Who doesn’t love a good party? Tasty food, music, dancing, mingling with people you’ve just met, and laughter with your friends are just some of the reasons why we all love to invite guests to our home for a memorable night that will hopefully be the talk of the town for years to come. But every party must come to an end and no matter how well-behaved our guests are, they’re bound to leave a mess behind.
If you have a house cleaning appointment scheduled for the day after, you’ve truly taken care of everything. But what if you have to clean up the mess on your own? With the help of a top-rated company from St. Louis, we outline crucial steps that will enable you to clean up the mess like a specialist without the whole thing leaving a sour taste in your mouth.
How do I clean my house after a party?
Let’s face it, parties have so much going for them but cleaning up afterwards is not one of them. However, unless there was major damage, the mess probably looks far worse than it actually is. While it may seem daunting at first, just take it step by step and everything will slowly fall into place. Here’s a detailed road map that will make the whole process more manageable and less overwhelming.
1. Think ahead
There are a few tricks that can help you avoid a bigger mess and make the cleanup process much easier. Instead of fretting over your family heirloom dinnerware, just buy disposable cups, plates, and cutlery and you’ll not only spare yourself the worry but also have much less to do. Another smart move is to place easily noticeable trash cans where people can dispose of items easily. If you have a particularly dear or expensive upholstery, throw some protective covers over it to protect it from spills. The same goes for carpets, just put them away and you can relax and enjoy the party.
2. Quick touch-ups before calling it a day
If you’re not too tired or under the weather, the best thing you can do is take 10 to 15 minutes to do some work before going to sleep. Remember, the point is not to think or exert yourself too much. Just take a garbage bag and pick up the trash that’s lying around. If you can, sweep up the floor to remove the large debris and make it easier to move around.
3. Pick up the leftovers
Start by throwing away leftover food and drinks to avoid accidentally spilling them over while you’re cleaning the place. If there are dishes or glasses strewn about, put them in the dishwasher.
4. Wipe everything down
When you’ve removed the trash, debris, and dishes, you should proceed with what is, in most cases, the hardest part of the job—wiping down surfaces. It may be smart to start from the bathroom or the kitchen because they are usually the hardest ares to clean before moving on to the living room. Once you’ve wiped everything clean, you should sanitize the surfaces using alcohol or a weaker bleach solution.
5. Vacuum & mop
With everybody glammed up and looking their best for the party, there’s no point in asking people to take off their shoes. However, this means more dirt. Make sure to vacuum all floors to remove the dirt before it seeps into your floor coverings. After that, use a wet mop to treat your floors to a thorough clean with lukewarm water and mild soap.
6. Deal with spills & stains
While it’s best that you tackle the spills as soon as they happen, you can’t be everywhere at once. If you’ve noticed a spill or stain while you were cleaning, now’s the time to devote close attention to it. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and your approach has to depend on the material and nature of the spill or stain.
7. Final touches to top it off
Congratulations, you’ve done the hard part and all that’s left is to do a walk-through inspection before calling it a day. Inspect your electrical appliances and furniture for signs of damage. If your furnishings look a bit rumpled, fluff the cushions and tidy it up a bit. Replace the hand towels and put the dirty ones into the washer. In the end, make sure that nothing is missing and that everything is in its place. Open the windows to let the fresh air in and last vestiges of the party out.
If all this seems too much work or you don’t feel like you have the energy to pull it off the day after the party, call in pros to get their hands dirty and clean up the mess while you’re enjoying the fresh air outside and slowly coming back to life.
