There will come a time in all our lives, when we need to get our homes clean and tidy, fast! It may be that we’ve had an unexpected guest arrival announcement, or perhaps some guests have just left, and you need to get the place spick and span before the next set arrive. Whatever the reason for needing a speedy clean up, here are some quick tips that should help you get the place shipshape and spotless (or thereabouts!) in next to no time:
- Put together a set of cleaning supplies
Having what you need for a speedy clean up, to hand, will prevent you from running from one end of your home to the other searching for them and will save a whole bunch of time. Here’s what items you may need to hand:
A laundry basket or large crate/box
Large trash bag
Duster
Furniture polish
Vacuum cleaner
- Start by getting rid of any trash
Do a quick walk around your entire home, (or at least those areas where guests may be roaming!) and toss any trash straight into the garbage bag. You’ll be surprised at just how much tidier this can make your home seem! Leave the trash bag at a central point in your home when you’re done, so that can quickly pop any other trash into it that you might find as you go along.
- Get rid of unwanted items
Items that your kids may have left lying around or you’ve popped on a shelf and forgotten about, can be popped into the laundry basket or box, ready to be put back in their rightful place.
- Items that are wanted, should be in the right place
Those ornaments, curio’s and nick nacks that do belong on a shelf or in a display cabinet, should be tidied and dusted if they need it. They can also be placed in small baskets or popped in drawers for the sake of tidiness while your guests are around. Remote controls tend to look unsightly and can quickly gather dust or get sticky when left lying around, so perhaps gather them together and pop them into a small box or tray. The same goes for incoming mail, this can easily be placed into a tray to avoid it being scattered about the place.
- Dust anything that needs it
A guest will quickly spot dust and it may even trigger theirs, or your allergies. For small items simply wipe with a duster – and preferably a microfibre cloth that will pick up the dust instead of transmitting it from one place to another – and vacuum other areas that are easier to access.
- On the topic of vacuuming…
Running your vacuum cleaner over the entire house will instantly make the place look and feel cleaner, and if your vacuum tends to leave a musty smell after you’ve used it, either purchase a specially designed vacuum freshener that can be placed in it or spray a room freshener. You could even light some scented candles just before your guests are due to arrive or an oil burner.
These tips may not be sufficient for a deep clean of your home, but they will certainly help you get the place shipshape quickly, should you need to. Failing that, simply call in the professionals and have them blitz your home from top to bottom; one sure fire way to impress your guests!