Can you believe that Christmas is just 5 days away? If you ask my kids that is a lifetime. If you ask parents who have to get ready for Christmas and visitors it is probably WAY TOO soon. I’m right smack in the middle. My wrapping is done, my shopping not quite finished but just a few things to pick up, and my house spotless. The key….keeping it that way. However sometimes it is not the getting ready that is troublesome but the days afterwards when everything needs to be cleaned up and put back right.
Before Your Guests Arrive:
I personally feel the extra expense to hire someone to come in and do the dirty work, the floors, bathroom, sinks, and kitchens is well worth the price. It really takes some stress off of you when you have a ton of other things to prepare for. In fact just today I had my house cleaned by Fantastic Maids and it was worth every penny.
For many of us we grab the ladder, open that top cabinet, stretch all the way to the back, and grab those dishes used once a year. You know they are cleaned because you cleaned them before you put them away. However why not just run them through the rinse cycle in your dishwasher to freshen them up and get them sparkling. When you pull out those candle holders did you find caked on wax from the last use? We usually buy new candles but use the same candle holders. Sometimes that wax can be a pain to remove. Dip your candle holder in boiling water (if you are able) and let the wax melt a little for easy removal.
With your decorations up, the music flowing, and sparkling dishes your dinner is sure to be a hit. However sometimes it is after the guest leave that we notice a well hidden stain. Many people like to use cloth napkins for the holidays in place of paper. However this also means they can not be tossed and will need to be cleaned. While I strongly suggest a darker fabric here are a few stain fighting and clean up tips.
After Your Guests Have Left:
- For non-grease stains soak the stain in cold water to prevent oxidation. Wash in the warmest water the garment will allow and use bleach or color safe bleach.
- For an oily stain like turkey juice, rub detergent directly into the stain. Wash the garment in the hottest water. Then air dry and check for stains if there are still stains repeat again.
- If gravy is your troublesome stain remove all residue from the garment rub with detergent and soak in a mixture of detergent and water for 30 minutes. Wash in the warmest water possible
Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a Blog Tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Whirlpool. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All opinions are my own. You may read more of my disclosure here.
