Cleaning the home for last-minute guests
We’ve spent more time than ever in our homes since the pandemic, and this has probably added to wear and tear and clutter. But fear not! From cleaning the bathroom and freshening up the living room to sorting the clutter and getting organised, here are some great little ways to help you stay on top.
Clean the bathroom
A dirty bathroom is probably the most important one to master, not only for your guests but for you too. So if there is one room you deep clean, try and make it this one:
- Scrub the toilet and sink, - these areas are high traffic, and breeding ground for germs so should be kept on top of around once a week
- When cleaning the toilet, generously apply a toilet bowl cleaner, leave it to sit for a couple of minutes then scrub gently with a toilet brush and then flush away
- Don’t forget the toilet brush itself! Once used, let the toilet brush dry out and spray the holder and the brush with disinfectant. It’s best to replace these every year or so.
- Wipe mirror and any glass in the shower with a glass spray
- Clean the bathroom floor with floor wipes, or a mop to refresh to leave it smelling fresh
- Restock toilet paper, shampoo and body wash – this will mean guests don’t have to ask if they run out.
- Wash and dry all bathroom linen
- Empty the bin if you have one
- Add a spray in the room so guests can freshen up after using the loo
- Invest in a few new accessories to jazz the place up, like bathroom mirrors or soap dispensers
- Light a candle just before guests arrive
Freshen up the living room
When tackling the living room, it’s usually clutter that’s the biggest task. Here’s our top tips for getting the living room back into order, ready for hosting:
- Remove clutter like toys and magazines - our ottomans are great for tidying away in style
- Polish and dust
- Give the sofa pillows a good fluff
- Give everywhere a good vacuum – if you have time, go the extra mile and quickly hoover the sofa cushions and down the sides
- Jazz things up with some new home accessories. From cosy cushions and throws to stylish faux plants and photoframes – we have everything to add those all-important finishing touches to the living room
- Why not pop on some music ready for your guests?
Hiding away clutter and a quick hoover and dust is all it takes…honest!
Spare bedroom
If you are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom, then here’s our tips for getting it looking great for guests:
- Change the bed linen for a fresh new feel
- If your bedding is looking a bit tired, we have a great range of bedding for a little refresh
- You may also want to jazz up the style of the room with some new accessories – our cushions start from just £5 and can add colour to the room and make it look more inviting
- Do you have curtains up in the spare room?
- Why not add a nice throw over the end of the bed for that welcoming B&B feel?
If your guests are crashing on the sofa or an air bed – make sure you give that space a once over too! Add some comfy cushions to the sofa and make sure they have pillows and a duvet.
We’re not saying you have to deliver a 5-star hotel experience, but these little touches go a long way.
Stay on top in the kitchen
The heart of the home should be kept tidy so it’s nice and welcoming for guests, and when it’s organised it makes cooking and hosting a lot easier too!
- Tidy things away – if you have spare cupboard space then you can sneakily hide away all the clutter – out of sight out of mind!
- Don’t forget to tidy away anything which shouldn’t be in the kitchen like coats hung on the back of chairs - you don’t want your guests to have nowhere to sit.
- Clean the dishes and put them away too if you have time
- Invest in a Dishmatic, they dispense washing up liquid through the sponge and make cleaning the dishes a breeze!
- Give your surfaces a quick clean with wilko antibacterial multi surface wipes. They're quick, hygienic and effective, and plastic free - that’s a little win!
- Make your kitchen smell nice, if you cooked a spicy dish last night you don’t want a lingering garlic smell, so open the windows as wide as you can to let fresh air in – spray some air freshener, light a candle and banish those bad smells
Top tip – a plug in fragrance is great as you can just plug in and leave it to do the work!
If you have extra time, here are our deep cleaning tips…
If a proper deep clean is needed, no judgement – we are here to help.
Banish pet smells…you may love your pup but sometimes they can get stinky! wilko Pet Urine Stain and Odour Destroyer 1L is great to tackle stains and odour.
If there is a lingering smell in the kitchen it might be the bins. Deep clean the bins by emptying out, washing out with hot water, and cleaning with a multipurpose cleaning fluid or disinfectant. Top tip - add some baking soda to absorb smells.
Another place which can get smelly is the fridge. If you have the time then give it a clean out. Remove everything from the fridge, remove any trays and clean with warm soapy water. Wipe down the surfaces with a multipurpose cleaner.
Wanting to tackle the floors and windows too? Opt for a traditional mop with hot water and solution or go for the easier option of a flash speed mop or power mop. The speed mop uses wipes that you simply attach to the mop head.
For your windows, use a glass cleaner – simply spray on and wipe off – wilko Handheld Window Cleaner with Bottle is a great multi use product, add your favourite window solution to the bottle, spray on, wipe off in one go! Or for a deeper clean use a window vac like the Beldray Window Vacuum.
The finishing touches
Have items on hand so guests don’t feel like they need to ask, it’s the simple things like having coffee on the counter top and toiletries ready to use in the shower that will make guests feel at home.
You could even pop a little welcome basket on the guest bed with toiletries and tissues for them to use over their stay. If you have guests often, stock up on these items when they are on sale.
And to make them feel extra special, stock the kitchen with a few home comforts. If you know their favourite snacks then get some in, it doesn’t have to be expensive!
Top tip: have a copy of the all-important wifi password ready.
Don’t sweat it! There’s no need to panic, just do your best in the time you have. After all, guests have come to see you not your house. Do you have any tips for when you have guests over? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
