54 THE QUEENS COURIER • HOLIDAY • NOVEMBER 30, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
holiday
Stress-busting speed-cleaning tips for the holidays
It’s no secret the holiday season can
be one of the busiest and most stressful
times of the year. What is one of the biggest
sources of stress? It’s cleaning on a
deadline, especially while guests are on
their way.
But with the right plan in place, even
last-minute pre-entertainment cleaning
can be effi cient and stress-free, says Debra
Johnson, Merry Maids home cleaning
expert.
In an online survey conducted this
spring by Toluna, more than half of
respondents admitted that most of their
cleaning takes place just before guests
arrive. With a bit more focus, this preparation
can be quick and eff ective, without
stress. Aft er all, the holidays shouldn’t
be a race against the clock. Th ey’re about
spending time with loved ones.
Johnson shares the following tips to
clean smarter, not harder, in the limited
time you have before guests arrive.
1. Ready, set ... declutter
Th e important fi rst step is to declutter
rooms. Set a timer if needed to help
you stay on track and avoid spending
too much time in one room. Put things
where they belong, or if they don’t have
a home, put them in a room or under
beds where no one will see. Once the
holiday season passes, you can revisit
and declutter those hidden storage
areas. Prioritize rooms you use most,
so if you run out of time, guests won’t
notice an untidy area.
2. Only clean what
guests will see
Join the more than one-third of
Americans who don’t bother cleaning
rooms people won’t see. You have enough
to stress about as the host. Don’t waste
your precious time cleaning parts of the
home no one will ever see. Simply shut
doors to rooms that you want to keep private,
signaling to guests not to enter. If
you have family staying with you, give
guest rooms a once-over, clean the bathrooms
that will be used and, of course, the
kitchen and living room.
3. Skip the sweep
Don’t spend time sweeping with a
dry mop when you can vacuum instead.
Vacuuming is far more effi cient and faster
at removing dust, dirt and other debris
from the fl oors. Keep a portable handheld
vacuum nearby in case a big mess
happens, such as a glass breaking during
a party. Within seconds, the mess will be
gone and you can go back to enjoying the
festivities.
4. Speed-clean the
bathrooms
All you need to clean your bathroom
quickly is a damp microfi ber cloth to give
every surface a quick wipe-down and a
toilet brush to clean the inside walls of
the toilet. To freshen it up even more,
pour a half-cup of baking soda into the
toilet bowl and add white vinegar along
with a few drops of your favorite essential
oils. Allow the mixture to bubble for
a bit and scrub with a toilet brush. Th en,
voila: your bathroom is clean, shiny and
smelling great.
5. Tackle the microwave mess
You know people will want seconds
well aft er the left overs are put away, so use
this quick tip to tackle microwave buildup:
Combine lemon juice and water in a
microwave-safe bowl and run it for about
two minutes. Th e lemon water will loosen
any gunk or food in the microwave for an
easy wipe down with a microfi ber cloth.
Now guests can reheat their left overs in a
clean microwave.
“Hosting a holiday dinner requires prep
work, but if you stay on track before anyone
arrives, you can spend more time
actually relaxing and enjoying their company,”
said Johnson.
If you simply don’t have any time to
spare this holiday season, Merry Maids
has the resources and experts to help.
Find a location in your area by visiting
www.merrymaids.com.
With the cleaning under control, all
that’s left for you to do is to light a few
candles, conquer the grocery list and, of
course, enjoy your special guests.
Courtesy BPT