Christmas,Cleaning,After.,Cleaning,Tools,Broom,And,Scoop,And,Unused

News Years party clean up

by Christmas

New Years embrace new beginnings – a chance for everyone to begin fresh and fun and in most cases It is bound to start with a celebration of some sort which will probably get a little messy.

If you have hosted here is a little round up of how to clean up that mess quickly.

Before going to bed.

Get ahead start by having a little tidy up before locking up and going to bed, trust me you will appreciate this in the morning.

  • Put any uneaten food in plastic containers and place it back in the fridge. If you leave it lying there all night, it could quickly rot and start to smell. By doing so, it will stay fresh longer, and you might not have to cook the next day.
  • Seal or re-cork bottles of wine that haven’t been entirely emptied yet. You can use some cling wrap to cover the top if you can’t get the cork back in. 
  • Act on any urgent matters such as stains and spills. They are easiest to remove when treated immediately. for any clothing stains soak pre treat using a stain remover and then soak over nights. In the morning you can add to the wash. For any carpet stains spot treat these using a solution of warm soapy water and a splash of white vinegar, gently dab and then blot to dry using a clean white cloth.
  • Clear out any clutter you see. The last thing you’d want is to navigate a maze full of empty cans and bottles in the middle of the night during those times when you are in desperate need of the loo or get up in the morning to a sea of mess. Grab a heavy duty bin liner and get filling. But remember too recycle.

In the morning

You may be feeling a little hung over so before you start with your big clean up give you some a little TLC, drink plenty of water and have a good breakfast. If you are running on empty you will tire quickly and have to come back to it another day, start the new year fresh and get on with the job at hand. The end result will be worth it.

  • Start by clearing surfaces and dealing with any sticky patches from spilt drinks or dips.
  • Run the vacuum around so you are not treading food crumbs throughout the rest of your home.
  • Throw open those windows and let some fresh air in to get rid of any horrible smells.
  • Start doing the dishes. Fill the dishwasher with bowls, plates, and glasses and hand wash items that won’t fit in.
  • Gather your fabric tablecloths and napkins and give them a quick cycle in your washing machine. Use a good quality detergent and add in a stain remover to pick up any stains. You can also start washing items you have applied stain removers to the night before.
  • Wash or steam the floors
  • Refresh the sofa by giving it a good vacuum and spritz with a homemade fabric refresher.
  • Do not forget to inspect the toilet premises. Everyone tries their best to be hygienic, but once alcohol is flowing and actions are impaired, there can be a few misses. Wear rubber gloves and start wiping the areas with disinfectant, remember to spray and leave the product to work to get the full benefit and kill those germs. Change over the hand towel and wipe over the sink area.

Congratulations you are now a step closer to bringing your home back to normal state.

bbqqq

Host an organised and clean BBQ this summer.

by Home Organising

Hooray BBQ season is here, its time to start cooking and enjoying our outside spaces and  host lovely get to together with family and friends. Hosting a BBQ can be busy and to host a good BBQ you need to be prepared. We had a really big BBQ last year it poured with rain and the gas run out!!!!! so it really was a bitof a disaster but this taught me to be much more organised and prepared for the British Weather.

Lets get started in hosting the perfect BBQ

Cooking Equipment & Utensils

Have you got all the equipment to enable you to cook safely. Different utensils for raw meat, cooked meats and the vegetation option.
If you are using a gas BBQ do you have enough gas
You may also want to have a cooking thermostat  to hand so you can check your meats have been cooked well. Nothing worse than all of your guest getting food poisoning from undercooked foods.
Tubberware and kitchen foil are essential.
A small table for the chef is also a great idea so they have a little more room
Cool bags to keep uncooked meat to save you going in and out.

Cleaning Materials

Big tip for BBQ’s is always use disposable plates and cutlery this way it can be chucked away straight away
Have a few heavy-duty bin bags in the garden so people can easily dispose of their rubbish.
Scatter hand sanitziers around so people can freshen up their hands
Have a bowl of soapy water just for the cooks hands so they can wash their hands after handling different types of meats.
Keep cleaning cloths and sponges with an antibacterial spray or washing up liquid to hand so spillages can be dealt with quickly
Keep kitchen roll or napkins in easy reach areas for everyone to use
Anti bacterial wipes and good to have near the BBQ.
Plus  tea towels for drying hands

Weather

Check the weather and makes sure you can bring the BBQ inside if needed. Do you have enough room, can you still cook outside. This is so important to plan and if you do cancel give your guests plenty of notice.  Gazebos with sides can be a good investment with the great British weather.

Garden

Make sure your garden is in top condition. You don’t want your guests to be wading through over grown grass. Cut the lawn and tidy up any edges along with hanging baskets and flower beds.

Seating

Make sure you have plenty of chairs and table space. If you don’t ask people to bring their own or ask neighbours.
Picnic blankets make a good option for children so scatter a few off these around and maybe add a few cushions if you have them. When they have finished eating you pick these up and put them straight into the washing machine.

Nibbles

Snacks like crisps and carrot sticks with dips should be on offer to starve off hunger, while you guests are waiting for the meat to cook, and to prevent them from getting too drunk too quickly.

Drinks

Make sure you have brought plenty of drinks and non alcoholic drinks for the drivers and younger guest.  If it’s a warm day store them in a cool place. I brought this amazing cooler ice table last year and it went down so well.  I just simply filled it with ice and drinks.  This also saved people from going in and out of the house and into my fridge.

Dessert

Delegate this task to your guests, people will always ask if they can bring anything and take them up pn this offer. Don’t try to be a superhero and manage every single thing. Let other people contribute slightly after all you are hosting.

Sun cream

If it’s a warm day have sun cream to hand that guests are welcome to use. It may also be a good idea to have plasters to hand too for any little accidents that may happen.

Set the mood with your music

Certain songs just scream, “SUMMER!” and will keep your party guests in a great mood all afternoon and evening long. Prepare a BBQ playlist with plenty of songs so your guests don’t keep hearing the same song over and over agin. That would really annoy me!

Keep garden decorations simple especially if you have young guests

There’s really no need to overdo it with decorations  string up some garden lights around our patio and bring out some mason jars with tea lights for after sunset. I absolutely love these flower bulb ones

Toilet

Assign one toilet for your guests so that your other bathrooms and toilets stay clean.  Make sure you have plenty of loo roll and a hand towel.  Also have a spray to hand incase anyone does an embarrassing smell.

Have fun

Now the boring bit is over its time to go and enjoy yourself with family and friends

My summer stains post will help will help with any ketchup and grass stains Take a look here

Thank you for reading
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

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