Before-and-after photos that win cleaning clients: a field guide for your team
How to take before-and-after photos on any phone, what to photograph, how to protect your clients’ privacy, and how to get your team to send them every time.
By the Sudsy Social team · · 3 min read
A good before-and-after photo does what no caption can: it shows a stranger exactly what you'll do for their home. The best part is that you already have everything you need. A phone and ten seconds per room.
Ask first
Always ask the client before you take photos in their home, and never show anything personal. A quick "Do you mind if we take a few before-and-after photos of the kitchen for our page? Nothing personal, no faces or addresses" is enough. Most people say yes, especially when you promise to keep it anonymous.
What to photograph
Pick the spots where the change is obvious:
- Oven doors and stovetops
- Shower glass, tubs and grout
- Kitchen sinks and faucets
- Baseboards, vents and ceiling fans
- Microwaves and fridge shelves
- Empty rooms after a move-out clean
One great pair is better than ten so-so ones.
How to take the photo
- Same spot, same angle. Stand in the same place for the before and the after. Look for a corner or tile line to line them up.
- Hold the phone the same way both times, either upright or sideways.
- Turn the lights on and open the blinds. Avoid the flash, which makes shiny surfaces glare.
- Get close to the detail. The grime on a burner shows better from two feet away than from across the kitchen.
- Take the after photo right away, before anyone puts things back.
Protect your client's privacy
Before you post, check every photo for:
- Faces, family photos and kids' names
- House numbers, mail, packages with labels
- Anything valuable, like jewelry or electronics
- The view out the window, if it shows the street
When in doubt, crop it out. Your phone's photo app also lets you remove the location from a photo before you share it. Location data can reveal exactly where your client lives.
Get your team to send them
If your cleaners work without you, the photos have to come from them. Make it easy:
- One simple way to send them, like a link they open on their phone, instead of a group chat where photos get lost.
- A short list of what you want this week (for example, "one oven, one shower").
- Thank them when you use their photo. People love seeing their work posted.
Avoid asking for photos at every job. One or two good pairs a week is plenty.
Turn them into posts
Put the before and after side by side, add your logo and a short label, and write a caption with one detail: "Two hours, one very happy oven." End with how to book. Post one every week or two and save the best ones for your Google profile, too.
A quick checklist for your crew
- Ask the client first
- Same spot, same angle, lights on
- No faces, addresses or personal items
- After photo before anything goes back
- Send through your usual link the same day