Tips on Cleaning Before Guests Arrive

NOVEMBER 2021 MARKET NEWSLETTER

Truckee, Golf Course Communities, Tahoe Donner, Northstar, Donner Summit, Palisades Tahoe, North & West Shore Lake Tahoe, CA.

Cleaning Your House for Guests: A Checklist

Countdown to a perfectly clean guest-ready home no matter how much — or little — time you have.

It feels great to have a clean, organized, well-functioning home when you've got guestscoming. Especially around the holidays. It's like your gift to you.

Here's how to get that satisfying feeling — no matter how much time you have. Just choose your starting point on this checklist:

Three (or More) Weeks to Go

Think big picture. Get anything that requires a pro or installation out of the way now. No one wants calamity to strike when guests are pulling into the driveway.

þ Get your HVAC maintained if it's overdue. þ If you have a self-cleaning oven, clean it now. An oven is most likely to break down during the cleaning cycle, so don't save this task for last. þ Replace any appliance on its last legs. You don't want your hot water to go out or fridge on the fritz with a houseful of guests. þ Steam-clean upholstery. (Or hire a pro. It's a big job) þ Hire a handyman for those repairs you've been putting off. þ Check outdoor lighting. Replace old bulbs and call an electrician to address any bigger issues.

Two Weeks to Go

It's not panic time yet. Focus on decluttering and a few deepcleaning tasks now, and you'll have a more manageable to-do list when the clock really starts ticking down. þ Do a deep declutter. It'll make things easier to keep clean. þ Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, and high-up shelves. þ Wipe down baseboards. þ Clean out and organize the fridge. þ Wash windows to make the entire house feel brighter and cleaner. þ Toss washable shower curtains and drapes in the washing machine and re-hang. Easy.

NOVEMBER 2021 MARKET NEWSLETTER

Truckee, Golf Course Communities, Tahoe Donner, Northstar, Donner Summit, Palisades Tahoe, North & West Shore Lake Tahoe, CA.

One Week to Go

It's strategic cleaning time. Here's what to tackle now — things your family won't easily undo before your guests arrive. þ Declutter again. þ Vacuum and dust guest rooms. If they're low-traffic, the cleanliness should hold with just a quick wipedown right before they arrive. þ Wipe down walls. þ Wipe down kitchen and dining room chairs and tables, including the legs. You'd be surprised how grimy they get. þ Deep clean the entryway — and make room for your guests' stuff.

72 Hours to Go

The final cleaning stretch is on the horizon. þ Do another declutter. þ In the kitchen, toss stove burners, drip pans, and knobs into the dishwasher for an easy deep clean. þ Wash kitchen cabinet fronts. þ Scrub the kitchen floor. þ Clean and shine appliances.

48 Hours to Go

Now it's time to get serious. þ Clean and sanitize garbage cans to banish mystery smells. þ Wipe down doorknobs, faceplates, and light switches. They're germ magnets. þ Clean the front door. þ Deep clean the bathroom your guests will use, and close it off if possible. þ Wash guest towels and linens.

24 Hours to Go

Your guests' bags are packed. Time for final touches. þ Do a final declutter - by now it shouldn't take more than five minutes. þ Give one final wipe-down to toilets, tubs, and bathroom sinks. þ And another final wipe-down in the kitchen. þ Do all the floors: mop, vacuum, sweep, etc. þ Make guest beds and set out clean towels. þ Plug in nightlights in guest baths. þ Put out guest toiletries so they're easy to find. þ Add a coffee or tea station in the guest room or kitchen. þ Get your favorite smell going, whether it's a scented candle, spices in water on the stove, or essential oils. þ Use rubber gloves to wipe off pet hair and dust from furniture. It works. þ Do the full red carpet: Sweep or shovel porch, steps, and outdoor walkways.