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Cleaning up after a wild party

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christmas party
Photo Credit: Gennadiy Poznyakov

Everyone loves to party once in a while. Going out to a club with friends is always fun. Once in a while, however, the party happens at your house. This comes with its own load of responsibilities. Planning the decorations, catering, music and everything else is quite a feat. Then you wake up sometime then next day, probably with a throbbing hangover and vague memories of what happened – and the house looks like a hurricane went through it a few times, accompanied by a volcanic eruption and an earthquake. What’s more, it is your house and has to be cleaned up.

Where do you start?

Here are a few tips to help you out.

The first thing to do is ensure you stay hydrated and energized. A few spoonfuls of glucose in water are your best bet, though you may opt for coffee or an energy drink instead.

The most important thing to remember when planning the party and getting organized is to stock up on cleaning materials even you are buying the other fun stuff. Get extra supplies of all the cleaning materials you’d normally use, plus some extra stain removing products.

To ease the burden of cleaning up, make sure that before the party, all sensitive and valuable materials are locked safely away. Lock the doors of rooms you don’t want people wandering into. Put out at least two bins for waste; one for recyclables and another for trash. This encourages guests to dispose of their waste instead of leaving things lying around. Put out napkins and paper towels in convenient places. Stock up on toilet paper and hand-washing liquid.

Open the Windows

If the weather allows, open all curtains and windows to let the air circulate. Even in the depths of winter, having the windows open goes a long way to clearing the air, and it gives you light to see what you are doing. Lighting a couple of incense sticks would also be a good idea to get rid of bad odours.

Look For Stragglers

Take a walk round and look for guests who may have been left behind. You will probably want to politely get rid of strangers, though you can let close friends sleep. Moving them to bedrooms will get them out of your way as you tidy up. Those who are still conscious and alert can be enlisted to help with the cleaning up.

Hunt Down Stains

Deal with wine beer and other stains immediately. Wipe down counters and table tops as soon as possible. Some stains may require a bit of soaking so getting to them as quickly as possible increases your chances of getting rid of them. Red wine stains are notoriously difficult to get rid of and you may require professional help. Some companies can clean your sofa for as low as £15, so it is worth taking that into consideration when planning your budget.

Start Away From the Kitchen

If you have a dishwasher, rinse plates, cups and other cutlery and stack them in, hitting the on switch. If you do not have a dishwasher, plug the sink, fill with warm water and soak the dishes. Then move out of there. The worst hazards are usually spillages and stains, including vomit. If the party was as wild as we’re talking about, expect to clean that off too!

Pick Up Empty Bottles and Glasses

Pick up all empty bottles, glasses and mugs. Dispose of the trash and put washables in the dishwasher/sink. Separate recyclables from trash and place them in their respective bins or bags. Empty ashtrays and soak them in dishwashing liquid. Clearing up in this way will leave you free to clean rather than picking up stuff.

Clean the Floors

The floors may look clean, but there will almost inevitably be spillages here and there. Your carpet could do with a quick vacuuming and the floors a quick wipe. Look out for dirt in the nooks and crannies. After all, it was a party and people get up to all sorts of pranks.

The Toilet(s)

Inevitably, this is a task you’ll definitely have to deal with. If the party is as wild as you hoped it would be, there will inevitably be some accidents and incidents in the small room. However, you’ll probably only need to clean as you would normally do, with an added spray of air freshener.

Finish Up With the Dishes

By the time you’ve gone round the house, the dishes in the washer should be clean. If the sink, they’ll be soaked and relatively easy to wash and dry.

And there you are! Cleaning up after a party is not that much of a Herculean task after all, is it? If you’ve got a couple of friends to help out, that’s even better. After you’re done, you can relax with a glass of whatever drinks were left. Careful though, you might end up having a wild after-party! Nothing wrong with that, is there?

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