Christmas Cleaning in 2 Days: A Practical Guide for Time-Strapped People

Christmas is just around the corner, and you might feel pressure to get your home sparkling clean. If the thought of tackling a massive cleaning project with just a weekend to spare is sending you into a panic, fear not! Our experienced cleaners have put together the ultimate Christmas cleaning list, providing a streamlined approach that will leave your home feeling festive and welcoming without breaking your back. We’ll also share some time and energy-saving tips to help you manage the cleaning process effectively, allowing you to balance your cleaning tasks with other holiday preparations.

Read also: The Ultimate Guide to Tackling Christmas Stains: How to Clean Festive Messes

Aim to create a festive and welcoming atmosphere not a museum-like tidiness.

Primary Goals of Christmas Cleaning

The holiday is causing stress for a surprising number of people, especially parents, so the last thing you need is to stress over cleaning, too. The key to an efficient Christmas cleaning is to make your home feel warm and cosy rather than achieving sterile perfection. Here are a few easy and stress-free ways to approach your home’s holiday makeover: 

  • Cosy Over Sterile: Think festive decorations, soft throws, and plump pillows. Add some scented candles to create a magical ambience.
  • Minimal Effort, Maximum Impact: Aim for a quick clean that makes a big difference.
  • Welcoming Atmosphere: Create an inviting space for you and your guests. Light a fire in the fireplace (if you have one), put on some festive music, and set out some holiday treats.

Christmas cleaning should not take up all your well-deserved time off.

Christmas Cleaning Chores for Your Own Comfort

Suppose you haven’t planned to host and simply want to achieve a pleasant, cosy home atmosphere for your comfort. In that case, your Christmas cleaning list will include these key areas, all of which are manageable and won’t overwhelm you:

Kitchen To-dos

Even if you don’t plan on cooking big festive meals for a dozen people, during the holiday, you are more likely to spend some time preparing your favourite snacks, so the goal for the kitchen is to sanitise food preparation areas and make cooking more easy and enjoyable:

  • Declutter: Put away any gadgets and dishes you won’t be using.
  • Pantry Audit: Toss expired goods. Check for any mysterious jars of dried food – are they still edible? Give your spices a sniff test – they lose their aroma over time.
  • Restock Essentials: Make sure you have plenty of baking supplies on hand.
  • Clear Counters: Free up counter space for easy meal prep.
  • Sanitise Food Preparation Areas: Wipe down sinks and countertops with a disinfectant.
  • Quick Oven Cleanup: Here’s a time-cutting oven cleaning hack to try: place a bowl of hot water with a couple tablespoons of dish soap inside. Run the oven at its highest temperature for 15 minutes. The vapours will help loosen grime, making it faster and easier to clean the inside of the appliance.
  • Fridge Refresh: Leave the deep cleaning of the fridge for after the holidays. Instead, wipe down shelves and toss any expired food. Ensure there’s ample space for groceries and holiday leftovers.

Read also: Our Ultimate Guide on How to Clean a Heavily Soiled Oven

Living Room

This is the room you will likely spend the most time in, so your Christmas cleaning goal for this area is to make it cosy: 

  • Tidy Up and Dust: Quick dusting with a duster or microfiber cloth will suffice. We’re not aiming for museum-level cleanliness here.
  • Tidy Up: Put away any clutter.
  • Vacuum: Give the sofa, cushions, carpets, and rugs a thorough vacuuming.
  • Quick Mop: A quick mop of the floor will freshen things up.

Read also: 6 Ways to Keep Furniture and Carpets Clean All Year Round

Fold and put away clothes and blankets for a relaxed bedroom look.

Bedrooms

You deserve a nice rest during your holiday. Here’s what to do to create a relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom:

  • Tidy Up: Put away all dirty laundry in the hamper and neatly fold any clothes lying around.
  • Change Bed Linens: A fresh set of sheets will give you a holiday feel.
  • Dusting: Nobody has time to dust their bedroom daily; however, the dust piles up. A swift dusting of surfaces with a duster or microfiber cloth will make the room feel more relaxed.
  • Vacuum: Vacuum the carpet and floor to remove dirt and hair.
  • Quick Mop: Mopping the floors will help you get rid of the last particles of dust and help refresh the air in the room. 

Check also: How to Care for Your Mattress at Home

Bathroom

We are sure you won’t want to deal with the bathroom on Christmas (we don’t), but you will surely enjoy it if it’s clean and smells fresh. Here’s how to achieve this:

  • Quick Wipe: Give the tiles a quick wipe with a strong bathroom cleaner after showering – the steam from hot water loosens the buildups, so this is the best time to clean the bathroom.
  • Sanitise: Apply a generous amount of bathroom cleaner on the sink and toilet bowl and let it sit like this for 10 minutes. After that, scrub and rinse the porcelain surfaces for quick sanitisation.
  • A Shiny Touch: Polish the mirrors and faucets for an instant uplift.
  • Fresh Towels: Replace old towels with clean ones.
  • Refresh the Bin: Throw away the old bin bag, scrub the container with soapy water and put in a new liner. This chore takes less than 5 minutes, but it has a massive impact on the freshness of the bathroom.

