The holiday season is in full swing, which means there are parties to plan, gifts to buy and lights to hang. Unfortunately, it also means you are going to have to find the time to get the house clean and in order before the guests arrive. When you are hosting holiday celebrations, simply wiping down the countertops and a quick vacuum isn’t going to get you on Santa’s nice list. This is the time for extreme cleaning. Here are a few tips to help you get the house cleaned and in order before the night of your celebrations and still leave you time to relax and enjoy the holidays.
7 Days Before Your Event
Focus on areas that your guests will see when they first arrive at your home. For example, focus on the porch and entryway. Things to focus on include:
- Sweeping leaves and other debris from the porch and walkways leading to the front door.
- Clean the windows in and around the entry doors.
- Dust the entryway light fixtures, doors and door knobs.
- Vacuum and mop entryway floors. Don’t forget to place a clean doormat at the entrance.
- Clean and organize the coat closet.
5 Days Before Your Event
If you are having house guests during the holidays, this is the time to clean the guest bedroom:
- Strip the linens and replace them with clean ones.
- Dust everything, including the furniture, light fixtures, window blinds, ceiling fans and knickknacks.
- Wipe down the doors and doorways.
- Vacuum and mop the floor.
- Lay out fresh towels in the guest bedroom.
If the guest bedroom is typically the area you use for an office or another purpose, remove as much of the clutter as possible. For example, remove all of your business paperwork, store work essentials in the desk doors and move the kid’s toys to a different room. Creating a relaxing bedroom for your guests will help them to feel more comfortable and at ease.
4 Days Before Your Event
This is the best time to gather your deep cleaning supplies and rubber gloves and get the bathrooms cleaned. Start by spraying the shower stall, tub, toilet and sinks with cleaning solution and let soak while you are cleaning other areas.
- Dust the top, sides and bottom of the medicine cabinet, storage cabinets, air vents and light fixtures.
- Clean the mirror.
- By this time, the cleaning solution should’ve done most of the scrubbing for you, so simply use a sponge or cloth to wipe down the shower tile, bathtub and sink. Use a toilet brush to clean under the rim of the toilet.
- Using a damp cloth, wipe the outside of the bathtub.
- Using a damp cloth, clean the outside of the toilet, including the lid and where the toilet meets the floor.
- Take clothes hampers to the laundry room.
- Hang fresh towels.
- Sweep and mop.
3 Days Before Your Event
Three days before the night of your holiday party should be when you focus on cleaning the common areas, such as the living room and/or family room.
- Dust everything, including vents, light fixtures, knickknacks and furniture.
- Vacuum furniture and if there are stains on the upholstery, spot clean or better yet, contact a professional upholstery/carpet cleaning company to come out and clean the furniture for you.
- Vacuum along the baseboards and under the furniture.
- Vacuum carpeting or for tile and hardwood floors, sweep and mop with appropriate cleaners.
2 Days Before Your Event
Take this time to wrap presents, bake or simply relax by watching a holiday movie.
1 Day Before Your Event
This is it! Your event is tomorrow! So it’s time to tackle the gathering place — your kitchen:
- Dust everything from floor to ceiling, including vents, lights and ceiling fans.
- Wash, dry and put away all of the dishes.
- Soak oven burner covers in warm, soapy water while you move on to the next step.
- Wipe down the refrigerator, stove, cabinets, islands, racks, small appliances, countertops and the sink. Do not forget to clean the inside and outside of the microwave.
- Replace the burner covers and wipe up any spills.
- Throw out old food items and wipe down refrigerator shelves and drawers.
- Sweep and mop the floor.
To help keep your home clean and organized into the New Year, make sure to clean up messes as they happen.
Need help with your holiday cleaning? Contact Chet’s Cleaning Inc. Our full range of cleaning services range from cleaning upholstery, carpets, tile and so much more!