Post-Christmas Cleaning Tips

December 30, 2016 by admin


Cheltenham Christmas CleaningThe children have ripped open their Christmas presents with gusto, Auntie Edna has polished off the last of the liqueur chocolates and Grandad has drained his favourite sherry.  The troops have waved goodbye for another year, leaving before you a mini apocalypse.  Here are some quick and easy tips to make the post-Christmas cleaning that little bit easier on you.

Looking After your Baubles

It’s tempting to hurl the lot into the Christmas box and forget about them, but make next year a bit easier by taking some care with your decorations.

  • Save old wrapping paper and tissue paper to protect any of the delicate baubles and ornaments.
  • Use an empty potato snack tube to wrap the Christmas lights around. Use the open end to put the plug safely into, so that you’re not met with a tangled web of LEDs next time.
  • Blast dust off your tinsel and garlands with a hair dryer before putting them away into storage.

Pins and Needles

Even the non-drops will be starting to shed their needles all over your carpet by now.

  • After vacuuming, use a lint roller to pick up those final stubborn needles.
  • To save the rest of your house being covered as you carry your tree through the house and wedge it out of the front door, wrap the tree in an old sheet or blanket before moving.  This should contain as many of the needles as possible.

Sticky Windows

Fake snow and stick-on decorations on your windows can leave behind a sticky residue which can be tough to shift.

  • Use WD-40 to easily wipe away any remaining stickers and glue. Then give your windows a clean with vinegar applied with screwed up newspaper to leave them sparkling clean again.

Spilt Candle Wax

Candles are out in force over Christmas and there’s bound to be some spillage from the hot wax.  And it’s usually on your favourite carpet or rug.

  • Scrape up any excess with a blunt kitchen utensil then lay a paper bag on top and gentle iron over the wax. The heat from the iron will melt the wax and the bag will soak it up leaving your carpet wax-free once more.

Wine Stains

‘Tis the season to be jolly so it’s inevitable that there’s been a mishap with a glass of wine or two somewhere in the house.

  • Fight alcohol with alcohol. Use a clear, high percentage alcohol such as vodka or gin. Apply it liberally to the stain and allow to soak in for a while before gentle dabbing up with paper towels.  Always check a corner of your carpet first to ensure the alcohol doesn’t cause fading or even damage. (Some acrylic fibres don’t always react well.)
  • Hand-sanitisers containing a high percentage of alcohol can also work well for removing stains from clothing or carpets. Apply to the area and gently rub with a clean cloth.

You can find further advice from  House Keep-Up Co if those stubborn stains still won’t shift.

Cooking Smells

All that cooking will have left some interesting and lingering odours in the air.  Follow some of our tips on managing odours here when handling your Christmas cleaning.

  • Bicarbonate of soda is your friend. Any smells from carpet spillages can soon be soaked up by sprinkling the bicarb on the area and vacuuming up a few hours later.
  • Likewise, placing bowls of the magic white powder around your kitchen will soon absorb all those cooking smells and have your home smelling fresh and clean again in no time.

 

If you have any other post-Christmas cleaning ideas, send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll add the best ones. We’d love to hear from you!

Montpellier Maids

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