A 5-Step Checklist for Cleaning After Thanksgiving

People often blame the excessive consumption of turkey for their drowsiness on Thanksgiving. However, if you have ever hosted one of these occasions, you already know the actual reason for being fatigued after dinner. You are exhausted from all of the Thanksgiving cleaning and cooking that you had to do.

Are you prepared to hear a secret? The Thanksgiving clean-up process may be greatly simplified with just a little bit of planning. Have a look at the house cleaning checklist for thanksgiving that is provided below to learn how to make your next holiday a little less hectic.

Before Thanksgiving Cleaning Checklist

According to the Thanksgiving cleanup checklist, if you want to get a head start on your cleaning in time for Thanksgiving, focus on the items that won’t need to be cleaned again until after the holiday. This will remove them off your plate. And relieve some of your tension as you won’t have to think about them anymore.

Hall Closet

If guests want to put up their jackets in the hall closet, now is the time to clean it out. Prepare to use your best dinnerware by washing, drying, and polishing it. The same should be said for any fine silverware you save for the winter vacations.

Clean the Fridge

Have a detailed cleaning of your fridge. Take everything out of the shelves and organize it. Clean up the fridge and get rid of any perishables. Because once you start preparing meals, you’ll quickly discover that you need more space than you first anticipated.

Overall Survey

Check for messy spots that you would like not have visitors view. Do some cleaning and sorting before the guests arrive. Finally, tend to any unfinished business in the yard. Clean up the yard by raking leaves and picking up litter, putting away toys, etc.

After Dinner Thanksgiving Checklist

Because you’ll need to start cooking sooner rather than later. And because you want to make sure that your house is clean and ready for company. The Thanksgiving cleanup checklist states that the cleaning you do before dinner will be more intensive than the cleaning you do after dinner. The Thanksgiving cleanup checklist, that is provided below might assist you in your post-thanksgiving cleanup.

Start by Wiping It Down!

If there are any leftover scraps of food, you may clean them away with a damp cloth or wipes. This will include:

• Furniture for the dining area (table & chairs)
• Countertops
• Sink
• Chairs and couches (if meals were taken in those)

Even if you don’t have the strength to vacuum, giving the rooms a short sweep will get them through till the morning. There’s no reason a post-thanksgiving cleanup can’t be done in under 10 minutes with everyone chipping in.

Dishes, please!

As soon as your visitors leave, if not sooner, you should load the dishwasher and start it running. Dishes that have been left out overnight will be a nightmare to clean the next day. Due to the food caked on them. In addition, you will likely need to wash more than one set of dishes. You should begin immediately.

• Dishwasher

Not pre-rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher is a common misconception. To help the dishwasher do its job, it’s best to scrape off big bits of food while some grime left behind is okay. However, the dishwasher’s oil sensor might be thrown off if you fill it with predominantly dirty dishes, so it’s best to plan it out.

• Cleaning Stainless Steel

Cleaning stainless steel cookware by hand is also recommended. Even though most of it claims to be dishwasher-safe. The dishwasher may quickly fill up with pots and pans, and occasionally you’ll need to give them a little more care. Our post-thanksgiving cleanup guide recommends using hot water and a dish brush. Such as the OXO Good Grips Dish Brush, to remove baked-on food and other residues. 

To save time scrubbing, utilize a moderately abrasive cleanser such as baking soda, Bar Keeper’s Friend, or The Pink Stuff if you don’t have access to extra muscle.

• Cleaning Cast-iron Cookware

And don’t worry about the urban legend that says you can’t put soap on cast-iron pots and pans; it’s completely false. According to our findings, cast-iron cookware may be cleaned with soap. A little amount of soap won’t ruin your pan as long as you do it correctly. You shouldn’t let food particles linger in a filthy pan. So go ahead and use the soap if you have a very grimy pan. This way you’ll have a complete kitchen cleaning.

Washing Machine On

You’ll likely have some napkin washing to do after the Thanksgiving feast. Whether you used paper or cloth napkins. We are discussing items like dish towels, aprons, and perhaps even jeans that got gravy on them. 

There will also inevitably be some spills and stains on your tablecloths from things like gravy and melted butter. However, contrary to popular belief, cleaning them is a breeze. To combat stains, water is your best bet. First, you should try to remove as much of the stain as possible by running cold tap water over the affected area. Then giving it a thorough wash.

Wine, tea, and coffee stains may be difficult to remove. But certain cleaning solutions work well. All you have to do is apply the solution, let it stay for five minutes, and then rinse it out with cold water. 

Spot cleaning linens with dish soap and water is more efficient for removing grease stains. And then air drying the items. Don’t bother drying them in the machine. While damp, stains are more difficult to discern, the dryer will permanently fix any remaining spots in the cloth. A post-thanksgiving cleanup tip states that tablecloths should be dried on a clothesline in case further cleaning is required.

Clean and Tidy the Living Areas

Dust and vacuum the common rooms of your home, such as the living room and dining room, before your visitors come. (Don’t forget to check the ceiling for any sneaky cobwebs.) Put away those cumbersome throw cushions and bring out some more chairs. Guarantee that there is sufficient seating for all of your visitors. It is highly recommended that you include washing the windows in your Thanksgiving cleaning routine. Thereafter, check to see that the glass is streak-free and sparkling.

Additionally, your Thanksgiving cleanup checklist suggests that it’s a good idea to do some sweeping after your visitors depart. Even though you probably won’t feel like it. After the Thanksgiving meal, there will be dropped food and crumbs on the floor, even more so because of the occasion. Crumbs may be trailed around the home and get permanently lodged in the carpet if people continue to tread on them. A short sweep can help you avoid making any further messes.

Have a Final Look Around

Check to see if there is anything further that needs to be done. Heavy usage of an appliance might require a quick wash down, and an opened can should be returned to its drawer. Before calling it a night, be sure to inspect the floor, as well as the sinks, refrigerator door knobs, and other possible stains and spills spots. Then, you may take satisfaction in your hard work and a clean kitchen as you leave for the day. 

Make sure your Thanksgiving cleanup checklist focuses on the following:

• Set aside leftovers
• Put remaining food in containers 
• Gather all the cutlery, glasses, and dinnerware. Prepare a full load for the dishwasher in the morning
• Dishes that can’t go in the dishwasher or are very fragile should be set aside to be hand washed
• If there are any stains on your festive laundry, like table clothes, napkins, or even cushion covers, make sure they are in the laundry before you call it a night.
• Put away and wash the tablecloths, napkins, and other linens for your next gathering.
• Wipe off the kitchen surfaces, including the stove, counters, and backsplash.
• Remove any stains from the carpets and mop the floors in the kitchen and dining room.
• Remove all pillows, blankets, and comforters from the beds in the guest rooms, to be washed in your next laundry load.

Following the house cleaning checklist for Thanksgiving may be challenging. As is the case with the adoption of any other new behavior or practice. But, once you’ve been sticking to this schedule for a while, post-thanksgiving cleanup becomes a breeze. You’ll have fewer dirty dishes to wash, lesser laundry, and cleaner surfaces.

Conclusion

Cleaning up after Thanksgiving dinner is, without a question, the most dreaded portion of the whole meal. You’ve just spent hours cooking a great supper for the family. Another hour or two cleaning the house from top to bottom. Only to have to spend still another hour or two doing the dishes. These brilliant time-saving cleaning techniques will take the pressure off of preparing for Thanksgiving and restore your enthusiasm for entertaining family and friends.

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