To think you need to clean for “guests”

[CleanHouseForNow]

We have family visiting tomorrow for lunch. A planned meal with about 15 people. We see them regularly but not often at home.

In the interests of full disclosure we have a cleaner who does 3 hours once a week. I think in addition we need to:
> Deep clean the kitchen
> Mop the floor of the whole downstairs
> Deep clean downstairs toilet
> Remove all clutter from downstairs
> Wipe all downstairs surfaces
> Empty downstairs bins
> Hoover upstairs
> Deep clean upstairs bathroom

This is the minimum. I would actually do more if time permitted.

DH thinks it is WAY too much and would probably just wipe down the kitchen and spray some air freshener in the bathrooms. AIBU?

I would definitely do this and I'm not very house proud

The cleaner and I prep together to get everything done. Then on the morning just a quick dash round the bathrooms. As for the kitchen dh does the prep and catering so it's on him on the day

I don’t know why I’m like this

100% because of my mother @Pumpkinmagic. She hated having visitors and was always cleaning crazy before they came.

Ok - so if only loo is upstairs - that’s less than 5 mins to hoover the stairs and landing to the loo if you must???!!!!

i’m no domestic goddess but if someone went upstairs to use the loo unexpectedly - I’d not be bothered 1 even if I’d not hoovered that day…

I clean normally for my family and my house is ‘ok’ not perfect but just normal - and guests can just take me as I am.

don’t over think this! They are family and surely expect you to find a normal family home - not a palace???

If you had the cleaner round on Friday I don't think you need more than a quick hoover of downstairs, make sure downstairs loo is clean and wipe surfaces in the kitchen. And you'd be doing at least some of that anyway (would you really not clean the toilet if there were visible marks, even without guests?)

But then if visitors come round to check the standard of my cleanliness they would find themselves uninvited quite quickly.

a word of warning to people saying you don’t need to do upstairs. My aunt visited me, she is very pass remarkable, spends most of her time housekeeping.

So I scrub the place top to bottom before she comes. It’s not awful because we have a cleaner but I did all the skirting, cleaned down the front of the cupboards, pulled everything out. Everything. Then while I was busy with the children , she actually went upstairs and opened all the doors to the bedrooms where she found all the shite and clutter I had a thrown in, in a panic.

If I had guests coming today I wouldn't do anything except double check the toilet and sink because the place is already quite clean (as is yours). I'd maybe hide my used towels and put a clean hand towel in the bathroom.

If they were staying overnight, the bathroom would get a more thorough clean because they'd be using the shower, maybe wanting to leave their night clothes on the floor, but just for lunch, no there would be no need for such a deep clean.

So break the cycle. Clean less, enjoy having your visitors.

I always make sure my house is clean for guests. I don't judge anyone for being untidy, but if I'm in a home that isn't clean, especially if I'm eating there, I feel really, really uncomfortable, so I wouldn't want that for my guests.

I'd be very disappointd if i was paying a cleaner and needed to do all that extra cleaning 2 days later!

As for the bins, I live in a flat so I can only take them out on bin day.
Are you saying that visitors expect bins to be empty?

Your cleaning suggestions all will take time, as long as upstairs bathroom and downstairs toilet are cleaned, smelling fresh and kitchen is smelling good-sink bleached, clean tea towels and washing up scourers. The other clutter etc can be put into an under-stair cupboard

Cleaners just do your standard maintenance clean really. It will keep the place ok but you’ll still need to do deeper cleans 4-6 times a year. Maybe even more.

Gosh, I’d never do all this! I’d make sure the downstairs toilet and sink were super clean and that everywhere was tidy and that would be it!

When I visit people I’m interested in spending time with them
I hope my guests are like you @Scoreagoal but I do notice if I’m in someone’s house and the bathroom is a bit… used. I want them to not find fault and I can’t relax if I know no one has wiped the toilet down etc

My daughter in law was vaccuming and GS asked if Nanny was coming!

I wouldn't deep clean (as in, I wouldn't clean out my kitchen cupboards), but I would give the place a bloody good spruce up.

We empty the bins on a Thursday before the cleaner comes. We have 15 people coming, I’ll empty them again so they don’t appear manky or so the guests (my family) don’t feel uncomfortable if there is already something in them 😬

I’d just hoover, mop, ensure kitchen and bathroom and living dining rooms are clean and tidy. And toilet duck the toilet.

What she said, 100%.

I live in a reasonable state of cleanliness all the time. What's good enough for me is good enough for any other human. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be ok for me either.

I also welcome guests dropping by at short notice - I'm actually really surprised how many people clean (at all, never mind deep clean) for guests.

Are your family so judgemental that this is really necessary?

No way would we do all this if you want to personally fine you do it yourself

Deep clean the kitchen - definitely surfaces, but not inside every cupboard. Maybe also fridge also.
> Mop the floor of the whole downstairs - yes
> Deep clean downstairs toilet - yes
> Remove all clutter from downstairs - within reason. As long as rooms are clean and tidy
> Wipe all downstairs surfaces - yes
> Empty downstairs bins - yes, if nearly full
> Hoover upstairs - hallways
> Deep clean upstairs bathroom. - clean and tidy

But way are you leaving the cleaning for tomorrow. Couldn’t most have been done today, with last minute hoovering and surface wiping being done tomorrow?

again….I’m no domestic goddess - I do what I need to around the house but am not overly house proud.

so if the toilet is looking a bit minging at any time - I chuck some bleach down and give it a quick scrub - literally take 5 mins.

i don’t ‘do it for guests’ - just for general hygiene! As and when.

my house is ok for me and my family and if anyone else turns up - so be it.

It’s not pristine or a show home - just ‘normal’

no cleaner here - just normal cleaning as and when.

don’t overthink it - am sure it is fine and really if people have nothing better to do than judge your cleaning - it says far more about them than you!!!

I would make sure the toilets are clean, the surfaces everywhere are clean and as uncluttered as I can make them. I'd hoover and mop where needed.

Am I fuck doing a deep clean of the goddamn floor tiles that no one is going to look at.

I agree with you i do the same before guests. Even if someone messages out of the blue to come round what I can get done in 15 minutes is nothing short of spectacular and more then I've usually done all week 🤣🤣