No one wants to think about doing chores over the holidays, and while we can get away with skipping some tasks over the most special days, we have to get back to our routine eventually to stop our homes falling into chaos.
Given the altered routine, influx of guests, and the general chaos of hosting, it can be difficult to get back into the swing of things, leading to some common Christmas clean-up mistakes that are making our holidays harder than they need to be.
Here, professional cleaners share the most common home cleaning mistakes to watch out for after Christmas to make resetting your home a little less stressful.
Christmas clean-up mistakes to avoid
Even if you have already worked through a host of pre-Christmas cleaning tasks, Christmas dinner, gathering guests, and unwrapping gifts will quickly contribute to mess that can grow out of control if left unchecked.
1. Trying to clean before tidying
Houses get messy at Christmas – there is no way around it.
Between food and drink, gift wrap, and gathering family things are bound to be out of place by the end of it. Trying to clean before dedicating some time to home organizing is only going to make your life harder.
Polya Petrova, cleaning expert at Fantastic Services says, ‘Decluttering before cleaning can make your life easier. Start small by focusing on one room or area at a time. Organize items into different groups: items to hold onto, to give away, and to get rid of. Use labeled boxes for a quick and organized process.’
You should also use this time to find homes for Christmas gifts so they don’t end up as floating clutter around your home in the new year.
Decorative baskets make decluttering easier. Assign one basket for things to keep and put away (so items are easier to carry to their new homes), one for donation (so items can easily be taken to the car), and another for items for the trash. Using decorative baskets means if you have to stop midway for whatever reason, they still look intentional, hiding clutter in plain sight.
2. Working alone
Splitting chores with a partner or motivating your family to clean is a must during the holidays. Chores should never fall on one person, urges Ashley Matuska Kidder, cleaning expert at Dashing Maids. ‘Divide and conquer with your roommates, partner, and kids if you have any.’
You might be surprised how many guests are willing to pitch in to help, too, helping to keep your Christmas cleaning social.
3. Neglecting ‘high dirt’ spots
You need to clean kitchens and clean bathrooms every week – and it doesn't stop for Christmas, especially if you have had a lot of guests over and have cooked a large Christmas meal. That's why you skipping high-traffic areas in your post Christmas cleaning is a mistake.
Bethany Skorik, etiquette expert and lifestyle coach at The Charming Diplomat says, ‘For the bathroom, at the very least you should clean the toilet seat and bowl, and clean the bathroom sink to kill bacteria. Wiping the floor around the toilet and sink will also instantly spruce the space up. For a finishing touch, remove dirty clothes and towels and empty the trash.
‘In the kitchen, load the dishwasher straight away after dinner to avoid piles of smelly dishes. Wipe down the sink and cabinets, not forgetting to disinfect countertops and take out any overflowing trash to prevent odors and pests.’
It is highly advisable that you also clean an oven after Christmas, but this can be left for another day in the week so you can still enjoy Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We suggest cleaning an oven without chemicals, cleaning with vinegar, or using the best steam cleaner to melt away grease, for the best results.
It is generally a good idea to keep some microfiber cloths in every room, especially the bathroom and kitchen, for quick cleaning. Consider color coding your cleaning to prevent contamination with your cloths and products.
White vinegar breaks down grease, kills mold, dissolves limescale, and neutralizes odors, making it a great all-round cleaner for bathrooms and kitchens. Simply mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and get to work.
Steam cleaners might seem like a big investment, but they are one of the most versatile cleaning tools for any home. This Black & Decker mop has attachments to clean both hard and carpeted floors, upholstery and clothing, ovens, tiles and grout, all with one machine. I use mine for dozens of cleaning jobs.
4. Leaving everything for one day
It can be easy to say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ during the Christmas break, until all the days all start to blend into one. Before you know it, it will be the day before work and school starts and everything will still be a mess.
Trying something like the different day, different room housekeeping schedule can help you restore your home to normalcy without piling the stress on one day.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to sacrifice your daytime relaxation, Ashley Matuska Kidder, cleaning expert says, ‘Put the house to bed with a closing shift routine. At the end of the day, before you crawl into bed, tidy up the home. This will look different for everyone but it should not take more than five to 15 minutes and will make all the difference in your mood when you wake up the next day.'
Matuska suggests doing the following regularly throughout hosting season so it doesn't pile up on you:
- Empty the kitchen sink or run the dishwasher.
- Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom counters.
- Tidy your home and put miscellaneous things away where they belong so the surfaces are cleared.
- Sweep kitchen floors.
The Damp Duter picks up dust, rather than spreading it around, turning dusting into a rapid 10-minute task.
A nice smelling all-purpose anti-bacterial spray, paired with a microfiber cloth, will be your secret weapon for closing shift routines. You can blitz around the surfaces of your home in a few minutes to keep them hygienic.
No one wants to lug a vacuum cleaner out just before going to bed (not to mention they can disturb early sleepers and neighbors). To stay on top of mess, invest in a good dustpan and broom to collect crumbs so you wake up to a clean home.
5. Forgetting about laundry
Of all the tasks over Christmas, doing laundry is probably one of the easiest but potentially most loathed. Be it stripping guest beds or refreshing well-worn aprons and Christmas jumpers, avoid letting linens pile up.
Elizabeth Sheilds, professional cleaner and operations manager at Super Cleaning Service Louisville says, ‘Nobody’s impressed with a mountain of laundry, be it on your couch or bed. It instantly makes the whole room feel messy. Grab all the stray clothes, even the socks hiding under the coffee table, and toss them into a hamper or basket.’
Running just one cycle every other day can help work through the mess so you are not left with an overwhelming task in January. A laundry organizer such as the 90-liter Tota Trio Joseph Joseph one from Amazon will cut down the difficulty futher.
Tide is specially formulated to work at lower wash temperatures without sacrificing results, helping you to save money on laundry when doing multiple loads.
Cleaning as you go on Christmas day will help you avoid these common Christmas clean-up mistakes so the energy you replenish over the break isn’t wasted on all your chores.
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