After Party Clean-Up Hacks That Won’t Kill Your Weekend
We all know the feeling: you open your eyes after a party, and your home looks like a mess. You have empty cups, food scraps, sticky counters, and glitter or confetti all over. This can be daunting. That’s why we’ve put together quick, efficient after-party cleaning tips designed to save your weekend.
Whether you are dealing with red wine on a rug or a kitchen full of dishes, we will help you deal with it smartly. Let’s dive in.
Post-Party Messes Aren’t as Bad as They Look
It’s common to panic when we see the damage in the daylight, but most of what you see will only be on the surface. Often, it’s just empty bottles, leftover snack debris, and a few spills.
First things first: walk around your space and take a mental inventory. Look where the mess is most concentrated. Typically, it’s in your kitchen, bathrooms, and where guests gather the most.
Remember, most of it comes down to throwing away trash, wiping down edging and countertops, and putting stuff back in its place.
The 15-Minute Night-Of Routine
Take a moment to do 15 minutes of clean up when the party is done.
- Trash: Take a trash bag and walk through the main areas tossing cups, plates, napkins, and anything disposable.
- Dishes: Load up what you can in the dishwasher. Stack or soak any remaining dishes in the sink.
- Wipe Off: A quick wipe down with microfiber or cleaning wipe will keep the sticky stuff from hardening overnight.
- Soak: If you used serving trays or cookware, soak them in hot water with a dab of dish soap overnight.
This one-step reset prevents stains, odors, and sticky messes that are a headache to clean up the next day.
Morning-After Speed Strategy: Triage First
After you get that caffeine buzz going, work through spaces needing the most intervention.
Room Priorities:
- Kitchen: Empty trash, load the dishwasher, clean up spills on both sides, open an outside window, and air it out.
- Bathroom: Change used towels, wipe down counters, and clean the toilet.
- Living/Dining Area: Clear away any stray items, vacuum/sweep the floor, and fluff the pillows.
Use Baskets/Bins as an Aid:
When you find misplaced things from the party, toss them in bins. You can sort later when you have energy.
Open the windows and freshen the air in the house and throw a load of laundry in with any table clothes or used towels from the event, put on music or a podcast, and get moving. You’d be surprised how fast it goes.
Genius Hacks for Party-Specific Messes
Red Wine Spills on Carpets or Rugs:
If and when red wine spills over your carpet, act immediately. Blot (don’t rub) the area, and then cover with salt. After 10 minutes, pour club soda over it. Blot the area again. This lifts most of the pigment. As a backup option, professional cleaners, like Vella, use high-end vacuums so that they may clean rugs and carpets without damaging them.
Confetti is Everywhere?
Confetti looks amazing, but is annoying to clean. Use a lint roller for smaller areas or a large piece of tape wrapped around a paint roller for larger areas. Also, if you are cleaning a rug or carpet, a vacuum with a roller brush is useful to grab any small pieces quickly.
For Sticky Areas or Glass Rings:
Use half a lemon dipped in baking soda to gently scrub sticky areas. It cuts through stickiness without chemicals. Alternatively, you can use natural products from Vella’s product line to clean surfaces while protecting them.
Don’t Do It Alone: Delegate or Outsource
Cleaning up after a party can often be a bigger task than expected, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. If you live with roommates or you host friends, divide the zones up so one can deal with the trash, while another vacuums, and a third washes the dishes. Simply agree on a time to clean it up (set a timer for 30 minutes) and just do it.
For larger gatherings or if you just don’t want to deal with it, you can hire professionals. Vella offers basic and deep cleaning services in Dallas, Fort Worth, and other parts of Texas. You can book your slot on our website well in advance.
Vella’s professional cleaners can also help you remove garbage, disinfect surfaces, and conduct a deep cleaning of surfaces, using non-toxic products that are safe around kids and pets. If you don’t have the time or energy, this is one post-party expense you will probably want to make.
Prevent the Mess: Pre-Party Planning Tips
Planning well in advance can save you a lot of time and energy. Here are a couple of things to do ahead of time:
- Put bins in every room where people will be. Provide separate containers for recycling and trash (clearly marked).
- Keep your furniture protected by putting coasters out in places guests will see.
- Set up a drink or snack station outside of the kitchen so guests do not “crash” your cooking area.
And yes, routine cleansing from Vella is a tremendous help too. When you are maintaining your space regularly, a mess after a gathering is much less of a concern. Once it is clean, it will stay ahead of the mess!
Final Word: Have Fun, Then Hit Reset
The entire point of hosting a gathering is supposed to be for you to enjoy your friends and space. You should not dread hosting and the mess it might create. Plus, with these simple post-party cleanup hacks, a mess in your house does not defeat your weekend. You will know what to do, when to skip action, and also when to bring in extra help!
Feel empowered to host without the post-party dread. Celebrate your special occasions and everyday joys, knowing that a swift tidy-up combined with Vella’s professional assistance can ensure your home is restored efficiently and effortlessly.