours |
| Move-in or move-out | 3 to 7 hours |
| Post-construction | Quoted after we see it, usually a rough pass and a final pass |
The size of the house, the number of bathrooms and its condition decide where in the range you land. The first standard visit runs longer than later ones because the crew is learning the house. We confirm the window with your quote so you can plan around it.
Tipping your house cleaner is up to you
Tipping is up to you. Suite 5 never expects or requires it, and the flat rate in your quote is the full price of the clean.
Some people like to tip after a first clean, after a big job like a deep clean or move-out, or around the holidays. Others would rather say thanks another way, with a note for the crew or a review. Both are fine. If you do decide to tip and want it to go to the people who cleaned, handing it to them or leaving it with a note on the counter is the simplest way.
If something was missed
Tell us within 24 hours. We come back and re-clean what was missed at no charge. If you are still not happy after the re-clean, we refund the cleaning in full. That is the 200% guarantee: half is the re-clean, half is your money back.
If you need to cancel or reschedule
Text us. If it is at least 24 hours before your scheduled clean, there is no charge. Inside 24 hours we charge 50% to cover the crew time we blocked off for you. On a recurring schedule there is no contract, and you can skip a week or move a visit with no penalty.
A quick first-clean checklist
- Quote requested, with pets, allergies and access mentioned
- Window confirmed
- Clutter picked up from counters, floors and tables
- Notes left for laundry, dishes or special requests
- Linen out if you want beds changed
- Access set up: code, key, lockbox or someone home
- Pets settled where you want them
Every Suite 5 crew is background-checked, and the company is licensed, bonded and insured, and women-owned. We are open seven days, 6 AM to 8 PM.
Book it in Rockford
Standard cleaning, from $150. Rockford and 15 miles around, open 7 days, 6 am to 8 pm.
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Common questions
- Should I tip my house cleaner?
- Tipping is up to you. Suite 5 never expects or requires it, and the flat rate in your quote is the full price. Some people tip after a big job or around the holidays, and some say thanks with a note or a review instead.
- How long does a house cleaning take?
- A standard clean takes 2 to 4 hours for most homes, and the first visit runs a little longer. A deep clean takes 4 to 8 hours and a move-in or move-out clean 3 to 7. We confirm the window with your quote.
- Do I need to be home for the cleaning?
- No. Most clients give us a door code or leave a key or lockbox, and the crew locks up when they leave. Some people prefer to be home for the first visit to walk through priorities, and that works too.
- Do I need to clean before the cleaners come?
- No. Just pick up clutter so the crew can clean surfaces rather than work around them. If you want laundry, dishes or a specific project handled, leave a note in the booking.
- What do house cleaners do on a standard visit?
- The crew works the kitchen first, then bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces, and finishes with glass, fixtures and the corners. That covers counters, sinks, appliance exteriors, toilets, showers, dusting, beds, floors and trash.
- What if I am not happy with my first clean?
- Tell us within 24 hours and we come back to re-clean what was missed at no charge. If you are still not happy after the re-clean, we refund the cleaning in full.