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Cleaning for CompanyMaking the House Appear Clean When People Are Coming Over
Hands-on how-to for busy homeowners who have friends or family visiting and need to straighten up in a hurry
We've all been there. You get the phone call from the just-passing-through out-of-town friends, or sister who needs a favor and is dropping by...or maybe you have no excuse and have known for weeks you're going to be entertaining but you just didn't get the time to clean -- and now people will be here in an hour. How do you spend the hour? Cleaning for Company: Front DoorIs your front porch covered in sneakers, toys, leaves, newspapers and other miscellany? Grab a broom and an empty box, large plastic container or basket. Pick up quickly, fill the container, and find a good hiding place, such as the cellar, closet or under the porch. You don't have time to go through this flotsam and jetsam now, but if you clear the porch you can sweep it, and make your entry more welcoming for your guests. If you don't use the front door often, it's also a good way to clear cobwebs so your guests don't walk through them. Ick! Cleaning for Company: KitchenThis might be the toughest spot to clean up quickly, but it's worth the effort, since no matter where your guests spend time, people will inevitably end up in the kitchen. Sweep the floor- if you had time, you would have already mopped it, so keep the lights lower if you didn't! Empty the dishwasher, if for no other reason than that you will have somewhere to stash your last-minute preparation dirty dishes. Break-and-bake cookies are a great 15-minute way to make your kitchen smell like chocolate chip cookies. This old secret used by the real estate industry to see houses works well for company too. Adding fresh flowers from the garden in a simple vase is a perfect last-minute touch. People will think your house is clean if you had time to put out flowers. Cleaning for Company: Powder RoomSomeone is going to end up here. Grab a bottle of window cleaner and some paper towels to do a quick wipe-down of any potentially icky spots on floor or fixtures. Check if there's liquid soap and a clean towel. Empty the trashcan. Something smelling nice is key- either light a candle, spray room freshener or have some other clean scent-infusing mechanism (plug-in item, stick-up, whatever) so your guests are sure this room must have been cleaned recently! Cleaning for Company: Entertaining AreaIdentify where your guests will be eating,. Whether it's the dining room, or a casual deck or patio, this is the area you'll want to freshen up before they arrive. If there is woodwork, grab some Murphy's Oil Soap spray and do a quick swipe of the area- nothing makes a house smell more clean than Murphy's Oil Soap. (they really should make candles!) Placemats are a great welcoming element if you have them available- as are fresh linen napkins. If not, use paper napkins (even nicer plastic silverware is ok for casual dining and makes clean-up easier) on a buffet area where people can plate up their food. Again, fresh flowers will do wonders for your entertaining area. Picking up kids' toys or other clutter and stashing it in a closet, spraying Febreze everywhere and lighting a nice scented candle are a few other last-minute things you can do before the knock on the door. Now, fix yourself a drink, wait for your guests, and enjoy them!
The copyright of the article Cleaning for Company in Home Management is owned by Mary McCarthy. Permission to republish Cleaning for Company in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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