How to Clean Quickly for Unexpected Guests

Everyone has probably experienced that moment of near panic when you receive an unexpected phone call or knock on the door and you realize the house is a disaster. You can't always anticipate when unexpected guests will arrive, but you can better prepare yourself for when it does happen. Here are a few ways you can clean quickly when unexpected guests show up at your front door.

Instructions

1

Grab an empty laundry basket or trash bag and throw everything in it that is cluttering up the main living areas of your home, especially floors and table tops. Toys, dirty socks, mail, anything except for clean clothes and food is fair game to toss into this catch all container. Stash the basket or bag into a closet or room you will have closed off to your guests.

2

Run through your home's typical path of traffic with a vacuum if you have carpet or floor dusting cloth if you have bare floors. Sprinkle or spray a little carpet freshener as you go along or use scented dust cloths. A quick swipe should suffice.

3

Clear out the sink and counter tops in the kitchen. Stash dirty dishes in the dishwasher or even the oven. Stack mail neatly or put in a decorative basket you can keep in the kitchen for just such occasions. Toss other odds and ends like calculators, pens and the like into the junk drawer.

4

Spray the kitchen sink quickly with bleach cleaner and allow it to sit a few minutes while you do other tasks in the kitchen. Rinse out the sink quickly before your guests arrive to get rid of the bleach cleaner.

5

Wipe down the counter tops and stovetop with disinfecting wipes. Don't forget to inspect the fridge and microwave for any visible outside dirt.

6

Clean the toilet in the main bathroom first by brushing out the bowl to remove any surface dirt. Wipe off the bowl rim, underside of the seat, the seat, behind the seat and just under the basin with disinfecting wipes. Also, wipe the floor around the bowl and check corners for visible hair and dust bunnies.

7

Spray bathroom mirror and faucets with window cleaner and give it a quick shine by wiping them down with a paper towel. If you have a large mirror, focus on splatter spots instead of cleaning the whole mirror to save time.

8

Disinfect bathroom counter tops with wipes. This will give them a clean surface and give the bathroom a fresh, clean smell.

9

Take out the trash. Place it just outside the back door or in the garage, wherever it will be out of sight. Be sure to replace the liner in the trash can.

10

Freshen up your own appearance by combing your hair and applying a light layer of powder or bronzer to disguise that harried glow you may have acquired while cleaning. Light a candle and set out some flowers, snacks or make coffee if you have time. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your company.

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Everyone has probably experienced that moment of near panic when you receive an unexpected phone call or knock on the door and you realize the house is a disaster. You can't always anticipate when unexpected guests will arrive, but you can better prepare yourself for when it does happen. Here are a few ways you can clean quickly when unexpected guests show up at your front door.

Instructions

1

Grab an empty laundry basket or trash bag and throw everything in it that is cluttering up the main living areas of your home, especially floors and table tops. Toys, dirty socks, mail, anything except for clean clothes and food is fair game to toss into this catch all container. Stash the basket or bag into a closet or room you will have closed off to your guests.

2

Run through your home's typical path of traffic with a vacuum if you have carpet or floor dusting cloth if you have bare floors. Sprinkle or spray a little carpet freshener as you go along or use scented dust cloths. A quick swipe should suffice.

3

Clear out the sink and counter tops in the kitchen. Stash dirty dishes in the dishwasher or even the oven. Stack mail neatly or put in a decorative basket you can keep in the kitchen for just such occasions. Toss other odds and ends like calculators, pens and the like into the junk drawer.

4

Spray the kitchen sink quickly with bleach cleaner and allow it to sit a few minutes while you do other tasks in the kitchen. Rinse out the sink quickly before your guests arrive to get rid of the bleach cleaner.

5

Wipe down the counter tops and stovetop with disinfecting wipes. Don't forget to inspect the fridge and microwave for any visible outside dirt.

6

Clean the toilet in the main bathroom first by brushing out the bowl to remove any surface dirt. Wipe off the bowl rim, underside of the seat, the seat, behind the seat and just under the basin with disinfecting wipes. Also, wipe the floor around the bowl and check corners for visible hair and dust bunnies.

7

Spray bathroom mirror and faucets with window cleaner and give it a quick shine by wiping them down with a paper towel. If you have a large mirror, focus on splatter spots instead of cleaning the whole mirror to save time.

8

Disinfect bathroom counter tops with wipes. This will give them a clean surface and give the bathroom a fresh, clean smell.

9

Take out the trash. Place it just outside the back door or in the garage, wherever it will be out of sight. Be sure to replace the liner in the trash can.

10

Freshen up your own appearance by combing your hair and applying a light layer of powder or bronzer to disguise that harried glow you may have acquired while cleaning. Light a candle and set out some flowers, snacks or make coffee if you have time. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your company.