Christmas At Home Cleaning Up Your Home At Christmas

Date Published:

22/09/2009

Christmas is coming and so are hordes of friends and relatives, keen to fill your home with festive cheer, gravy stains and a million tiny shreds of gift wrap.

By Kerry Young

Now’s the time to get the place shipshape in preparation, but the thought need not make you turn to the pudding brandy in panic. While it may seem like every minute between now and Christmas Eve is earmarked for shopping, freezing party nibbles and tree dressing, we have made it easy for you - by following our simple guide to sprucing up your home you’ll have it done in no time. And when all the food is eaten, every present unwrapped and your visitors have left you in peace, we have no-messing-about tips on cleaning up their mess.

Have A Pre-Christmas Blitz

Unless your house is a tip, you needn’t do more than add a few extra jobs to your regular housework routine to get your house spick and span for Christmas.

Freshen Up The House

Before the place becomes rammed with decorations, presents and people, have a bit of an extra clear up. In the main living areas, you might want to put away some of the stuff that normally is on display or generally lying around – that stack of magazines won’t get looked at over Christmas and will get in the way, while precious ornaments might be best removed somewhere your friend’s crazy toddler won’t try and eat them. Your things don’t have to be banished forever, but you will be glad of the space for decorations, cards, glasses and plates. Open the windows to air the house out (just for a bit before the heating comes on), wipe down surfaces with a damp or microfibre cloth, run the vacuum round and clean the bathroom.

Prepare Guest Rooms

If you have a spare room, chances are it has been steadily filling up with clutter since the last time someone stayed in it. Your guests won’t mind a few things lying around, but try and clear out as much as is reasonable. Some hanging or drawer space will be useful, too, so free up a bit of storage for your guests. Open the windows for an hour or two while you vacuum and dust, then make up the bed with fresh linen. An extra blanket is a nice touch in case your guests feel the chill at night and provide bath and hand towels for them, too. If you are trying to make a good impression (on a potential mother-in-law for example), put some fresh flowers in a vase and provide a few pretty toiletries. If you have put guests in your bedroom while you sacrifice yourself on the sofa bed, find a place to stash the bedding by day where it won’t be in the way or make them feel guilty.

Clean Up Rarely Used Kitchen Items

Don’t leave it until the bird is due in the oven to drag the turkey-sized roasting dish out of a cupboard and find it caked in last year’s grease. Use washing-up liquid or a cream cleaner to clean it, or for really tough burnt-on grime, clean as you would clean an oven. This goes for other once-a-year items, too, so haul out all the gravy boats, clean carafes, clean coffee makers, cheeseboards and so on now and give them a good wash.

Get Glasses Sparkling

Fairy lights and candles set a lovely festive ambience, which will not be enhanced at all by a tray of dusty or greasy crystal. It’s a mystery how glassware left in a cupboard collects so much muck, but as it just does, you will need to give it all a good wash before you crack open the bubbly. Bargain glass can be chucked in the dishwasher, but your more precious items should be washed by hand.

Buff Your Cutlery

Stainless steel and silver cutlery can both be washed in the dishwasher, just not at the same time – the silver stuff will turn black. Silver cutlery should be removed from the dishwasher as soon as the cycle has finished and dried if necessary to prevent salt residue wreaking havoc. If marks persist, try our rescue tips for precious metals.

Spruce Up Dusty Decs

Unpacking the old box of decorations is an exciting Christmas ritual, but not one to be undertaken lightly if you have a dust allergy. Many decorations are very delicate, so take extra care trying to clean them, unless you fancy a whole new look for this year, in which case go about it like a bull in a china shop. Fragile tree ornaments are best given a light brushing with a soft artist’s paintbrush to remove dust. Secure part of an old pair of tights over the nozzle of your vacuum cleaner and use to gently clean dusty garlands, tinsel and artificial trees.

More Christmas, More Cleaning!

Click on the links for much, much more Christmas and loads more cleaning!