Christmas is nearly upon us and as well as all the excitement of presents, laughter and mince pies there’s the reality of seasonal cleaning challenges. These are the type of mess and dirt that is only experienced at this time of year, due to the unique nature of festive traditions.
Make sure you know how to combat everything from pine needles to red wine spills this December with these handy cleaning tips and hacks.
Dropped pine needles
If you opt for a real Christmas tree then you’ll know that the downside to this stunning focal point is finding dropped needles all over the house. Firstly. Ensure your tree is watered on a regular basis, as this will help to prevent it from losing its needles.
Then have a strategy in place for catching the ones that do fall. Forget the vacuum cleaner or the dustpan and brush, duct tape is the easiest and most effective way of cleaning up after your shedding tree. Simple peel off a piece of the adhesive tape and use the sticky side to collect the needles, then throw the whole lot away.
In order to keep on top of the job it’s worth having a roll of duct tape in a handy place. Cover a small box in wrapping paper, leaving a flap to open it and pop your tape inside. Hide it under the tree among the other presents, ready for use when you need it.
Spilled glitter
Glitter is the bane of every parent’s life as it has a tendency to get everywhere and no doubt the kids will want to do some crafting with it this festive season. No matter what precautions you take, you’re bound to find tiny shiny specks of glitter once the project is finished.
Baby wipes are the secret weapon in the fight against glitter, as the pesky stuff sticks easily to the soft fabric. They’re also gentle on surfaces, meaning you don’t need to worry about what you’re wiping in terms of damaging it.
Red wine spills
With lots of guests in the house there’s bound to be a spill at some point or other and you can guarantee that it’ll be red wine that ends up on the carpet. To prepare for this, you can put together a cleaning kit that’s ready to go when the calamity occurs.
Place a clean cloth, a sponge, a small bowl, a bottle of white wine vinegar and some washing up liquid in a box under the sink, ready to grab at a moment’s notice. Blot the spillage with the cloth to soak up the excess, then add some cold water and blot again. After this, add a tablespoon of the vinegar and a tablespoon of the washing up liquid to two cups of warm water.
Apply this solution to the spillage with the sponge and lift the wine away with more blotting. Before you know it your carpet with be returned to its original colour. Keep everyone away from the area until it has dried.
This is how to deal with immediate cleaning tasks, but after Christmas you may want to call in the professionals to give your entire home a good once over, which is where FastKlean cleaning company can help.
What are your favourite Christmas cleaning tips and hacks? Let us know in the comments.