Do you do a Big Clean before Christmas?

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

I don't usually. Just do things as they need doing. But today it struck me that the kitchen cupboards were pretty filthy so I've given them a good scrub and cleaned the windows. Need to tackle the oven 😱

Just realised how dull this thread is

Yes, but mainly because I work in education and get two weeks off at Christmas, so can finally catch up on housework I’ve neglected since the last half term!

It’s nice to relax in a clean and tidy house, isn’t it?

Yep.
Pull out the sofa, tv unit etc and have a good Hoover so I know the room is sparkling clean before putting the twinkly decorations up. I’d feel awful sitting here with the room looking pretty but knowing there were dust bunnies -and gawd knows what else- under the sofa. I do the inside of the Windows too.

Family and I just had covid over past 3 weeks. I was in bed for most of it so now panicking.

Normally I would have deep cleaned a few rooms by now (and carry that on every couple of days until all rooms done) as like everything sorted for Christmas but I now have so much to do, I don’t have a clue where to start.

Just paid £400 for a team of four to scrub every inch of our battered, post construction, 3 kids in 25 months battered old heap.

Best Christmas present to self ever.

No. Normally don't. Should of but didn't this year.

Nope. I’ll tidy up, and I’ll clean up any visible dirt, but I can’t see any point in cleaning windows, rugs, inside ovens or inside cupboards. Why does it matter? Who’s checking and who cares?

I do it after Christmas, when everything comes down and it's a fresh new year.

@caringcarer

I have in past but this year my back is so bad I have struggled to do normal clean. I have a cleaner twice a week but can't do the in between cleans. I have not even got Xmas tree up yet as DH is unwell so can't get it done ATM. Feeling very stressed about it all.

Another one feeling your pain, quite literally. A bad back is the pits.

Yes I do as we usually host.

So I focus on downstairs as that is where the guests will be. Plus it’s just nice to have a clean and tidy house as I feel I can relax more.

On Boxing Day I often wonder why I bothered 🤣

I am working between Christmas and New Year for the first time in YEARS so I am taking the week before Xmas off instead this year. Havent don’t that before and hoping it will take the pressure off as I can clean while the kids are still at school. They stop on the 23rd so I am hoping the three days will be enough to get organised so we can then get out and do things on the 23rd and 24th.

@NameChangedForAChange
Why does it matter? Who’s checking and who cares?
Father Christmas and my mother.
It’s perfectly rational to do certain cleaning tasks only once or twice a year. It’s perfectly rational to do them in midwinter when there’s nothing to do in the garden. It makes sense to make them a Christmas (or Advent) tradition. Other traditions just aren’t as binding as Christmas traditions. Spring cleaning doesn’t really happen here.

Kind of....
I always have the stairs and landing carpet professionally cleaned four times per year, the fourth one being Christmas week if that counts?

@OhGiveUp

Kind of.... I always have the stairs and landing carpet professionally cleaned four times per year, the fourth one being Christmas week if that counts?

Is that to save ever vacuuming the stairs? What a great solution!

I have literally never considered this for an advent tradition. I would never have the time in December.

The Big Clean is what I should be doing right now. Instead of what I am actually doing, which is sitting here drinking coffee and MNing, with a purring cat on my lap.

Oh well

Stick a Christmas film on too @hotfroth!

Just finished conservatory/dining room, every window cleaned, xmas decorations up. Also cleaned sitting room window. Storm Arwen and Barra have thrown so much muck at some windows on the outside it's a bit depressing I'm gonna have to do the outside now 🙈

@SawdustandHay It certainly does. Fortunately there's only me see's the stairs as they only lead to the loft bedroom which is the dog's room.

I am usually quite slatternly, but I do have a big clean before Christmas.

So glad I had already done quite a lot of it as a very house-proud friend dropped by unexpectedly over the weekend. Normally I would be dying of the shame, but it didn't look too shabby for once

Yes, if I’m too busy for a big clean I make sure bathrooms are clean, plenty of clean clothes are available and we’ve hoovered, just so everywhere looks really nice and neat. If the oven is in need of a clean I try and do that to ensure it’s not smoking all day while the turkey is cooking etc.

If I had more time we’d clean and sort the fridge, mop all floors and dust everywhere too, but I must do what we can manage.

Just a question for people who don’t bother: if you don’t clean your house at Christmas, when do you do it?

Not hugely, although we are treating the oven to a professional clean this week

We do ours early on New Years Eve

Sort of, but I think anyone coming in will assume i am leaving it till the spring

@MynameisWa I'm an extremely ineffective cleaner with poor eyesight and hoarding tendencies whenever I'm stressed. I'm a single parent working full time with an elderly mother who's been in a crisis illness for over 2 months. My house is pretty squalid. Things are looking up a bit as I'm employing a slightly lackadaisical teenager for 2 hours a week so at least it's not currently getting any worse.

Just a question for people who don’t bother: if you don’t clean your house at Christmas, when do you do it

Continuously throughout the year. If I want to tackle an extra big task, I would do it when I have plenty of time, which would not be in the run up to Christmas.

@MynameisWa

Just a question for people who don’t bother: if you don’t clean your house at Christmas, when do you do it?

When it needs it.