With the holidays shortly approaching, it’s time to take a look at your holiday cleaning checklist, brought to you by Southern Living.
Your Holiday Cleaning Checklist
When it comes to the holidays, it can be overwhelming to prepare your house for all those wonderful guests and parties. From the basics to the deep-clean, here is a guide to get you through the season.
Start Early & Don’t Procrastinate
Walkthrough the house as if you were your mother-in-law walking in for the first time, and make notes of imperfections.
Declutter First
Nothing wastes more time than moving a purse, jacket, or pile of “important” mail from room to room while you clean. Start your cleaning by putting everything in its place and everything will go faster. (This is a great time for parents to challenge young children to some type of game or race.)
Walls
An oft-overlooked reality: Walls get dirty too! Especially around light fixtures, hallways, or anywhere less than three feet off the ground if you have children.
Use the Right Products
An all-purpose cleaner can be a great time-saver, but its versatility comes with a cost. Porous surfaces like stone, wood, and leather should really have a dedicated product to ensure they aren’t damaged. Prolonging the life of your possessions and décor by using the right product is worth the extra minute it takes to pick up a different bottle.
Deep Clean
Don’t forget to vacuum and sweep under couches, behind the fridge and all those other places you usually forget (read: avoid)—just remember, a dog or child’s toy is bound to end up under the couch, and you don’t want to be embarrassed by cat hair tumbleweeds when you have to move or lift it. Also, spot clean the carpet to remove stains from footprints, spills, and pets.
Wash Windows
Even though your nieces and nephews are sure to leave their handprints behind, use a powerful glass cleaner to remove spots, dust, and whatever else is caked on inside and out—it makes it easier for family members to admire your beautiful holiday décor and not focus on dog nose art. If you find a few extra minutes, spray on a water repellent—it might take some extra time now, but it prevents water spots from forming later.
Dust
Dry and wet dust all the surfaces of your home, for looks and for those with allergies (you don’t want Grandma sniffling and sneezing during the whole visit).
Spot Clean the Carpet
Check for any stains that might stand out in your well-lit room. Beware of your light-colored carpet though – a deeply soiled a spot-clean will leave a reverse stain: a big clean spot in a sea of dingy carpet. If this is the case it might be best to get the whole thing cleaned ahead of time.
If spot cleaning isn’t giving you the cleanest carpets, give us a call at J and R’s Carpet Cleaning and schedule a professional carpet cleaning!
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