Cleaning For Company: A Handy Checklist

The holidays are almost here – and so are holiday visitors! Cleaning for company is not like your everyday ordinary cleaning as less often areas of your home, like guest rooms and guest bathrooms, need to be fresh and sparkling to welcome your holiday guests. We’ve put together a handy checklist to help you clean for holiday company.

Overall Cleaning – Entire House

• Declutter each room by putting shoes, coats, bags, old piles of mail and other accumulated items in their proper places – or the recycling.
• Clean windows to make sure your holiday guests have a stunning view of the winter wonderland outside (or the beachy wonderland).
• Dust all surfaces, including less frequently dusted items such as ceiling fans and the tops of cabinets. Dusting isn’t just for the sake of appearances but also so any guests with allergies or asthma can breathe easy in your home.
• Clean all floors. Don’t forget to spot clean carpets and rugs to remove stains or refresh high traffic areas.
• Fluff throw pillows throughout the home for a welcoming touch.
• Disinfect all doorknobs, switches and handles throughout the home to avoid spreading winter-time germs with visitors.

Guest Bedrooms and Bathrooms

• Prep the day before guests arrive by putting freshly cleaned linens and blankets on guest beds.
• Fluff and plump bed pillows.
• Remember to clean window blinds, air vents, lampshades and other sneaky places dust can collect in spare rooms.
• Aside from traditional bathroom cleaning duties, such as toilet, tub or shower, counters, floors and mirrors, check drains for good water flow and remedy any blockages.
• Provide a generous stack of just-laundered towels and wash cloths, and put out any special soaps or toiletries you’d like your guests to enjoy.

Kitchen

• Empty all expired food, old leftovers and other items past their prime from the fridge and clean the inside.
• Wipe down all appliances (don’t forget the top of the fridge and the vent hood) and countertops.
• Dust cabinet doors, if needed.
• Run the cleaning cycle on your oven and remove debris when cool so it is ready to cook your holiday feast.
• The day before guests arrive, wash the good dinnerware, glassware, stemware and polish the heirloom silverware.

This handy cleaning for company checklist will help you ensure your home is ready for holiday guests. If you need a hand, The Clean Up Club is on stand-by to help with your holiday cleaning needs. Our cleaning professionals are trained to tackle any home cleaning needs you may have – even prepping for holiday visitors.  And, if you want to give the gift of clean, we have gift certificates available, too!