DIY

Do you need an fast emergency house clean up before guest arrive? Let’s be honest, most of us have needed to do this at least once (a year). It can feel really overwhelming with you look at everything that needs to be done; you may feel hopeless. But never fear – I’m going to tell you how to do a FAST emergency house clean-up with time to fix yourself up before anyone gets to your house.

Maybe you’re in desperate need because you offered to host a holiday meal or party; and now you’re looking at the house wondering why you thought thinking. DO NOT CANCEL. I have a method to help you do a fast emergency house clean up without hiring a cleaning service. Sure, it is best if we can keep up on our housework with a day-to-day schedule; but that isn’t always going to happen. Don’t feel bad, don’t panic, we are going to get this done!

How To Do A Fast Emergency House Clean Up

Just a note before we get started. Remember that your family and friends come to see YOU! If they are inspecting and judging your house, that’s really their problem, not yours. Don’t make this the end-all-be-all of their visit. Just pick up the house and make sure it isn’t dirty; perfection is not the goal here.

Ok, first thing we need to do is grab our supplies for this emergency house clean up!

1. All purpose spray cleaner
2. Cleaning gloves if things are really bad
3. Glass cleaner
4. Duster (I like the microfiber ones that hold onto dirt)
5. Cleaning clothes or paper towels, sponges, scrubbies for tough struff
6. Broom and dust pan
7. Mop
8. Vacuum
9. Toilet bowl cleaner and scrubber
10. Trash bags

Now, let’s make a plan of action for the fast emergency house cleaning!

• Put your headphones and and crank the party music!
• If you have a spouse and/or kids then you need to DIVIDE & CONQUER.
• Delegate jobs from this list that they can do for you. In our house we each take a section and we can get the whole house clean pretty fast.

Are your guests staying the night? Let’s hit the guest room first.

• First, if your guests are staying the night throw a load of linens in the washer so they have clean sheets, bedding and towels.
• Pick up all clutter and trash. This is NOT the time to organize – just get the clutter out of site and throw away trash.
• Dust this room from ceiling fans down. This is not a detail cleaning but the surfaces should be free of dirt and dust.
• I vacuum, even if it is a hard surface floor. This is much faster than sweeping.
• Remember when you are vacuuming to get the cracks and crevices around the windows/window seals, behind doors etc.
• Mop if you have hard floors.
• Make the bed.
• Run some essential oils in a diffuser to give the room a pleasant, welcome scent, without chemicals. I like to do lavender for bedrooms, personally.
• NOTE: They do not need to go in your room, close the door and don’t worry about that unless you have extra time.

WHEN YOU’RE DOING A FAST EMERGENCY CLEAN-UP
DO NOT STOP TO ADMIRE YOUR WORK!

Emergency Clean Up on the Bathrooms

• First put some toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet and let is sit (this will help remove any stains.
• Give a preliminary squirt to the bowl, seat and outside top to bottom and let that sit.
• Spray the shower and tub down with cleaner too and let that sit. Now we attack the rest of the bathroom.
• Pick up any laundry and get that in a basket to do later.
• Throw your towels and bath mats in the washer now (get them from all bathrooms if you have more than one).
• Empty the trash.
• Wipe down your sink and counter top.
• Clean the mirrors.
• Now scrub down your shower – a light spritz of bleach will get rid of mold and mildew stains fast.
• Swish the inside toilet (add a water drop-in if you have it). If stains in the bowl are bad you can get a pumice stone and clean it.
• Now wipe the seat down, don’t forget the underside; and then the entire outside of the bowl. Get around the floor by hand because it will be hard to do with a mop.
• Sweep / Vacuum / Mop
• Put up your clean towels and bathmats.
• I like to do a few drops of a purify essential oil on the mats for a clean scent.

BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER
GO THROW ANOTHER LOAD OF A LAUNDRY IN!
GRAB KITCHEN TOWELS AND MATS IF YOU HAVE THEM!!!

Fast Clean Up on the Kitchen

• Load and run the dishwasher.
• Hand wash anything you can’t get in the dishwasher, dry it and put it away.
• Empty the trash.
• This is NOT the time to clean out the fridge unless you have nasty food you don’t want your guests to accidentally eat.
• Wipe down the appliances.
• Wipe down the counters.
• Scrub your sink.
• Use window cleaner to give your faucet a nice shine.
• Sweep and mop the floors.
• Return freshly cleaned towels and mats.

Emergency Cleaning Main Rooms (Living / Dining / Entry / Etc)

• Pick up trash and clutter.
• Dust all the surfaces (if you don’t have a microfiber duster you are missing out!).
• Dust your knick knacks
• Freshen up your curtains by throwing them in the dryer on the de-wrinkle cycle (if you have time).
• Sweep / Vacuum / Mop
• Put on your diffuser with a nice blend to match the season. I love the a fall and winter blend for the holidays or try the Warm and Cozy blend.
  If your house smells good it will appear cleaner!

IS ALL THE LAUNDRY DONE? FOLDED AND PUT AWAY?

Fast Emergency Clean-Up – Indoor Pets

If you have ANY indoor pets you need to clean up litter boxes and cages. Trust me, even if you don’t think there is a smell there probably is. Your guests, especially non-pet owning guests, will definitely smell it. It won’t matter how clean the house looks if it smells like a litter box.

Other Emergency House Clean-Up To Hit

A few things to hit if you have time.

• Sweep your front and back porch, shake out your entry rugs and such. Spray off it they are really dirty!

If You Have Extra Time After Your Fast Emergency House Clean-Up

If you get done fast and have some extra time then hit bedrooms or/and an office that guests don’t have to be in. Do the same thing you did in the guest bedroom to make yours look clean. BUT don’t feel bad about closing a door and asking people not to go in there.