We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
It’s the holidays! And that means…cleaning. Yes, an actually clean house without the pizza boxes, toys, and clothes you currently have lying around. Apparently, I’m supposed to get the house “clean” when guests come over. Who knew? Anyway, every single person on the planet knows that cleaning is a tedious and monotonous process that makes you about as hyped up as watching paint dry.
But as it turns out, there are some hacks that can help you clean more efficiently and easily. Find out what you’ve been missing, and make your cleaning routine a heck of a lot easier.
1. Keep The Right Kitchen Tools At Hand
If you want your kitchen to LOOK good, you’ve got to have the right tools on hand! As simple as that. Kinda like going to Coachella. All your other clothes could look like everyday wear, but that Coachella outfit better be RIGHT so that you get a flood of compliments. Replace your gross sponges, torn towels, and normal utensils with what my mom categorizes as “specially meant for guests.”
2. DIY Dryer Balls
Why spend money on a box of dryer balls when you can literally roll up a bunch of aluminum foil and toss it in the dryer? It is very difficult to get laundry done on a normal day, let alone when you’re having guests over. And when the clothes stick together like a lump of mashed potatoes?
You don’t seem to have enough hands to separate them. Believe me, I tried. Instead of just giving up, try these aluminum dryer balls!
3. Clean Countertops
With all the parties and shenanigans going on, your countertop is going to look horrendous. And no matter how much cleaning spray you apply on it, the countertop doesn’t seem to want to look clean.
Use the product “Awesome Spray” to get rid of all those random stain spots. Seriously, the product is called Awesome—you’re definitely going to have a countertop that looks awesome.
4. Clean Dirty Cookie Sheets
There’s nothing less attractive than dirty cookie sheets in your kitchen. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve pulled out a dirty sheet to make some cookies for parties, and felt that sinking feeling—I’ll have to spend an hour cleaning now!
Well, there’s a great hack to get your sheets all cleaned up. All you need to do is sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda, spray some vinegar, and let the sheet rest for 5 minutes. Wash it off and you’re good to go.
5. Shattered Ornaments
If you’re having a party, there’s undoubtedly going to be a point when an ornament breaks—this is bound to happen. Or your kids might play catch with the ornaments and you’ll end up with the same results—broken ornaments. Either way, finding and cleaning up all the shattered pieces is difficult. Just snag a Scotch Brite Lint Roller and roll it over your floor. Safe and efficient!
6. Efficient Cleaning
Sure, vacuuming and dusting are the ways through which we usually clean our houses. But, you need a plan to clean EFFICIENTLY—something most of us often tend to overlook. Before vacuuming, dust the surfaces completely from top to bottom to avoid dust deposits. Also, ensure that you are completely cleaning each room before proceeding on to the next.
7. Pick Up Pine Needles In A Snap
It’s wonderful and nostalgic to have a Christmas tree, but what about the CLEANUP afterward? Pine needles, random twigs, and dirt will be found all over the floor. Use a broom to collect the needles together, rather than using a vacuum, which is more likely to get jammed.
8. DIY Rags Are the Best
As someone who constantly visits the store to see what new cleaning supplies are in stock, I’ve picked up a thing or two. Did you know that the fancy and soft cloths that they sell in bunches cannot top the DIY shirt rags I store at home? Just tear a piece out of the clothes you’ve outgrown! These rags have a great absorbing capacity and leave a shine on the surfaces after cleaning. So stock up on t-shirts, towels, and even tea cloths!
9. Stained Tablecloths
Ugh, these tablecloths! The frustration I experience when I have to clean them up after a dinner party is the same I felt while waiting for Endgame after Infinity War. But making this DIY paste will get rid of those stains quickly. All you need is some dishwashing soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda in a 1:1:1 ratio and that’s it! Scrub it onto the tablecloth with a toothbrush and toss it in the wash a few minutes later.
10. Restore Scuffed Walls
The walls in your home are bound to have scuff marks on them—it’s an omnipresent problem. Here’s how you can clean it up—get a tennis ball. Yup, that’s all you need. Now buff out the scuff marks with the ball and that’s it.
11. Food Crusted On Casserole Dish
With all the baking and cooking during the holidays, you eventually get tired of scrubbing the crusty bits off your casserole dishes. You need much more than the classic “warm water and soak” method, and here it is. First, carefully scratch away the food remnants with a spatula. Then, cover the surface of the dish with baking soda (the superman of your kitchen arsenal) and dishwashing soap. Next, pour boiling water into the dish. Scrub off the remains after 15 minutes, and rinse it under warm water.
12. Clean Windows
Make a simple DIY window cleaner at home with a bit of dishwashing soap and water. It’ll get rid of those nasty streaks and you’ll actually have windows that stream light in, rather than filter it. Imagine! Now, instead of blocking the light, your windows will do their job!
13. Carpet Cleaning
Do you know what the death of me is going to be? Carpet cleaning. No matter how many times I clean the carpet, I still find the fur of my pets all over it. Turns out, I needed a squeegee. It easily brings together all the cat and dog hair that’s been accumulating on the carpet. Now I don’t have to waste your precious time trying to pick up every individual hair strand.
14. Clean the Kettle
Are you super dependent on your kettle like me? Using the kettle on a daily basis can wear it out before you realize it. You don’t want to pull out a dirty kettle when your guests want some tea, trust me. Fill it with white vinegar and warm water in a 1:1 ratio, and let it sit for about an hour. Then boil the water, rinse it out, fill it with clean water, and boil again! Trust me, it’s easier than it sounds.
To maintain its cleanliness, put half a lemon and bring water to a boil. Rinse it out and use it normally.
15. Take Care of that Dishwasher
While the dishwasher does all the cleaning, we almost always forget that the dishwasher needs to be cleaned too! While Kool-Aid may be radioactive (seriously, my friend used it to dye her hair), just one packet emptied into the dispenser can freshen up the dishwasher.
Most of the tips covered in this article require 15 minutes, or maybe even less of your time. The time period after the holidays doesn’t need to be filled with stressful cleanup! Follow these tips by the book for a stress-free post-holiday period.