As the countdown to Christmas begins, families throughout the UK are feeling the extra pressure to give the impression of domestic bliss, despite hectic festive schedules, as 8 out of 10 Brits reveal that impressing loved ones is a key priority.
Home and Garden on Female First
Keeping up appearances and having a tidy and clean home has become as important as perfecting the turkey and bagging the ultimate little black dress, with the average Brit dedicating four and a half hours to cleaning each week, even over the busy Christmas period. But with shopping, present wrapping, cooking and entertaining friends and family on the festive to-do list, the last thing we really have time for is a full-on spring clean.
“Its no surprise that we’re feeling the pressure” according to Stephanie Zia, cleaning guru and author of Done & Dusted, The Organic Home On A Budget. “With many of us welcoming in more visitors at Christmas than any other time of the year, we want our homes to have that extra sparkle and be a positive reflection on us. But Brits need to be savvy and recognize that a clean and guest-friendly home doesn’t mean slaving away behind the scenes.”
To help save time and tackle the Christmas cleaning crisis successfully, Stephanie has provided the following tips:
1. First impressions
Christmas wreaths demand nearly as much thought on style and decoration as the tree itself these days. Before you put your wreath up, spend just a few minutes wiping down the outside of your front door to take away all the wear and tear of the autumn storms. Finish off by polishing up any glass and brass to a super shine with a glass & polishing cloth. No extras needed, just a quick wipe and the stage is set.
2. Clean while you chat
On a call organising this year’s festivities? Use your time wisely and grab an e-cloth (which I find really easy to use as they require no product – www.e-cloth.com) with your spare hand, dampen under the tap or spray with a water spritzer and catch up on your cleaning. This is a good time to concentrate on all those easily-missed skirting boards, window ledges and frame sills. A swift wipe across all the hidden dust spots on a regular basis will quickly make your home feel fresh and rejuvenated.
3. Dry Clean Your Winter Fabrics
Don’t forget to freshen up your heavy winter curtains, upholstery, Christmas table-cloths and runners. To save on dry-cleaning bills I use a damp e-cloth to wipe them down – the clever tiny fibres capture trapped grease and dirt - but don't use on embroidered surfaces or delicate weaves as you could damage them permanently.
4. Prepare your Glassware
Run a pre-Christmas glasses-only dishwashing cycle for those little-used champagne and brandy glasses and all your regular glass tableware. Stack them so that no glass touches another, which causes 'clouding'. For extra sparkle, place half a mug of vinegar in the bottom tray and finish off by polishing up with a glass & polishing cloth. If you're uncertain about "dishwasher safe" valuable glass, use a special dishwasher glass separating rack. Wash antique glasses by hand.
5. Christmas Spills
Pine tree needle drops have a horrible habit of digging in to the carpet, making heavy work of both vacuuming and the dustpan and brush. There's no need to be constantly hauling out the vacuum cleaner, keep an e-cloth to hand for tree needles, glitter, tinsel and party spills. The hook-like fibres will pick up everything so much faster than any other type of cloth or brush. Party spills, including red wine, will come right out if you act quickly enough using just a cloth and water.