Emergency Cleaning for the “Surprise” Visit
The telephone rings, and it is your nightmare (at least it is, if you don’t have a home that looks like it belongs on the cover of “House Beautiful” magazine). The one person you would least like to have see your home at it’s worst is on the other end of the line.
It could be :
- Your fancy friends from the city, whose house is always spotless, because they can afford a housekeeper.
- Your mother-in-law, who always gives your house the “white glove test,” because she knows she should never have let you marry her sainted son.
- The new preacher and his wife, from whom you would like to hide your “sins.”
- Anybody else who is on your list.
“Hi there,” they say, “we were in the neighborhood and thought we would drop by to visit in about an hour.”
Breathe deeply. Don’t let the stress get to you. If saying, “This is not a good time,” or “How about we meet down at this cute little coffeehouse downtown” are not options, then you have an hour to tidy the house.
It can be done!
FIRST: Remember that when a person comes to the door, the first thing they will notice is the odor scent aroma. You probably don’t think your house has a “smell,” but it does. You are just accustomed to it. Don’t assault your guest with unpleasant smells.
- If you can open a window to let the house ventilate, do so.
- Got cat litter boxes? Empty them, and sprinkle some baking soda on the litter.
- Empty the trash cans and the recycle bin. A sprinkling of baking soda can work wonders here, too.
- Put a lemon in the garbage disposal, run hot water, and grind it up.
- Give the toilets (the ones that will be seen by the guests a good swish with the toilet brush, and wipe the seat, sides, and lid with a disinfectant wipe.
- DON’T spray the house down with air freshener (not everyone appreciates that odor, either).
- INSTEAD, put a cinnamon stick, or a tablespoon of cinnamon, in two cups of water and boil it in a pan on the stove. It will smell as if you have been baking all morning.
- OR, light scented candles in various rooms of the house (wait until just before the guest’s arrival)
SECOND: Tackle the clutter in the rooms that they will see. Don’t worry about bedrooms. You can close the door (if your mother-in-law sneaks a peak, she will deserve whatever she sees!).
- Grab a large garbage bag and a clothes basket (two if necessary)
- Start at the front door, and work your way into rooms in which the guest will go. Along the way, put trash in the bag, and anything that doesn’t belong in that room into the basket.
- If you will put a dust mitt on your hand as you work, you can easily swipe any large dusty surfaces (only worry about eye level and below).
- Once it’s gathered, find a closet to hide it, or put it in the garage.
- If there are dishes in the sink, put them in the dishwasher (if there are too many, put them in a basket and put them in the garage…just don’t forget them, because the roaches won’t!)
THIRD:
Vacuum the high traffic areas (and, if you have pets, vacuum the main seating area so your guests don’t acquire a coating of pet hair). Fluff the couch pillows. If you have dirty windows, pull the shades and turn on some soft lighting.
FINALLY:
Give yourself a pat on the back! Now quick…go change out of the shirt that sports last night’s lasagna, run a comb through your hair, and swipe on some deodorant. Then, drink a glass of your favorite alcoholic beverage. I promise you won’t notice the dusty baseboards.
