Dealing with the aftermath of the Christmas party

The party has been great. You have just seen the last guest off, and the rest of the household has retired to sleep. As you too call it a day you cannot help but suddenly notice that your house looks like it has been hit by a hurricane. Not to worry, here is what to do to make cleaning easier.

Preparation
First to make things easier, prepare your house so that is always ready to accommodate children and company. For example, choose dark coloured rugs that can mask stains that may occur during the party. It is helpful to have few towels stashed somewhere so that accidents can be taken care of immediately. This will serve both your guests and children well. In order to avoid water rings on the furniture, positions coasters and napkins strategically around the room before the party. Delegate some responsibilities in advance but remember you are the hostess. You may ask friend to help you pick up dirty plates and used glasses during party time.

After the party

– Start by emptying your kitchen sink and clearing off your kitchen counters.
– Gather up all the cutlery, dishes and glasses. Scrape plates and empty glasses and put them to soak. You could use a bucket filled with soap and water. Fit it under your sink so that you can put the dishes out of sight while we attend to the rest of the mess. Getting clutter out of the way makes the kitchen look cleaner even before the actual cleaning process takes place.
–  Then, attend to all stains accordingly.
–  Quickly damp mop the floor. This is not the time to be thorough. You are just trying to give the next morning an  easier start.
–  Wipe down your kitchen counters, drink a glass of water and go to bed.

In the morning
–  To eliminate smoke, food or other odours, leave a small bowl with cotton balls soaked in vanilla and light a great smelling candle.
– Put on some upbeat music.
–  Have tea and something to push your energy levels.
– Check any stubborn stains. Add additional spot remover if necessary.
–  Do the dishes taking breaks in between to enjoy your favourite beverage. Make sure that you
do them on the sink so that you avoid bending, which is health hazard to you as an expectant mother.
–  Clean the blenders by pouring a bit of soap i the bottom and fill almost to the top with water. Cover and blend on low for a few minutes. Any remaining food will come right off when wiped with a cleaning sponge.
– Remove coffee and tea stains from fine China by rubbing it with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda.
–  To clean your microwave oven. Combine one tablespoon baking soda with a cup of water and heat until the mixture froths over. Then wipe with a sponge and warm water.
– To remove burned food from a pan, heat the pan on the stove until it is fairly warm. Then place a mixture of bleach and detergent over the burned-on food. Leave it for twenty minutes to an hour and then rinse.

ED: BL18/73