Many of us see the New Year as a fresh start. The festivities are over and it’s time to get your home looking clean and fresh after weeks of cooking, hosting, and decorating, and putting more important things before dusting and cleaning.
Recent studies show that we feel more relaxed in a clean and tidy environment. Not to mention that increased hygiene levels have become vitally important over the last few years. Today, we’ve put together a helpful guide to cleaning your home after Christmas, so you can go into 2022 with a sparkling clean home.
Cleaning Your Oven
Let’s start in the kitchen. Your appliances will have certainly taken a battering over the festive period, especially the oven. Think of all the delicious foods you have cooked and buffets you may have hosted. Begin by taking out the oven shelves and racks and leave them to soak in the sink or bathtub with a dishwasher tablet or soda crystals. After a short period, take them out and begin scrubbing them with a toothbrush.
If you’re struggling to remove any burnt-on food, or extra sticky areas, make a paste out of baking soda, lemon juice, and salt. Apply liberally and leave it to work its magic.
Cleaning Your Fridge
Now that you’ve finished off the festive goodies, take out any remaining food and ensure it’s wrapped or sealed properly before setting it to one side. Give the fridge shelves a good wipe down with hot soapy water, not forgetting the seals that often collect spills and crumbs. Take out the drawers and clean these too. To finish, get rid of any lingering smells (in particular, Christmas cheeses) by adding fresh lemon juice to your cleaning cloth and giving everything one last wipe down.
Cleaning Your Microwave
Whilst you’ve got the lemons out, chop them and put them in a microwavable bowl with some water. Pop the bowl into the microwave until the water becomes streamy. This will help to loosen any dried-on food from the door and inside of the microwave. Keep the door shut for a while before taking the bowl out and wiping down the inside.
Cleaning Your Dishwasher
Next, open the dishwasher and take out the racks. Check the filters, pump and arms for any food debris and spray these areas with cleanser. Make sure the rinse aid is full, and the salt is replenished before putting the racks back in and running the hottest cycle to wash it through.
Cleaning Your Toilet
After cleaning the toilet down, open the lid and generously squirt some toilet cleanser, or bleach, around and in the toilet. Top tip – Leave the lid up! If you’re using bleach, the gasses can discolour both your toilet and the hinges if left down. If ever you’re using bleach, make sure to use cold water instead of hot. Hot water can render the active ingredients in bleach, making it less effective.
Cleaning Your Bathroom Fan
If you have a bathroom fan, this can quickly become covered in fluff and dust. As this builds up the fan will become ineffective. Hoover or dust any loose dust off and then once turned off, wipe with a damp cloth, remove the cover and allow it to soak.
Bathtub
We all like a bath in winter. If you’ve noticed any staining or build-up left behind from bubble bath or bath bombs, fill the bath with warm water and add a couple of scoops of biological washing powder. Leave for a couple hours and then rinse thoroughly before drying.
Bedroom
Begin by opening the curtains and the windows to let in some fresh air, before decluttering any surfaces, putting away any Christmas gifts, hanging up any clothes and removing all rubbish and clutter. Remember to dust off any pictures, light shades, skirting boards, and ornaments. If you’ve been gifted things you know you’ll never use, now’s the time to take them to a charity shop or sell them on – or they’ll be in a pile until this time next year!
Bed linen
Strip the bed to air and plump up your pillows before vacuuming and turning your mattress if possible. Finish by putting on your best new sheets and tucking everything in neatly.
We hope this guide inspires you to begin your after Christmas clean and start the New Year feeling fresh and ready for the year ahead.