6 Easy tips on cleaning (and keeping clean) your house for holiday guests.

Is your house becoming the local Motel 6 for the holidays? Sounds like it’s time to bust out the cleaning supplies. Here are some simple tips on keeping up appearances without turning yourself into a Merry Maid for the next week straight.

Fresh-ify the Linens

Extra guests = extra bedding! If your guest linens have been cooped up in the hall closet or attic for a while, you may want to throw them in for a wash to get them smelling fresh again. Or, simply forgo the laundering and give them a quick tumble in the dryer with a dryer sheet—they’ll be ready for guests in no time flat!

Clean Countertops

When cleaning countertops and glass shower doors, cleaning experts advises against immediate spraying and wiping. Spray on an all-purpose cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes to let the solutions penetrate. This will help dissolve the tougher stains and keep the area smelling fresh longer.

Focus on Sparkly Kitchens and Bathrooms

Guests always want to lend a hand in the kitchen, so make sure your stovetop and countertops are crumb free. Same goes for the bathroom. This is the only room where people spend time solo and may have the tendency to notice a gross sink or dirty floor.

Employ the Room Air Freshener

Again, with all those extra people cooped up inside, the odors in your home can begin to rival a high school locker room. Ewww. Buy one of those cute faux candle room deodorizers. The fake flickering lights feels festive and it’ll keep your home smelling fresh and calm.

No-Shoes Policy in Effect

Even if this isn’t your normal routine, all those extra guests can track in a lot of dirt and wet winter muck through your gorgeously cleaned home. Define a spot near a common entryway where everyone doffs their shoes before traipsing through the rest of the house. It’ll keep the house neater during your visitors’ stay and will make the mopping task enormously easier after they’re gone.

Wait Until After Youre Guests are Gone to Deep Clean

Sure, you could do this before your guests have arrived, but you’ll also be doing it after they leave, so why double your workload? Keep floors and rugs clean with a thorough vacuum and put off the steam clean until after everyone’s returned home (which is when your rugs could really use the attention). Anyways, visitors don’t tend to notice the small juice stains on the carpets that you do.

The holidays are meant to be a time for gathering with family and friends, so try not to bog yourself down with being the perfect host. Offering guests a clean and comfortable environment is important, but realize that your bar is probably much higher than theirs so put down that duster and fix yourself an eggnog. Happy holidays!

Do you have some tricky tips for keeping a tidy home while entertaining visitors? Do share!