To think you need to clean for “guests”

[CleanHouseForNow]

We have family visiting tomorrow for lunch. A planned meal with about 15 people. We see them regularly but not often at home.

In the interests of full disclosure we have a cleaner who does 3 hours once a week. I think in addition we need to:
> Deep clean the kitchen
> Mop the floor of the whole downstairs
> Deep clean downstairs toilet
> Remove all clutter from downstairs
> Wipe all downstairs surfaces
> Empty downstairs bins
> Hoover upstairs
> Deep clean upstairs bathroom

This is the minimum. I would actually do more if time permitted.

DH thinks it is WAY too much and would probably just wipe down the kitchen and spray some air freshener in the bathrooms. AIBU?

Are they likely to scrutinise your house?! This seems very excessive

I would do that - in fact I did today clean thoroughly for just visiting neighbours who came for a cup of coffee. I notice when others have dirty houses myself. It’s a good reason not to invite people I find!

It's a bit much. How mucky is it?

My partner thinks I'm insane for wanting to ensure our kitchen work surfaces, downstairs loo etc aren't disgusting before guests come round so I feel your pain. However this does feel a little excessive. When did your cleaner last come? Do you really need to do all of that? I'd be inclined to ensure bathrooms are visually clean, hoover downstairs, declutter a reasonable amount (downstairs only, dump stuff in a room that guests won't access), and clean kitchen work surfaces and sink.

I’m not sure how ‘deep’ all this planned deep cleaning is but I’d make sure bathrooms, kitchen, surfaces and floors are all clean, bins emptied.
although my house is usually pretty clean and clutter free so this takes less than an hour of sorting stuff before people come, while dh cooks.
Not being smug, my kids are all older and quite helpful, I hate clutter so tend to keep on top of stuff and we also have a cleaner who comes every week!

Depends on how filthy your house gets in between cleaner visits. Personally, I would have a tidy up, hoover round, and make sure the loos are presentable and call it done. But then I don't have a cleaner, and tend to do a little bit of house cleaning every day rather than let it build up.

Hosting is a good reason to clean. Extended family means you want the house to be at its best since they will all talk.
From your list I would prioritise:
thorough cleaning of downstairs and upstairs loos - people will need to use these; make sure extra loopaper is obviously available
declutter downstairs - again, people will be using these areas and you need them clear for plates/glasses (just chuck it all in bedrooms no one will use)
wipe downstairs surfaces and empty downstairs bins - see above
hoover upstairs - on the route to the upstairs loo

I'd sweep downstairs but not mop - save that for the next day when they're gone; it will really need it then.

If I didn’t throughly clean for guests we would live in a shithole.

Sometimes i invite people around just to force myself to deep clean. I was hoovering the other day and my DS asked me if we were having guests 🤣

Wouldn’t go overboard.

my kitchen is cleaned daily anyway - as in I wipe things as I go and I would chuck a bit of bleach in the loo before guests (but do most days anyway as needed)

why do you need to hoover upstairs?

My house is genuinely kept clean enough on a day to day basis - good enough for us and good enough for guests

😆 I have 2 children under 10 so it’s pretty gross by my standards but the cleaner doing a whizz round once a week keeps most of the sticky handprints at bay.

I'm the same. I go into deep cleaning mode on the rare occasion we have visitors (we rarely have visitors because of the work involved 😂). I have a cleaner who works 3 to 4 hours a week. It's not like we live in filth, but I think there are things that we don't notice normally but visitors would.

Downstairs yes but if short of time or fucks to give leave upstairs. People shouldn't be going up there anyway.

I'd be doing that weekly anyway. Your DH clearly doesn't know much about basic cleaning of a home.

I'd get your cleaner to do the hovering, floor mopping, and bathroom cleaning. What exactly does she do every week if not that?

I would be doing the same as you. Husband would agree with your husband. Our house is generally clean and reasonably tidy. I just can’t relax if guests were over and it’s not spotless. I don’t know why I’m like this. I don’t judge my friends on the cleanliness of their houses.

She comes on a Friday but the thought of someone seeing a hair in the bathroom makes me feel queasy. Maybe that’s just me.

How deep is the deep clean? I’m on my knees cleaning the bathroom floor tiles.

I also pull the sofas out to hoover.

When I visit people I’m interested in spending time with them - not interested in inspecting the state of their kitchen or how beautifully clean the floors toilet is.

I’m secure enough that if my friends and family visit they are here to see me - not inspect my cleanliness . I don’t need to clean like a madman to prove my worth.

normal standards of cleanliness - yes - but going mad cleaning and totally overboard as if the king is visiting - absolutely not.

What does your cleaner do if you have to do all that? I’d clean the downstairs loo (what kind of deep clean does that need? And vacuum but I’m not going to become a different person and no one would be going upstairs so no need to touch that. Emptying the bins seems like a normal task don’t you do that anyway?

😆 I think my husband’s objections have started since I allocated him tasks…

I think there are things that we don't notice normally but visitors would.

@SometimesThingsHappen it’s exactly this. The cleaner whizzes around the house and gives everything a light touch. If the toilet has a few marks since Friday, I think people would notice and chucking bleach down it wouldn’t do the job. I shudder at the thought my Dad might lift the loo seat to wee and there was a stain on it 🤮

Yes I think it is important but the warmth of your smile, yummy food and fresh hair and outfit is more important for me personally :-)
what I am saying is; don’t exhaust yourself , it is but one metric and warmth wins for me hands down. I have been so tired cleaning sometimes, I want the guests to bog off by the time they arrive!!

Okay no I wouldn’t be on my hands and knees, I use the floor steamer and I do pull out sofas every 2 months or so but not something i’d specifically be doing before people come round.
i don’t know, we have people round all the time so presume they’re perfectly happy to be fed and watered here therefore it’s clean enough!

I had a friend over last week, I did a clean the night before but not a big tidy

i have my bestest special friend that comes over twice a year. She gets a proper clean pulling everything out, even cleaning plug holes etc. I’m not sure if she cares but it makes me do it

Clean, scrub everything in sight.
If we have visitors I scrub and clean everything on top of what a cleaner would do. That's the Irish way.
Even if your house is clean again the Irish way is to apologise for the mess.
Nothing is ever going to be good enough for guests so why bother trying. Never left your guests go upstairs

@Scoreagoal in case they go upstairs for the loo