The holidays are an exciting time each year. They can also be quite stressful, especially if you’re hosting guests at your home. The cleaning that occurs before and after your events is certain to keep you hopping. First, you have to think about what to do to get ready. Then there’s keeping everything clean and sanitized during your event. And finally, you have the post-holiday cleaning to do once all your guests leave.
Whether you’re having people at your home for a few hours or over numerous days, there’s always going to be a list of things to do following their stay to get your home back to normal.
Clean Your Appliances
When people are at your home, your appliances will be working overtime. Between spills in the fridge and oven and extra cycles of the dishwasher and washer/dryer, your everyday appliances could use a little pampering as part of your post-holiday cleaning.
Refrigerator
To start, completely empty the fridge. Go through all the collected leftovers and determine what you will eat and what needs to be thrown away. Thoroughly wipe down doors and shelves. If compartments can be removed, take them out and hand wash them in the sink. That’s much easier than trying to clean them while they’re in the fridge, and it will give you the opportunity to clean behind drawers. Replace the filter, if needed, or add in a new box of baking soda.
Stovetop and Oven
If your oven if self-cleaning, this task is as simple as turning on that feature. If not, you’ll need a little more elbow grease. Wipe down and degrease the stovetop and pay attention to the tops and sides of your stovetop and oven, where food and grease tend to fall and be ignored.
Washer and Dryer
Buy some washing machine cleaner and run that through your washer after all the loads are complete. It will eliminate any musty smells. Clean out the lint traps from the dryer. Finally, wipe down the inside and outside of both appliances.
Beautify Your Bathrooms
With people going in and out of your bathrooms throughout the holiday season, your post-holiday cleaning should most definitely include your bathrooms. Clean them from top to bottom, including sanitizing door handles, light switches, and fixtures. If you notice that your sinks aren’t draining properly, address that right away with a drain cleaner (Prefer natural solutions? Try these options.)
Tackle Stains
When lots of people are eating and drinking across your home, it’s likely that someone is going to have a spill. And it is highly possible that you won’t be notified about those accidents. Your post-holiday cleaning should include an inspection of upholstery and flooring for any stains (check the walls in the kitchen as well in case splashes happened). For flooring, a simple mop and bucket is great for hardwood floors and tile, while a carpet cleaner with empowered water will eliminate any stains there. On upholstery, try a mix of mix 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and about 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Clean it up with a cloth after letting it sit a few minutes.
Renew Guest Rooms
Overnight guests are invited to make themselves at home, but once they leave, you want to return those rooms to your standards. Your post-holiday cleaning following long-term guests means you’ll want to do a deep clean of bedrooms and bathrooms where family and friends stayed over. Clean all bedding, including blankets and comforters, and vacuum the mattresses to do a deep refresh. Go through the closet and drawers to ensure nothing was left behind and, if so, make plans to return those trinkets to their owners. Remember to sanitize high-touch areas, such as light plates and switches on bedside tables.
Post-holiday Cleaning: The Once-a-Year Routine
Although it doesn’t happen often, post-holiday cleaning is an opportunity to return your home to your high standards and do some deep cleaning across the house. Plus, it’s a great way to ring in the new year!
Need help with your housecleaning? Reclaim some of your time and enjoy the presents you and your family received by outsourcing your cleaning. Carnation Home Cleaning can come in once for a deep clean or put you on the schedule for regular maintenance. Contact us for a free estimate.
