Tips on cleaning a house quickly?

[Dr. Death]

My in-laws are coming this weekend and the house is a mess. I was supposed to start cleaning this evening, but TV, wine, and DU (in that order) were more enticing. So I have tomorrow night to clean up.

Any suggestions?

[raptor_rider]

1. Find a hidden

empty closet and shove all the junk into it. Do bathrooms (very important) and dust around objects, vaccum, sweep and mop. Counter tops cleared of paperwork shoved into a drawer. That is all I can think of a quick clean up! GOOD LUCK!!!!

[SeattleGirl]

2. Yep, that would be my advice.

My husband and I call it the "Company's Coming Twirl"!!

[raptor_rider]

3. Isn't that the truth!!! n/t

[pitohui]

4. loud music, more wine

make it a party

always start w. the bathrooms & kitchen, you can fake the rest, you're judged by yr bathroom & kitchens so you want to do them while you're fresh & energetic

it can actually be fun

crank it up!

[Deja Q]

5. A match and home insurance...

:rofl:

Bad joke. :spank:

[AussieDave]

7. That was gonna be MY suggestion......

[mac56]

6. We called it a Red Alert when we were growing up.

My grandma used to say, "A good way to make yourself clean the house is to pretend that company's coming."

My mom would retort, "If you can pretend that company's coming, you can pretend the house is clean."

[Elidor]

8. A leaf blower and a garden hose

Works wonders.

[DawgHouse]

9. Erma Bombeck wrote

that you should keep some get well cards around for moments like this. Just spread them around the house, mantle etc. Then you can say you've been sick and unable to clean. :)

[mwdem]

12. That I like!

:applause:

[Dr. Death]

10. Thanks for the advice

although burning the place down may not be the best alternative. I appreciate the sentiment though.

Make the pie higher!

[WCGreen]

11. Move!!!! Blame it on KAtrina

[sendero]

13. I can't help you now..

... but the next time you get a house, build it with a drain hole right in the middle of a depression in the middle of the floor.

Connect a hose to the nearest faucet and spray down the whole room. Watch as the dirt washes right down the drain.

Turn on a ceiling fan to dry.

Have a glass of vino :)

[Dr. Death]

14. Good advice,

I'll keep that in mind next time.

[bobbieinok]

20. my mom used to say that was her ideal house

died 3-31-05 at 92

[Ksec]

15. Finish one job THEN start another

Thats my tip.

When you do dishes, do them. THEN start vacuuming. After you vacuum, dust. Always dust at the end .

When you wash walls start from the bottom and work up to avoid the streaking as water trails down the wall and will leave a streak .

[PennyK]

17. WASH WALLS?!?!?

Ok, that's not for a quickie cleanup. That's something you do when you're in an obsessive mood and can't rest!

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. Two words

1. Accellerant
2. Matches

:evilgrin:

[Kali]

18. Shove all clutter into one room.

Lock door. Clean bathroom. Go to store. Buy 25 watt ligtbulbs. Install. Serve copious amounts of strong alcohol.



better yet:

Meet at restaurant. Your treat!

[Whoa_Nelly]

19. Laundry baskets

use'em to collect and stash!

The room your in-laws will be in, do first. Clear it out, make it welcoming, go to Dollar Store and find some sweet treats, cute and useful items, and a basket to put'em all in. Add some hangers to the closet.

Buy some flowers for their room, the kitchen and/or dining room table.

Clean their bathroom next...add clean towels, new soap, a couple of items in the med cabinet (floss, small bubble bath, extra toothbrushes...Dollar Store again!)

Carry a large trash bag with you from room to room as you gather and stash...saves you time as you go by emptying waste baskets and picking stray trash-ola!

Save vacuuming for last....after straightening up and cleaning, gravity pulls all to the floor...vacuum last!

While MIL is there, go ahead and pull out all that laundry that needs folding...she will love to help (maybe??)

No time to use Pledge? Spray a little in the air for that "just cleaned" smell after you use a feather duster on all horizontal surfaces.

Pick up a restaurant meal...salad, the works, and transfer it all into various bowls, pans, oven...throw away the packaging so they don't see it...make them feel special :-) This is what people remember about a visit

[Fleshdancer]

21. this is what kids are for

if you don't have kids, bribe the neighbor kids for $5. :D

[spacelady]

22. Find a box, put all extraneous crap in it & hide it--can be sorted out

once they are gone. Think minimalist, light candles so rooms will smell good. Kitchen & Bathroom are the most important areas to clean.

[Az]

23. Fire is your friend

Burn it all! BURN IT ALL!!!

[RevCheesehead]

24. Call in sick tomorrow.

If it still isn't clean, call the in-laws and tell them you're sick.

[NV Whino]

25. Hire a cleaning service

Seriously. Well worth the bucks.

[radwriter0555]

26. Start in one corner at a time and clean it completely. As you remove

clutter, put it AWAY, do NOT stack it in its area.

Handle everything just ONE time. No shuffling of items, papers; put each item where it belongs the first time you handle it.

Start high, and as you're dusting, knock the dust to the lower regions, vacuum LAST.

It won't take long, it takes longer to WORRY about it.