Deep Clean Now for Easy Holiday Entertaining Later's featured image

Getting your house ready for holiday parties can be hectic. The professional house cleaners at MOLLY MAID know it's best to get a jump on this cleaning and give the rooms that get the most guest traffic – the kitchen, family room, main floor bathroom and guest bedroom – a deep clean now. Then it will be easier to keep them sparkling as the month goes by.

Here's a guide to deep-cleaning:

De-clutter: Always start a deep clean by getting rid of items that shouldn't be there. Clean off visible shelves and countertops. Re-organize items so everything is tidy and countertops aren't too crowded. This is also a good time to shake out mats and rugs and put towels etc., into the laundry.

Wipe: Give all surfaces a good wipe to remove crumbs and dust. Use a slightly damp microfibre cloth and the appropriate cleaning product. Dust and polish all containers and items. Pay attention to window coverings too – wipe venetian blinds and shake out curtains to remove dust. In the bathroom, clean the shower and tub tiles.

Move Furniture: Safely pull out any furniture so you can clean behind and underneath – dust collects in these places! Empty garbage containers and put them into the hallway.

Extra Attention: Have a good look at all the products you use every day to see if they need extra cleaning or servicing. Do you need to de-scale the coffee maker? Do all drains empty well (or are they slow)? Do light bulbs need replacing?  

Floors: Sweep or vacuum the floor. Are there any spots that need to be cleaned (or scratches or gouges in wood floors) that need to be looked after? Check the vacuum cleaner to see if it needs a new dust bag.

Wash the Floor: If floors are bare, wash the floor starting at the far corner and working your way to the door.

All you will have to do now to keep these rooms tidy is to clean lightly over the next month and to not let clutter build.