When a friend stops by or an out-of-town visitor comes to stay, you want them to feel comfortable and at home. This can be a challenge if the things guests notice most in your home give a less-than-clean impression. Clean Up Club is here to help! Here are the top 7 things guests will always notice in your home so you can take care of any discomforting conditions.
1. Odor – The nose knows when something doesn’t smell right. Odors in the home can be caused by a number of factors, including pets, cooking smells or trash waiting to be taken out. If possible, open windows to create airflow to clear out odors, run an essential oil diffuser or even just boil a pan of water on the stove with orange and lemon peels in it.
2. Entryway mess – Tripping over piles of shoes or walking through a dirty mess right at the front door is not very welcoming. Put shoes away, shake loose dirt out of doormats outside, frequently sweep up debris from floors and create a clear space for visitors to put their coats, bags and shoes when they come in.
3. Clutter – Clutter is always a comfort-killer. Stow toys in handy large baskets to keep floors clear, move baskets of laundry waiting to be folded to a bedroom out of sight and have a designated tray or space for mail, papers and other common clutter items.
4. Pet hair – We all love our furry family, however, as we go about our normal routine, we can overlook things that even other pet owners would notice. For example, have you ever glanced into a corner of the room to see a collection of pet hair you didn’t notice building up? If you have carpeted rooms, the attachment for your vacuum cleaner can quickly clean hair from where the carpet meets the baseboards. Fur on the furniture? A pair of dry rubber dish gloves helps you sweep static-y clingy fur into an easily removable pile.
5. Grime on light switches and door handles – We rarely think about it but the oils from our skin build up on light switches, door handles, the fridge handle and drawer pulls. Then dust and dirt sticks to those oils until a grimey film of ick builds up. Just take a look at the light switch your family touches most or the refrigerator door handle. Yuck-o. Disinfecting wipes make quick work of cleaning those often-touched surfaces.
6. Sticky residue – This one is very common for those who have kids. Sticky hands pulling out kitchen chairs and sticky hands at the table leave sticky behind on those surfaces. Imagine going to pull a chair out to sit with a friend at her kitchen table and coming away with some unknown sticky substance on your hand. Your guests will notice that at your house too.
7. Bathroom grime – One of the biggest guest gross-outs everyone should be aware of is a dirty, scummy bathroom. Of course, clean down the vanity, sink and mirror, but the biggest ick factor is a filthy toilet. When you clean the toilet, make sure to also clean underneath the seat, around the base of the toilet, disinfect the handle and clean down the floor behind the toilet as well. While you’re looking at the floor, check out corners and along baseboards for dirt hiding in plain sight. Finish by putting out a freshly washed hand towel.
The best way to find grime that will gross out your guests is to think like a guest and look around the way a guest would. Sit in the places a guest would sit in your home and look around from their point of view to find every day dirt you might not have noticed before. When you’re ready for a deep clean or anytime you need some help sprucing up before guests arrive, the Clean Up Club can help you get your home prepped for even the most eagle-eyed guest.
