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'Tis the season to get cleaning, fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa! Well, technically it's the season to start relaxing, enjoying some time off work and eating tasty food but before you can do all of that, you need to make sure that everything you'll need is clean and ready to use, which is why we've made you a handy checklist! Of course, if you have the budget, you could bring in team of professionals to do all your cleaning for you, but we don't think it will take long to get your suitably stunning kitchen gleaming, nor your living room ready for some festive fun. Come with us now and make sure you're ready for a day of decadent sofa snuggling on December 25th!
No enviable modern kitchen is complete without a brilliant oven or stove and you're going to need yours on December 25th, whether you're serving up nut roast or turkey! It's no use waiting until the morning you need to switch it on to check for grease spills and grime, so get it done now and you'll be good to go on Christmas Day!
When everybody sits down to open their presents, it will probably be on the rug in the living room. With this in mind, you really need to give it a good vacuum and freshen up. We recommend sprinkling some baking soda befor eyou vacuum, to really trap nasty odors.
If your mantle is dirty, everyone will notice it, when reaching for their stockings! It won't take a moment to just carry out a little cursory dusting and you won't beat yourself up on Christmas morning when you see some grime or debris.
We all put out a snack for Santa and his reindeer and only the best side plates will do, so it's time to clean your good crockery and prepare it for the man in red. A thorough wipe and maybe even a doily wouldn't go amiss.
If there's only one day in the year when you crack out the really good glassware, it will probably be Christmas and because of that, it will all need a really good clean. Nobody wants to sit down to a smeared glass of something tasty! Just remember to hand wash your delicate glass and cut crystal to avid damage.
If you're cracking out the good crockery, it stands to reason that your best cutlery needs to come out as well and the chances are that after a year in storage, it will need a decent polish, especially if it's silver. Take our advice and don't rush this process, as it can become a rather nice ritual to sit down with some festive music playing and a glass of wine.
Call us old fashioned, but we LOVE changing the sheets the night before Christmas, so that we wake up really refreshed and in the right mood. Our favorite Christmas sheets are brushed cotton, in a gorgeous fairisle pattern, so as to wake us up in a soft and suitably Christmassy way!
Your radiators are going to be working overtime to keep you and your family toasty warm as you open all your presents, so the last thing you need is a lot of dirt being ousted into the room as they heat up. Worse still would be spilt food or drink items spoiling and releasing a bad odor.
You can't have Santa coming into your home and landing in a dirty fireplace, that will just never do! On a more serious note though, if you have a working fireplace, you'll want to have your ash all cleaned up and a fresh set of logs ready to light on Christmas morning.
You know that once all the presents have been opened and a glut of delicious food has been eaten, the whole family will want to crash out on the sofa for an afternoon of cheezy film watching and snoozing, so take the time to give your TV screen a quick wipe. There's nothing worse than getting comfy and then having to try and get back up to deal with smears.
It's a good idea to pop all your festive textiles, such as tea towels, oven mitts, table cloths and even napkins in the washing machine a few days before you need to wash them. It can be a wise move to look for some protective solutions that will make those pesky gravy stains easier to get out on Boxing Day!
Finally, don't leave it too late to give your carving knives a thorough clean and a good sharpen while you're at it! From carnivores through to vegetarians, you'll need to cut up the main part of your Christmas meal and a blunt knife just won't do the job!
For a little more Christmas prep, take a look at this article: Decorating for Christmas but without the kitsch!
