The holidays are always busy with friends, family, and neighbours stopping by to visit. Whether you’re hosting a festive dinner party or just having friends over for drinks, your house needs to be ready to entertain. Ensuring that your appliances and home is ready to tackle the holidays is of upmost importance. Take the time now to clean these four rooms in particular and you’ll be ready for any unexpected guests who stop by. If you need a little help getting your home clean in time, enlist the help of a pro to get your home holiday-ready.
Below are the average costs of House & Apartment Cleaning services across different cities in Canada:
| City | Average | Minimum | Maximum |
| Barrie | $358 | $100 | $950 |
| Calgary | $353 | $100 | $14,000 |
| Edmonton | $346 | $100 | $3,700 |
| Hamilton | $472 | $100 | $2,000 |
| Oshawa | $249 | $100 | $1,503 |
| Ottawa | $1,268 | $100 | $20,000 |
| Toronto | $459 | $100 | $45,000 |
| Vancouver | $354 | $100 | $4,000 |
*Costs based on 6859 verified Canadian homeowner reviews as of March 2022
Kitchen
The kitchen is easily the most used room during the holidays and especially when entertaining. There are a few key areas to be cleaned and maintained when preparing your kitchen for the holidays. Remember to clean these items:
Fridge and Freezer
Your fridge and freezer will be packed full with delicious treats throughout the holidays. Before you invite guests over, take some time to clean out your fridge and give it a thorough cleaning on the inside and outside. There’s a lot of muck that can accumulate and go unnoticed throughout the year. Be sure to wipe down the shelves inside and throw out any expired food.
Stove
Your stove will be getting used a lot over the holidays, and in some cases, for longer amounts of time than usual. Give your stove a good scrubbing to remove any caked on grease and grime. If you want to go the extra mile, pull it away from the wall and sweep away any bits of food that might have fallen down the sides.
Dishwasher
Much like your stove, your dishwasher will be working hard this holiday season. With so many plates and glasses being used at once, it’s likely your dishwasher will be working overtime. Make sure it’s in working order and remember run a cleaning cycle so it keeps your dishes extra clean and free of streaks and spots.
Counters and Floors
Food crumbs can sometimes blend into surfaces like countertops and floors. You might not even notice how dirty they are depending on the colour and material. Give these a good once over and make sure they’re clear of debris.
No time to get all of these tasks done before your guests arrive for dinner this weekend? Save yourself the hassle and leave it to the pros. You can hire a cleaning company for a one-time cleaning which is especially handy at this time of year. They will be able to easily take care of all of these tasks for you in a couple of hours. You may also want to consider hiring an appliance repair specialist if you’re concerned about any of your appliances not making it through the holidays.
Guest Room
Do you have a designated guest room or more of a makeshift one? Either way, if you’re having guests stay with you over the holiday season you’ll want to ensure a clean and comfortable stay for them. Whether they’ll be staying in your office or basement, there are a couple of important tasks to make sure are done before they arrive.
The Bed
Even if your guests are sleeping on a pull-out sofa, they should have clean sheets to sleep on. Do a load of laundry and change the sheets before they arrive. Be sure to put out extra blankets, especially if they’ll be sleeping in a cold basement or attic.
Closets
Take some time to clear out space in your guest room closet if your guests will be staying for an extended period of time. If it’s a real mess in there, you can have a closet expert take a look and find ways to make the best use of your space.
Curtains & Carpets
If you don’t use your guest room very much, it’s likely it will be a bit dusty. Pull out the vacuum and duster and get to work (or have a cleaning pro tackle this room for you). It’s a good idea to have your carpets and curtains professionally cleaned if they haven’t been in a while. You don’t want your guests to feel stuffed up or have allergies in a dusty room.
Bathroom
Whether you have one or multiple bathrooms, it’s important your guests are able to use them without you worrying if it is presentable or not. If you only have the time or budget to clean one bathroom, make sure it’s the one your guests will be using the most.
Toilet, Sink and Shower
All three should be a given a good clean. You want your bathroom to sparkle and smell fresh for your guests. Depending on how often you clean these items, you may not have to spend a lot of time tidying your bathroom. Remember to put out additional towels and toiletries for your guests if they will be staying over.
Mirrors and Countertops
Wipe off your mirrors so that there are no fingerprints or toothpaste stains on them. Similarly, you’ll want to wipe down your countertops and ensure that there aren’t piles of clutter. If you have a messy bathroom, you can move daily items into a box and store them under the sink while your guests are over.
Tiles and Grout
Are your tiles looking a little dingy? Is the caulking around your tub peeling? If your bathroom is looking a little worse for wear, you can easily call on a pro to update or clean it for you. This is a simple task that won’t take long but it will make a big improvement to the overall look of your bathroom.
Living Room
The living room is another room that will see a lot of traffic this holiday season. Make sure you clear out the clutter and clean everything you’ve been meaning to all year.
Clear the Clutter
Is your coffee table covered in old stacks of newspapers and magazines? It’s time to recycle them. You don’t want a guest to set a drink on top of a tower of old papers only to have it come crashing down to the floor. The same goes for your kids’ toys. If they’re scattered throughout the room, either put them in their bedroom or scoop them all into a nice looking basket to hide them.
Windows and Curtains
Now that the clocks have gone back, the days are shorter and the nights are longer. Take advantage of what daylight there is and make sure your windows are clean so the light shines through. It’s also a good idea to clean your curtains while you’re focusing on your windows. You can hire a pro to take care of both of these tasks for you if you don’t have the time to do it yourself.
Floors and Carpets
The winter is particularly harsh on our floors. People are walking in with snowy boots, tracking slush onto our carpets and leaving trails of wet footprints. If your floors are already looking a little worse for wear, you’ll want to ensure you give them a good cleaning. A cleaning company can take care of your floors for you. You could also have a carpet cleaner to take care of any area rugs you might want to be refreshed.
Now that you know what needs to be cleaned all you have to do is clean it. Need a little help? Book in time with a cleaning company for general tasks or find someone more specialized to tackle your curtains, windows, and appliances. Once you’re finished the holiday clean, here’s how you can get your home holiday-ready with HomeStars!
Article updated June 2022.
