Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remind ourselves of all we’re grateful for — including family and friends. But we also know this can be a busy and stressful time of year, especially if you’re preparing to entertain guests and visitors for a Thanksgiving celebration. Here are some simple tips to help you get your home guest-ready.
Hit Those High-Traffic Areas
Vacuum or sweep your entryway, hallways and other spaces in your home that guests pass through frequently. If you have carpets in those areas, a professional deep-cleaning will remove the ground-in dirt and soil collected over time, for an instantly brighter, fresher and more welcoming look. For hardwood floors, use a professional cleaning service that has specialized equipment and solutions that protect the wood while also cleaning, polishing and sanitizing it.
Living Room Floors and Furniture
Your living room is likely to be a central gathering place for family and friends during Thanksgiving. In addition to having your living room carpets, area rugs and floors cleaned, consider professional cleaning for your furniture and window treatments as well — especially if it’s been a while since the last cleaning.
Choose a professional cleaning company that knows how to properly treat and clean a wide range of fabrics, including leather, to remove stains, grease, and embedded dirt without damage. For cleaning window treatments, drapery, and blinds, make sure your cleaning service will remove and reinstall the treatments once they’ve been cleaned.
Cleaning Kitchen Counters and Floors
If you’re providing the Thanksgiving meal, you’ll be doing a lot of meal prepping and cooking in your kitchen. Deep-cleaning and sanitizing your countertops and kitchen floors will help make sure you and your guests stay healthy.
If your countertops are made from natural stone like granite, consider professional cleaning services. Trained pros know how to thoroughly clean stone’s porous material to eliminate hidden bacteria, viruses and microbes, as well as buff and seal your stone surfaces to remove scratches and protect from future wear and tear.
Getting the Guest Bedroom Ready
If your guests plan to stay overnight, make sure the bedroom they’ll be sleeping in is clean, tidy and welcoming. Put fresh, clean sheets on the bed, and provide a few clean extra blankets for chilly nights. Dust the room, vacuum the floors, and shake out any area rugs — particularly if the room hasn’t been used in a while. Give your guests plenty of empty closet and drawer space to store their belongings, and add a vase of fresh flowers for a homey touch.
Cleaning the Bathroom
Let’s be honest: your bathrooms are going to get a lot more use around Thanksgiving. So, you’ll want to make sure those areas of your home get a good, thorough cleaning. In addition to scrubbing the toilets, wiping down counters, and restocking toilet paper supplies, consider bringing in professionals to clean your bathroom tile and grout.
Professional cleaners will know how to remove tough, built-up scum and grime, and get rid of any unsightly mold and mildew so your tile and grout are sparkling clean and sanitized. Professional cleaners can also rejuvenate bathroom floors to like-new condition.
Decluttering Does the Trick
For a quick and easy way to suddenly make your home look more organized and less messy, go from room to room to declutter. Pick up toys, shoes, clothes, books, magazines, and other random items strewn about the space, and temporarily store them in a box at the back of a closet until your Thanksgiving guests are gone. They’ll never know!
Don’t Neglect Your Air Ducts
Your guests will likely be spending most of their time indoors, especially if it’s cold outside. Before they arrive, have your air ducts professionally cleaned to eliminate dust, pollen, and other allergens for healthier indoor air quality. Increased ventilation can help protect you and your guests against fall time viruses like colds and flu. Cleaning out your HVAC ducts will also help ensure your heating system is working properly to keep everyone comfortable.
Make a List and Manage Your Time
Still feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning your home before your guests arrive for Thanksgiving? Try tackling it one room at a time. Make a list of areas to clean, and what needs to be done in each room — then start checking them off one at a time. Focus on those areas you know your guests will be spending the most time and enlist your family members to help you get the job done.
A quick vacuum and dusting may be all you need. But if you truly want to make an impression and offer your guests a healthy, inviting, beautiful space to spend their Thanksgiving, make it easy on yourself and hire professional cleaners.
At COIT, our pros are independently certified and trained to clean just about every surface in every room of your home — including carpets, area rugs, hardwood floors, furniture, window treatments, tile and grout, natural stone, and air ducts. We’ll do the cleaning, so you can focus on counting your blessings and enjoying this time with the people you love.
This content was originally published here.