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The holidays can be a hectic time with visits from family and friends, shopping and cooking special meals. But cleaning doesn't have to add to your stress. Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza or ringing in the New Year, we have you covered with tips on everything from preparing for the holidays and hosting guests to cleaning up afterward.
The Mad Dash: Preparing for the…
Whether you’re having a small dinner party or an all-out bash, there’s probably going to be some straightening up and cleaning before guests arrive and definitely some clean up to do afterward.
Pre Party Cleaning
Give your home a thorough cleaning, following our room-by-room cleaning guide. Be sure to keep some paper towels or cloths handy for cleaning up the inevitable spills as they occur. Get out enough glasses for guests and follow our…
Clean-up doesn't have to be a chore!
Fireplaces crackling, wine glasses tinkling, guests chuckling … don’t miss out on the sounds of the holidays because you’re stuck scrubbing the dishes in the kitchen. Here are some dishwashing tips so you can enjoy entertaining your guests without facing an enormous clean up job at the end of the night.
Wash dishes as you use them during the preparation phase
Get the kids to help
Serve from the pan instead of…
Treat and wash stains promptly!
Holiday entertaining is fraught with potential disasters. But a cool head and the right products will keep a mini-crisis from becoming a major problem. Here are some quick and easy remedies from the American Cleaning Institute:
Stains
Turkey, gravy, butter, and salad dressing (oil-based stains): Pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Launder in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric.
Cranberry sauce, apple cider, and…
In our "oh-so-busy" world, holiday entertaining is often a communal affair, with friends and relatives contributing to the feast.
But bringing a dish to share can be an unintentional invitation to unwanted guests – bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses. To be sure these party crashers don't make it through the door, here are some tips for traveling safely with prepared foods.
Prepare with Care
Safe food travel starts with safe…
The holidays can do a number on your home! Between house guests, holiday feasts, and kids on school breaks, your house probably need some TLC. Try these tips to clean up and start New Year off on a sparkling clean foot.
Clean Up After House Guests
Give your house’s surfaces a deep clean. Wash all your linens. Vacuum carpets, floors, and baseboards to give yourself a fresh start. Clean out…
Work through this checklist a few items idea, tackling a room at a time, and your home will be clean and ready for the holidays in no time!
Kitchen
If you plan on doing a lot of holiday cooking and entertaining, check your stockpile of aprons, potholders, dish clothes and dish towels. Make sure they’re clean and in usable condition.
Clean out the refrigerator to make room for holiday goodies. Remove the…
Cleaning fine washables for picture perfect portraits
Holiday portraits, with family members dressed in their best, are cherished momentos. Whether it's a once-in-lifetime event or a yearly tradition for your family, looking good is the goal.
Portrait-worthy Fabrics
Clothes that are clean and sparkling are the perfect complement to those smiling faces. To make sure your garments are portrait worthy, the American Cleaning Institute urges gentle care for…
It may be the holiday season, but it’s also cold and flu season. Keep illnesses from spreading through holidays into the New Year with these tips, for a cleaner and healthier for you and everyone around you.
Get a Flu Shot. While flu season starts to peak in November, the heaviest months for flu are December through March. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the antibodies that provide protection against influenza infection to develop in the body. The Centers for…
Living/Dining Rooms and Bedrooms serve up different types of challenges. Dust and dirt tracked in on shoes ... spill and stains on carpets and upholstery ... rings on wood surfaces. But here again, there are products that meet the challenges.
Use rugs or mats at all entrances to catch dirt and grit that can build up on floors and carpets.
Choose a soft cotton cloth or paper towel for cleaning glass surfaces. Fabric softener on cleaned cloths can leave a residue; extra…