How To Keep On Top Of Cleaning This Christmas

CONTENTS

• Spruce up your decorations
• Prepare the guest bedrooms
• Deep clean the kitchen
• Tackle the living room
• Stay on track with a Christmas cleaning schedule
• When specialist cleaners can help
• Where to turn to for support
• Get in touch

At Christmas time, families host loved ones and carefully decorate their homes so that lights are twinkling and everything feels festive. With more activity, however, there comes mess.

In fact, data from the British Christmas Tree Growers Association shows that between 6-8 million Christmas trees alone were sold in the UK annually. The decorations that accompany these, as well as the needles falling, are just one of the many cleaning tasks householders find themselves contending with.

At ICE Cleaning, we are leading provider of specialist hoarder cleaning services. If you find your belongings are building-up, we can support you. Operating day and night, we deliver a discreet and sensitive service for our customers.

Let's now delve into some of the ways you can keep on top of your cleaning this Christmas.

Spruce up your decorations

Christmas decorations become dusty when stored away. You may find that your lights have become tangled too, which can be a nightmare to unravel.

Recycling your decorations every year is more environmentally friendly, so sprucing them up with some cleaning can give them a new lease of life. Check that your lights are in good working condition, and that there is no faulty wiring.

When decorating the home, it’s wise to think practically. Don’t obstruct emergency exits with your decorations, as this can create a fire risk. Also place trinkets in areas where they won’t be hard to clean, as this will make your life easier.

Prepare the guest bedrooms

If you're having people over to stay, it's time to turn your attention to the guest bedrooms. Wash the linen and plump up the cushions to provide your visitors with a pleasant place to rest.

Tidy away anything on the shelves that doesn't need to be there, and carry out dusting to keep the room spick and span. Should your visitors be staying for the entire Christmas period, it may be worth clearing out some wardrobe space for them so they don't have to live out of their suitcase.

Provide visitors with towels and toiletries to make them feel at home, and vacuum the room thoroughly so the carpet is clean and fresh. 

Having guests over can be stressful, but is also an exciting time to spend with loved ones. Organising rooms in advance will make the process easier for you, giving you more time to enjoy the festive period.

Deep clean the kitchen

If you're making dinner for the main event, it's recommended that you give your kitchen a deep clean before Christmas celebrations begin. 

Empty your fridge of out-of-date food and wipe the shelves and drawers so they are free from grime. This will keep the fridge fresh and make room for the festive food. Additionally, clear out your cupboards and give them a wipe down. 

Don't forget your oven too, as this is one of the key appliances you'll be using on the day. It can be a tough task, as the grease from cooking settles firmly into the oven. You could look into hiring a professional oven cleaner for this - some appliance companies even include it as an annual service when you first purchase the oven. 

As well as this, keep on top of taking the rubbish out to prevent pests and unpleasant smells from appearing. Kitchens are often key hosting areas in homes, so it is important that the space is comfortable and hygienic.

Tackle the living room

This is area of the home where you'll spend most of the time over the festive period. Try to stick to a good cleaning routine, dusting down surfaces, putting items away, and vacuuming the carpet.

Once you have put up your decorations, you can enjoy the ambiance of the room. Turn on the Christmas lights in the evening or add some nice scents to the room to make it feel even more comfortable.

Many people love bringing presents down to the Christmas tree in the days leading up to the event, but this can create clutter. If you're having people over, this could become difficult to manage.

Bring down the gifts the evening before or on Christmas morning, so you will have more space for entertaining. Also, make sure to turn off the sparkling lights in the living room before going to bed to conserve energy.

Stay on track with a Christmas cleaning schedule

Keeping organised is one of the key ways to keep on top of cleaning at Christmas. Carry out big tasks like cleaning the fridge and oven before your guests arrive. You will be glad you did this later on when you're busy.

As the time draws nearer to Christmas day, using a schedule will help you remember important tasks. It is also advised to clean as you go, so that cleaning doesn't feel so overwhelming. 

There are handy apps you can download to your phone that will help you create lists of tasks that need to be completed, or you may favour a pen and pencil list you can tick off on the move. 

This could also be a good time to have a clear out of belongings you no longer use. This will provide more space for new gifts, and provide a more calm atmosphere for yourself and your visitors.

When specialist cleaners can help

If you are struggling with a build-up of possessions and your home needs a deep clean, specialist cleaners can assist you. A large amount of belongings can create slip and trip hazards, as well as block emergency exits and attract pests.

At ICE Cleaning, we have extensive experience in providing hoarder cleaning. We are fully qualified to dispose of hazardous waste, and can dispose of any belongings you no longer need.

We also give you the choice whether to be there for the clean or not. You're in charge of the situation - we leave the decision up you.

Our experts provide a thorough decontamination, sanitisation and clean of the area. This will help refresh your home and leave it in a hygienic state to occupy.

Where to turn to for support

For support, try talking to someone you feel comfortable with. This could be a family member or a close friend. Communication can provide valuable support in difficult situations. 

Turning to your GP is another option. They will listen to you and be able to advise the right course of treatment for yourself.

There are lots of resources online, too, which can provide you with useful information about what you're experiencing. This includes:

• Hoarding UK
• Mind
• NHS UK

Get in touch

Speak to a member of our friendly support team on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk to find out more about our hoarder cleaning.