The house party last night was mind-blowing! But what about the aftermath of the party that you have to clean up? Here’s your simple and step-by-step guide to cleaning your entire apartment after a wild (or otherwise) house party.
First, the list of cleaning essentials. Here’s what you will need to get started:
· A few garbage bags large enough to hold all the garbage or several smaller ones.
· Gloves, because you never know what you’re picking up!
· Detergent for all the utensils.
· Vacuum cleaner to remove all the food crumbs.
· Floor cleaner to get the stains out.
· A mop, preferably a new and cheap one so you can throw it out later.
· Bathroom cleaner so it stops smelling and starts looking fresh again.
· Good music, so you can keep calm through the chaos!
Now that you have everything you need to start cleaning up, here are some tips that might come in handy the next time. First, it’s a good idea to start cleaning up right after the party so that you’ll have that much lesser to do the next morning (kudos if you’ve already done that!)
Next, store the leftovers away and work on any stains that you see right away, and don’t leave them for the morning after. The longer that wine stain sits on your carpet, the tougher it will be to remove it! And finally, if you start cleaning up around the time your party starts winding down, some of the guests might be tempted to help you out, making your work easier and faster.
Air your house
You want to begin the next day by letting in some fresh air so that any unwanted smell is gone and you’re able to breathe easier. Open the curtains and windows – this not only lets in air but also sunlight, which can instantly lift your mood and make you feel better about the day ahead. Of course, if it’s winter, you can open the window only so much that some fresh air gets into the house, but not so much that it becomes freezing cold!
Survey the damage
Once you have some fresh air and sunlight, the next step is to go around the house and make note of everything that needs to be done. While it may leave you feeling overwhelmed, you will have a better idea of which rooms need the most attention – although it will mostly be your living room and kitchen. Once you know what lies ahead, put on some soothing music, take a deep breath, and break the tasks down into manageable chunks.
Start with the utensils and bottles
The first task you want to do is put on your gloves and pick up all the dirty dishes and bring them over to the sink. Start piling the dishes in order and put whatever is possible into the dishwasher. Once the dishwasher is full, start it, and leave the remaining utensils close enough to start the second batch as soon as the first one is done. Then, start by collecting all the bottles and plastic cups into garbage bags, room-by-room. It’s a good idea to start from the farthest room so you don’t have to go through the same room for the same task again. Look out for pieces of broken glass while you walk, especially in the outdoor areas.
Start vacuuming
Once you have picked up all the garbage and taken it out, take out your vacuum cleaner and start vacuuming. Ensure first, though, that you have picked up any small items by hand, like nuts or coins that can choke up your vacuum cleaner. Once you have vacuumed your way through the house, you’ll be feeling much better, and your house should have started looking like itself again. Also, while you vacuum through the house, remember to check for any spills and stains. If you find any, treat them correctly right away. Leaving them for later will just make them worse!
Tackle the kitchen
Once you’re through with the rest of the rooms, go back to the kitchen and start clearing up any garbage there might be, such as leftovers that were not stored away. Throw away the drinks from the half-drunk cups into the sink, and get started on the countertops.
Clean the bathroom
Finally, start cleaning every bathroom in your house with a bathroom cleaner or a disinfectant. Make sure you clean them thoroughly as they tend to get very dirty, especially if the guests were drunk. The only way to make it stink less is to clean it and spray a good fragrance in there, so get started!