The Mad Dash for Holiday Cleaning: Checklists, Preparations, and Services
Deck the halls? More like scrubbing them down.
The holiday season ‘tis upon you, and you just so happened to pull the short end of the candy cane this year.
It’s your turn to host, and in a mad dash to avoid snide remarks from your mother (or worse, your mother-in-law), you decide this is the year you are going to clean your home until it looks as if no one actually lives there at all.
But how are you going to pull off this holiday miracle?
Well, this article just happens to come with a few tips, some tricks, and a complete holiday cleaning checklist. We’ll also reveal how that one friend or family member keeps their home spotless when you’re not even sure they own a broom at all.
Table of Contents
How Do You Clean Up for the Holidays?
With lots of elbow grease and plenty of time. Holiday cleaning relies upon a good deep clean. We’re talking moving-the-furniture-to-clean-behind-it clean. Basically, you’ll want to:
Vacuum, sweep, and mop.
Dust every fixture, tchotchke, and surface.
Shampoo rugs, carpets, and upholstered furniture.
Clean your bathroom like it’s your kitchen.
Clean your kitchen like you are cooking for Gordon Ramsay.
And bug the rest of the occupants in your house to remember to pick up after themselves (even the dog).
It’s a lot of work, but it makes you feel good and impresses others. But remember, no one is ever as tidy as they appear to be (even the infamous Marie Kondo gave up on militant tidying after having kids), or at least not without a little help.
So, if you’re in the Portland area and are looking for a little holiday helper, Tidy Up Portland! offers house cleaning services like none other. Having cleaned over 10,000 homes, we’ve got our system down to a T.
From deep cleaning to routine touch-ups, we guarantee you’ll be 100% happy with our services. Learn more or schedule an appointment today.
Holiday Cleaning Checklist: Must-Dos for a Fresh Home for the Holidays
The first must-do is a given: you have to finish off this checklist in a way that is going to stress you out the least! So, take it one task at a time, have a cup of egg nog (and maybe a cup of something else), take a break every once in a while, and get excited because you’re cleaning in preparation for the most wonderful time of the year!
Wipe Down Walls and Windows
Cleaning your windows is an obvious task, but have you ever considered how much dust accumulates on your walls? You don’t have to go crazy (you don’t want to wipe away your paint); simply take a barely damp cloth and gloss over all of the walls in your house.
For your windows, you can mix one part vinegar and ten parts warm water in a spray bottle to make ammonia-free window cleaner. And don’t worry about the smell — it’s nothing a little time and a cinnamon and orange peel simmer pot can’t fix.
Tackle the Entryway
Creating a designated spot for shoes, jackets, and bags in your entryway is the perfect solution to preventing your family members (or yourself) from leaving their outerwear items around the house. This prevents clutter accumulation while ensuring dirt from shoes isn’t tracked throughout your freshly cleaned house.
While you’re at it, you can clean the door, light switches, and floors in the area.
Clean Appliances
You never know when you’ll have that nosey family member look inside your fridge. To avoid getting caught with visible crumbs in your veggie crisper (where do the crumbs even come from?), you’ll want to clean all your appliances, including your:
Microwave
Oven
Toaster
Fridge
For an all-natural solution that is extra tough on grease, we recommend mixing 1 cup vinegar with 3 cups of water, 1 cup of baking soda, and ½ cup of dish soap in a bowl. Dip a reliable scrub brush or sponge in and go to Tinsel Town on that grease.
Wash All Linens
Be sure to wash all linens, including your:
Curtains
Dish towels
Hand towels
Sheets
Blankets
Throw pillows and blankets
Clean Furniture and Upholstery
When was the last time you shampooed your upholstery? The time that you spilled red wine on your tan couch doesn’t count. If you own a carpet cleaner, you probably have an attachment that can be used on upholstered furniture. Use it wisely.
Wash and Prep Holiday Service Items
Those holiday bowls that have sat forlornly in your cupboard since that one Black Friday sale at HomeGoods are probably dressed in dust. Give all of your good china and service items a thorough washing and polishing before serving grandma mashed potatoes laden with mystery hairs and dust mites.
Clean Bathrooms
To ensure your bathroom is spic and span for the holiday, be sure to:
Change the shower curtain.
Clean mirrors, countertops, and sink.
Organize your drawers and declutter the area around your sink.
Restock the towels and linens.
Ensure toiletries are available.
Deep clean the toilet, shower, and bath.
Clean and mop the bathroom floors.
Change or wash your shower mat.
Clean Your Floors
Don’t forget that a clean floor is the foundation of any clean home. We’d also recommend putting this last on your list. While running around the house dusting, washing, and wiping, you’re probably kicking up dust and tracking dirt. Finish off your holiday cleaning by working from the outside in.
Start with your baseboards, and don’t forget to move your furniture away from the walls.
But once you’re done, don’t move your furniture back!
Sweep/vacuum and mop behind the recently moved items before returning them to their previous position. Next, vacuum and shampoo any carpet or rugs and then sweep and mop any hardwood or tile areas around them. This will prevent you from kicking up and leaving dirt on the floor after vacuuming.
7 Tips for Holiday Cleaning
Have you complied with your holiday cleaning list for all the main tasks above? Good, now here’s a few tips to help you keep your head on straight as you take on a Mount Crumpit of holiday tasks:
Don’t procrastinate: Your to-do list is likely long and overwhelming, so take it little by little and keep going. The last thing you want to do is scramble until your guests start arriving (or even after). Start with the bigger items first and save cleaning individual rooms for last.
Put everything in its place: Find a home for everything that might be seen as clutter, such as coats, miscellaneous mail, misplaced objects, etc. Make it your New Year's resolution to keep everything in its new home.
Use the right cleaning products: Ditch the chemical-laden junk and opt for all-natural cleaning products. You never know which guests may be allergic to ammonia or bleach.
Deep clean vs. maintenance clean: Remember to follow up on your deep cleaning with some maintenance cleaning at least once a week.
Focus on high-traffic rooms: Your whole house will be clean in the end, but pay special attention to rooms that will see high traffic during holiday parties or visits — the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, dining room, and bedrooms, especially if you have overnight guests.
Take it one room at a time: Break the tasks into smaller bits by working on each room in sections. If you happen to have some help, each of you can take different rooms and get to work.
Remember, even Santa needs a little help: There’s nothing wrong with using a cleaning service to prepare for the holidays! No one will ever know. Tidy Up Portland! provides phenomenal service at record time. Just book an appointment and sit back as our dependable cleaners transform your home.
Let the Professionals at Tidy Up Portland! Help Tackle Your Holiday Cleaning Checklist
Now that we’ve covered our holiday cleaning checklist and our special tips and tricks, let’s move on to the secret.
The secret to keeping your home tidy and spotless all year round is: help.
Not everyone likes to or has the time to clean. And that’s okay because that’s where we step in!
Tidy Up Portland! is a boutique green-cleaning company that believes routine and deep cleaning services should be quality, chemical-free, and local. Unlike our competitors, we truly care, which is why we offer:
User-friendly booking systems
Transparent and flexible pricing
Consistently high-quality cleaning services
Deployment of trustworthy and dependable cleaners
A rock-solid 100% satisfaction guarantee for Flat Rate services
So, hire the best house cleaner in Portland for your holiday cleaning and book with Tidy Up Portland! today.
