Cleaning During the Holidays

The holiday season can be a little chaotic. Life is busy in general and now we throw on parties, cooking, decorating, and gift giving. Here are some tips and tricks for the crazy holiday season! 

Start early. Don't procrastinate. We always think we have more time than we really do. For example, instead of waiting to wipe walls, do it early. Save yourself the stress of last minute clean-up and shopping. 

"Procreation never makes things simpler." - Don Aslett, Is There Life After Housework? 

Daily pickup and wipe down. A quick daily pickup and wipe down of the kitchen and bathrooms will save you time and make your home appear clean to drop in guests. 

Don't forget behind the scenes items. Most of our kitchens are being used way more than normal. It's easy to wipe it down and make it look nice, but what happens when your family comes over and needs to heat their appetizer, or get a drink from the refrigerator. They open it up and YIKES, burned food on the bottom of the stove, or stinky leftovers in the refrigerator. Using a degreaser such as Soilmaster will clean the stove, refrigerator and microwave and take away the gunk and smells. In the bathroom, stock up with several rolls of toilet paper and extra hand towels for guests. 

Freshen up. Using an odor neutralizer on throw pillows, couches, blankets and pet beds will give your home a fresh smell. I suggest X-O, because as much as we love our pets, nobody wants to sit on a couch and smell your dog. 

Organize your pantry & spices. Holiday baking is a must and there are so many yummy treats to make. Organizing your baking supplies will save you time searching, and save you money from buying something you already have. 

Declutter and donate. We all have old holiday decorations that stay in the bins year after year. Clothes and toys that don't get used or worn. Food in our pantry that we don't eat. Now is the time of giving. Donate those unused items to your local women's shelter or food bank. 

Make lists! Christmas lists aren't just for Santa. Write down everything you need to do and get the satisfaction of marking off each task as it’s completed! 

Prevention. The weather is turning from beautiful sunny days to rain and snow. Protect your floors with proper matting at all doors and save yourself time mopping and vacuuming daily. Cleaning up after you cook will save you time scraping dried food from pots and pans. 

Use the right tools for the job. Don't waste your money on cleaners that "kind of" work. Use cleaners that will get the job done the first time, without all the elbow grease. (We are already tired from shopping.) Quality products not only get the job done quicker but they will last longer. 

Carpets? Spot clean your carpet before and during company, using 3 Way Spotter to get the stains out and leave your carpets smelling fresh. Save time and carpet clean with an extractor in January. That way you won't have to worry about guests with dirty shoes or accidental food spills on clean carpets! 

Our gift to you is simple cleaning checklist to make sure you are ready for the holiday parties. Download our FREE HOLIDAY CLEANING CHECKLIST! 

Most of all enjoy your Holidays. Enjoy the time with family & friends.