To ask if you clean your home before having guests?

[TheHoneyPot]

As title really. In the last few months, we’ve stayed with two sets of friends for the weekend ( I should add both these sets of friends have stayed with us plenty of times over the years) the latest ones this weekend and for the second time in a row, I’m not trying to be horrible, but there was really grotty bathrooms and carpets that crunched under foot everywhere, hardfloors covered in dog hair and just bits etc.

I’m now starting to think I need to lower my standards when we have guests because I spend a good couple of hours making sure the house is tidy and hoovered, the bathrooms are all clean and that the bedsheets are changed/ fresh. I thought this was ‘normal’ but after this weekend I’m wondering whether I’m just anal/ abnormal?!

If you paid for the meals out both time, I think your friends are having you for mugs tbh.

Everyone has different standards. Just been down my Dad's for the weekend to celebrate my nephew's birthday at his house. He lives alone and he just doesn't do cleaning bless him. Not on his radar. I took it upon myself to at least bleach the loo and give the bathroom basin a quick once over this morning whilst I was in the bathroom before jumping in the shower before everyone else arrived.

Yep. I get best cleaner done pre visitors. I need the pressure.

I always make sure the house is clean before guests come, the rest of the time not so much, but our carpets are never crunchy! I wouldn’t leave dirt lying around but it might get a bit dusty at times.

Yes, it’s the very reason I invite people.

Yes I always clean before guest come over. Even when my teens have friends over I want the house to be clean for them.

Always!

It is live-ably clean the rest of the time (though my standards are nowhere near as high as my mother's!), but usually as immaculate as I can get it (with dogs) when I have guests.

All round grim then.

I cook when guests are staying. I just see it as part of hosting. They are traveling to be with us, so I wouldn’t expect them to pay for food.

I would feel quite miffed if that wasn’t reciprocated if I’m honest and probably (cleanliness of my home aside) would probably follow their lead on eating out and expecting them to pay re: their next visit - if I bothered to invite them again (because I wouldn’t be going back to visit them).

All round grim then.

I cook when guests are staying. I just see it as part of hosting. They are traveling to be with us, so I wouldn’t expect them to pay for food.

I would feel quite miffed if that wasn’t reciprocated if I’m honest and probably (cleanliness of my home aside) would probably follow their lead on eating out and expecting them to pay re: their next visit - if I bothered to invite them again (because I wouldn’t be going back to visit them).

This. I panic clean on the morning of any guests. Minimum 3 hours. Never have anyone visit before 11. (4 kids).

But I don't care if others don't do the same. My mum did this. Learned behaviour 😃

OMG I love that!! Just looked it up and it’s a brilliant description of a panic tidy - never in my life heard that word before but I love a new one. I was surprised to see it’s US in origin, as it sounds like one of those old Dickensian or UK country expressions.

I was always taught it was disrespectful not to have a clean home for other people to visit and this has stayed with me

Yes, I go a little nuts before anyone comes over. My partner, who wouldn't care a jot, stays with me for a week every month. I start cleaning and prepping days before he arrives washing bedding, the cushions on the sofa, dog bed and towels. Dusting everything, hoovering everywhere. Checking there's plenty of loo roll. The day he arrives i check the fragrance pots dotted around the house and spritz the dog bed and cushions with fabreze (sp).

I also make sure I have a Tesco delivery the day before and plan menus and nip to the butchers.

Yes. I deep clean the bathroom, air the house, change sheets and towels (obviously), hoover dust and polish everywhere, including inside the windows if I have time, mop the kitchen floor, make sure the fridge is pretty clean. I want guests to walk into a home that smells fresh and looks inviting.

We joke that we should invite people to stay monthly as it’s the only time the house gets a thorough clean from both of us.

I don’t clean if someone is just popping round for a brew, though. That’s just a quick tidy.

You don’t need to lower your standards your friends need to up theirs.

Agree, we are the same. When we had 1, I kept the house to a standard I wouldn’t mind a surprise guest. It’s slipped now we have 2 so I’d need to clean before they arrived even more now!

I do clean more if I'm expecting guests but if it's unexpected visit it will be crunchy floor and pet hair. I have the time I just can't be bothered and I don't like having a cleaner. I don't like staying at people's homes nor hosting guests though.

No, but our house is generally quite clean anyway as my husband is a clean freak, so all we have to do for guests is change the bedding.

After staying at 2 different friends houses and both being dirty, I'd rather book into a hotel!
I'm not talking, needs a whip round with the hoover, I mean dirt. Like dirty light switches, corners full of dusty dog hair, sludge on kitchen drainer, dirty handprints on walls. I'm too old to deal with that.

I have one and it's a mess. It depends on the person some have no kids and it's unkempt 😏

My house is generally clean and today so it wouldn't take much to prep before guests, but I would ensure no dirty dishes and things I might have been using are tidied away.

I would always ensure clean bedding and the bed made up for over ight guests.

That being said you can't help there being dog hairs if you have a dog. You can't expect a house to be completely free of dog hair, that would be unreasonable.

Do not lower your standards.

I always clean my house from top to bottom even if company is coming over for just dinner. I also clean daily, because you're not supposed to be living like a pig!

Always. I would never knowingly have guests over and not clean for them. Ive 3 young kids and work full time and would be embarrassed if the place was dirty for people staying. Its usually not too bad and wouldn't take too long yo get everywhere whipped into shape but there's nobody I respect so little that I would have them stay here and not clean. If I couldn't clean or get a cleaner, I wouldn't have anyone to stay.

A little but dont go overboard, If people want to judge that it is their problem