Do I Need to Be Home for the Cleaning?

No. You do not have to be home. Most MaidCalm clients are not. Here is how to handle access cleanly and safely.

The four ways most Charlotte clients give cleaner access

1. Lockbox or smart lock with a temporary code. The most common pattern. You set a code that is good for the day, the cleaner enters, the code expires. No physical key handoff, no spare to lose, no lock change. If you have a smart lock, this is the cleanest option.

2. Key in a lockbox. Slightly more old school but works fine. Mount the lockbox in a hidden but accessible spot. You give us the lockbox combination at booking.

3. Hidden key. Not great. Hidden keys are usually not as hidden as you think. If this is your only option, change the spot every few months and never leave a key in a “fake rock” decoy.

4. Building front desk or property manager. Common in Uptown and South End condo buildings. You authorize MaidCalm at the front desk and the staff lets us in.

We do not recommend giving cleaners a copy of your house key to keep. Reputable cleaning services handle keys for the day of service only.

How MaidCalm handles access

When you book, you tell us in the access notes how to enter. Common formats:

• “Lockbox on the left railing of the front porch. Code 4582.”
• “Smart lock keypad. I will text the temporary code morning of.”
• “Front desk. Tell them the unit number. They will call up.”
• “Side gate is unlocked. Back door is unlocked. Two cats inside, one is shy and hides under the bed.”

The cleaner gets only the access information for that specific job, on that specific day. We do not store keys between visits.

What about pets

Tell us at booking. Most pets are fine with a cleaner in the home. Specific situations to flag:

• Anxious or reactive dogs. We can work around a closed bedroom or crate, or you can take the dog to daycare for the day.
• Indoor cats that escape. We will keep doors closed and not enter rooms where the cat is sequestered if you ask.
• Multiple pets. Just a heads up so we are not surprised.
• Aggressive animals. We will not enter a home with a known aggressive animal that is loose. This is a safety call for our cleaner.

We do not require pets to be removed. Just tell us the situation.

Should I leave valuables out

Personal taste. We are a bonded service, so theft is covered. A simple guideline:

• Cash, jewelry, and small high value items: keep in their normal spots. If you would not leave something on the kitchen counter when a contractor is over, do not leave it on the kitchen counter when a cleaner is over.
• Documents, mail, and personal papers: in a drawer is fine. We do not move papers.
• Firearms: locked. Always.
• Prescription medication: in its normal spot is fine. If you would prefer it not be visible, put it in a drawer.

This is the same standard you would use for any service professional in your home. Cleaners specifically are exhaustively background checked and bonded for exactly this reason.

Working from home during the clean

Many of our recurring clients work from home. We work around it. A few practical tips:

• Tell us where you will be (your home office, the kitchen, etc.) so we can hit other rooms first
• Headphones on for the vacuum hour
• We can switch to a quieter task (dusting, surfaces) for a 10 minute call if you give us a heads up
• We will not enter your office during a video call if you put a sign on the door

What if my cleaner cannot reach the home

We send a confirmation the day before with the arrival window. On the day, you get a live ETA when the cleaner is en route. If the cleaner arrives and cannot enter (lockbox code wrong, door deadbolted from the inside, etc.), we will text you immediately.

If we cannot reach you and we cannot enter within 20 minutes of arrival, the visit is rescheduled and a late cancellation fee may apply per our Terms.

Booking

Start a booking and add your access notes when prompted. You see the price first, then schedule, then enter access details on the same form.