Ways to clean fast before guests arrive

This happens when they are to arrive at short notice , when you are very busy with other things or during festive seasons when you have several guests to entertain and need to clean as some leave and others arrive.Some guests do not find it pleasant if you welcome them holding a mop in hand […]

This happens when they are to arrive at short notice , when you are very busy with other things or during festive seasons when you have several guests to entertain and need to clean as some leave and others arrive.
Some guests do not find it pleasant if you welcome them holding a mop in hand or do the cleaning in their presence making it important to use at least a few minutes to clean up before they arrive.  There are ways to make our home sparkle even when we don’t have much time according to home décor and organizing experts.
Lauren Piro gives the following tips on cleaning fast before guests arrive;
Sprinkle rugs with baking soda.
You don’t have time for a deep cleaning, but make sure your carpeting is fresh and odor-free by dusting it with a bit of baking soda. Wait 15 minutes, then vacuum the powder (and the stink) away.
 Use lemon
Slicing lemons for your famous chicken? Reserve half of one and run the cut side over chrome to make it shine again. Then, toss a few rinds through the garbage disposal to get rid of any offending smells.
 De-stink your kitchen
You can erase any lingering cooking odors (yesterday’s fish dinner, last night’s microwave popcorn) by hardly lifting a finger: Simply fill a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 cup of water, and allow to boil for several minutes. Then, if you like, switch it out for a sweet-smelling simmer pot, with aromatics like oranges and cinnamon sticks.
Spray trouble spots with this handy solution
Survey your home for any obvious stains, and give them a quick spray with a vinegar and water solution. This impressive cleaner is helpful almost anywhere, like for whisking away spots on a mirror or toothpaste drippings in the bathroom. Just don’t use it on natural stone, like granite; it could etch the surface.
Be forgiving about clutter
There’s no shame in putting catalogs, mail, and more into a basket and stowing it in a closet until guests depart. If you’d rather not move things, make neat piles out of messy mountains of stuff. Tidiness can step in for “organized” for the time being.
 Swiffer your kitchen floor
We love this tool for a quick pick-me-up under foot. And all you have to do is toss the disposable cloth when you’re done.
Zap dust fast with a lint roller
Take a lap around your house and sweep this sticky, lightweight tool over any spot that’s looking a little dusty (like stereo speakers, lamp shades, and stuffed animals). Or, banish debris in awkward spots by wiping them with a sock on your hand.
Be sure to clean the toilet
Guests will surely visit this high-traffic spot, so brush with bleach or your favorite cleaner before people arrive.
 Stick to spots you can see
Our homecare expert Heloise knows her way around any cleaning issue, but also loves a handy shortcut. “My mother liked to do what she called top cleaning,” Heloise says.”She’d tackle only the surfaces that were going to be seen or used.” So if you have to skip making your bed on party day, so be it.
Founder of 22 Interior, Lucie Ayres also advises the use of the fabric or room spray trick, by this she means you don’t need to dry clean your drapes or steam your furniture, but can give it a good pat, fluff, and spray.
 “Take your drapes fabric and shake it a bit, then use a fabric refresh spray or even a room fragrance spray – from a good distance – onto the fabric. Shake the fabric again and done,” she advises.
Becy Mansfiled, another expert advises people to dust for two reasons.
She said a dusty house looks like it has not been cleaned in a while.
 She said: “I feel like we dust a lot.  At least two times a week, but in the spring we dust more like every day or two, just to keep up with the pollen. If you are having company, you will want to dust the living room.  If you are spending time in there, their eyes will, inevitably, go to your furniture.  Make it shine.  Don’t forget the TV!  If the TV is on, a dust-free TV will be so much more clear”.
She adds that the smell of dusting spray smells great and makes the house smell clean.