To clean up when you have friends visiting

[bloomingfedup]

Am being really boring now.

Do any of you clean when you have friends round? For example, if you have made them lunch - do you put the pots in the dishwasher, clean around etc.

I'm wondering beacause I usually leave until they have gone as I want to enjoy their company.

[LuckySalem]

Not a hope - everything gets piled in the kitchen (out of sight out of mind) till they've gone. (Or sometimes the next day if drinkies involved.

[Ronaldinhio]

Honestly
I do the prep before they arrive and try to shake to worst of the old wetwipes off the sofas so they can sit down.

YABU to have friends and have them around to lunch though!

[Ashantai]

I leave mine for days but once the rats start squabbling then i get the hoover out!

I usually give the house a quick once over depending on who is coming round. But i do have this one friend who is a bit like Kim and Aggie rolled up, and if the house is a bit of a tip i can see her practically sitting on her hands trying desperately not to clean my house.

Hmm maybe i should just let her

[hatwoman]

depends. kids for tea mums for cup of - then yes. adults for lunch - no, it can wait; adults for dinner - quite like to fill the dishwasher the once just so that it's not too horrendous in the morning.

[bloomingfedup]

I have friends who clean up and chat - I get slightly divaish about this - WHAT ABOUT GIVING ME YOU UNDIVIDED?

Actually, I am thinking about trying the clean when friends are here business - not when wine is involved though (as if!)

[solidgoldbrass]

Nah. Mind you, once (in pre-parenthood days) I had an unexpected overnight guest and sent him to the late night pub for an hour so I could shift the worst of the mess...

[squeaver]

My SIL and BIL clean up while everyone is still eating. And by "clean-up" I mean sweep the floor around your feet and wipe the table.

They are weird.

[bloomingfedup]

My friend does'nt go that far but she does give the kitchen a good going over while your there, including sweeping up!

[quaranta]

yes i do. definitely for lunch - tea in kitchen and chat while i do it.. suppers - yes but less obtrusively - more just clearing the table to make room for more food!

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[stickybun]

Clean as you go is fine but I would never dream of cleaning for real friends over and above what was necessary to make them comfortable (which varies). Your friends come to see you and if you are a bit scummy when they do then I see it as a social service. Think of the nice warm glow they will feel thinking 'Yes - but at least I'm not that bad'. If they or you expect a lot more are they real friends? - if not maybe they should f-off round their own gaff. In recent years I made a decision never to say 'Excuse the mess' no matter who it was and no matter what the state of my house. Seven years later and I've never broken it - it's very liberating not to be constantly apologising to people who I'm sure don't really care anyway. Lay on decent biccies and have a laugh and who's bothered?

[bloomingfedup]

Not to excuse the mess has crossed my mind to latley - but still find myself doing it. Am going to stop.

[NattyThomasAndEllen]

i tend to find my friends help me clean up, otherwise the kids would walk the food around the whole house!
just cos ur talking and cleaning at the same time dont mean u arnt listining.
my mum cleans up when i visit, and disapers out the room for half hour at time to go hang the washing out etc etc
now that is RUDE!