Read also: How To Clean The Bathroom Carpet

Our Christmas cleaning tips will help prepare the house even if you have family and friends staying over for the holidays.

Christmas Cleaning List When You’re Having Guests

If you’re hosting a Christmas party and have invited guests, especially if they will spend a few nights at yours, pay extra attention to these areas to make their visit more enjoyable for you and them both:

Guest Bathrooms

In most cases, these smaller bathrooms are not used very often, so they can benefit from a quick refresh: 

  • Sanitise: A quick scrub of the toilet and the bathroom sink can make the area look and feel very clean and inviting.  
  • Stock Essentials: Provide soap, toilet paper, and fresh towels.
  • Freshener: A spritz of air freshener can make a big difference.
  • Empty Bins: Ensure trash cans are empty and leave spare bin liners at a place that is easy to find.

Fold and put away clothes and blankets for a relaxed bedroom look. Image source: www.freepik.com

Guest Bedrooms

Most of us rarely use the spare bedrooms for their designated purpose; instead, they turn into storage spaces that stay closed 99% of the time. It’s not unusual for the room to accumulate dust or to start stale, and your efforts should be aimed at these two main issues: 

  • Declutter: If you use the room for storage, tidy up a bit and put all the bulky items in one place – under the bed, over the wardrobe, even next to the wall works – the goal is to prevent things from getting in the way and making the space more accessible.
  • Ventilation: Open windows to air out the room.
  • Dusting: Dust all surfaces.
  • Vacuum & Mop: Vacuum the carpets and quickly mop the floors.
  • Fresh Linens: Make the beds with clean sheets, blankets, and pillows.

Reaad also: The Only Cleaning Routine You Need to Keep Your Foldable Guest Bed Nice and Fresh

Make sure to vacuum the sofa bed for maximum comfort of your guests. Image source: www.freepik.com

Guest Beds (If You Don’t Have a Guest Bedroom)

You may have a pull-out bed or a folding sofa if you don’t have a designated guest room. These beds tend to sit unused for a long time, accumulating dust and sometimes trapping unpleasant odours. Here’s how to prepare them for your visitors: 

  • Clean & Aerate: If you have a pull-out or folding bed, assemble it, vacuum it thoroughly, and leave it open to air out.
  • Prepare Linens: Prepare fresh linens and blankets. If you plan on using the area during the day, you can put all the bed linens in a basket so they don’t lie around the room and give it a messy look.
vaccuum clean your carpet

Keep your Christmas cleaning routine simple for a stress-free holiday.

What NOT to Clean Before Christmas

You might be tempted to deep-clean the entire house before the holidays, but it’s crucial to prioritise and let go of some tasks if you’re short on time. Here’s what you can skip without feeling guilty:

Rugs & Carpets

Deep carpet cleaning is best left for after the holiday festivities. The increased foot traffic and potential spills during Christmas can quickly dirty your carpets again. Thorough vacuuming is sufficient for now. Also, with the colder and often more humid weather, there might not be enough time for carpets to dry if you opt for professional cleaning.

Sofa and Soft Furniture

Deep cleaning your sofa and other upholstered furniture can wait unless you’re dealing with a significant issue like a huge grease spill on the upholstery. Thorough vacuuming, including the cushions and underneath, is enough for now. You can always use throws or blankets to disguise any minor imperfections.

Deep cleaning of windows, carpets, and furniture can wait this Christmas.

Windows

While clean windows brighten a room, thorough window cleaning can be a messy and time-consuming endeavour. With shorter days and everyone gathered indoors, the impact of sparkling windows might be minimal. If you have any particularly unsightly smudges or fingerprints, a quick wipe-down with a microfiber cloth and window cleaner should suffice.

Focusing on these high-impact cleanups and skipping deep cleaning tasks can significantly reduce your cleaning workload and allow you to enjoy a more relaxed holiday season. We hope these tips help you have a stress-free and enjoyable Christmas!

You deserve to enjoy the holiday in a cosy and warm environment – and this shoukld be your main goal.

Enjoy Your Christmas

Remember, the holiday is about spending time with loved ones, not achieving a spotless home. Let go of the pressure to do a deep clean and focus on creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Need Help After the Holidays?

Don’t stress about the post-holiday cleaning frenzy. Our team of expert cleaners can help you tackle any messes that may arise during the festivities. We offer professional carpet cleaning to revive carpets after heavy foot traffic and spills. Our upholstery cleaning services can restore the shine to your sofas and chairs. Our stain removal experts can make even the stubborn stains from festive drinks and food disappear without a trace. We can also help you with a professional mattress cleaning service – perfect for dealing with accidental spills or stains from those inevitable midnight holiday snacks.

Let us handle the aftermath while you relax and enjoy the memories of a wonderful Christmas.