Hello! We’re back with another article right after Fourth of July to give you some after-party cleaning tips. We hope you had an amazing Fourth of July surrounded by your friends and family. But, after a nice reunion and backyard party, there’s a lot to clean in your home.
After hosting this event, you’re probably exhausted and busy with the rest of your week. Of course, you can contact our cleaning service in Memphis, but if you prefer doing this on your own, then it’s time for you to grab your cleaning supplies and get some cleaning done!
You probably have a lot of areas to cover, and in this article, we will run through each one and give you tips and tricks to work smarter and not harder.
Without further ado, let’s get your home ready before the end of the week!
Start By Grabbing Your Cleaning Supplies
Of course, you can’t clean unless you have all your cleaning products and tools ready!
This will depend on the task and activities that you did during Fourth of July. If you had a nice outdoor barbecue, then it probably means that your backyard and your grill need some cleaning.
Or, if you decided on a quiet dinner with your family, then your kitchen and dining area should be your first priority.
No matter the case, you will probably have a lot of mess to get rid of. First, get rid of the large items that will go to the trash. Make sure you have enough garbage bags and that they are big enough to fit your items.
If possible, get a trash can that is large enough for your bags and that has wheels or is otherwise easy to transport and move around each room.
As always, always keep DIY cleaning agents as well, such as white vinegar (which we’ve talked about before), some baking soda, and mild dish soap. According to research, vinegar is effective for killing common household germs such as E. Coli and Salmonella.
Besides, you will need all your essential tools such as non-scratch sponges, microfiber towels, and cleaning brushes. Don’t forget about your broom and dustpan for your floors.
If you have plenty of time, grab your handheld or regular vacuum cleaner so you can vacuum your floors and furniture and get rid of dust and small crumbs. The same goes for your mop if you do have floors that need to be mopped.
These are al the essential tools, but keep in mind that you might need to include other tools for specific items or surfaces. For example, if you’re going to clean your grill, you might need a wire brush or a grill brick.
That’s pretty much all you need so get ready for some post-fourth of July deep cleaning!
Take the Trash Out
It’s always a good idea to declutter as much as possible after you’ve had a party or reunion. Large pieces of trash won’t let you do your job comfortably.
With your trash can and garbage bags, start to grab your disposable cups, dirty napkins, used fireworks, and empty soda cans from your backyard. Don’t forget about your bathroom and your kitchen too.
If possible, make sure to sort your items into recyclable bags and disposable bags.
Cleaning Outdoors
It’s likely that your backyard or patio is not looking great after Fourth of July. Here’s what you can do.
If you didn’t mow your lawn last week, it’s probably a good time to take care of your grass now. If you have flagstones or cobblestones on your patio, they might be needing a nice wash with a pressure washer. The same goes for your deck if you have one.
If you are going to use a pressure washer, remember to apply using a slight angle, instead of pointing straight to the surface. This way, you won’t hurt the surface directly.
As for your outdoor furniture, make sure you reorganize your items back to place.
A very important step is to take care of your grill. After a nice barbecue, it’s probably a bit messy.
A really easy and quick solution is using grill bricks. They are made of pumice stone which makes them free of any harmful chemicals. Just rub them against your grate or griddle until you notice the area is clean. Rinse and wipe the surface with a paper towel and you’ll be good to go.
If you have grates, take your time to soak them in a bucket with hot, soapy water. Leave them for at least an hour, although two or three would be better. Then, use a wire brush to carefully remove any crumbs or grease that has been building up.
Treat Stains Quickly
If you just had a Fourth of July party at home, (or even if you didn’t) it’s more than likely that any of your guests spilled drinks or food inside. Depending on the area, this can bring you a big headache when you think about removing that stain.
For example, stains on fabrics, upholstery, or carpet floors can be challenging to remove. If this is the case, the priority is to treat stains quickly. However, this can be hard to achieve if you noticed the stain later in the week.
Don’t worry. It’s better later than never! Make sure you treat the stain slowly and use harmless cleaning agents. A great combination that works for most surfaces is to mix white vinegar, mild dish soap, and warm water. This combines degreasing and surfactant properties, while still being gentle enough to apply to many different materials without making the situation worse.
The trick is to blot with a white absorbent cloth or towel. Don’t scrub because you will only spread the stain even further. If this stain comes from a particularly dark or “strong” color, such as coffee or wine stains, you might need a different approach.
If the white vinegar and soap mix didn’t work, you can try mixing three parts of hydrogen peroxide and one part of dishwashing liquid. Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known, oxygen-based bleach, which means that it will be helpful to remove stains without decoloring materials.
If you have mud stains or dropped food, use a butter knife to slowly scrape as much as you can.
Vacuum and Deep Clean Your Floors
Following that same train of thought, your floors are probably a bit messy after Fourth of July.
It’s highly likely that they have food crumbs, someone might have spilled their drinks or just regular dirt and dust that slowly builds up in your home.
Pretty much all floors are safe to be vacuumed, and they should be in order to remove bacteria, dandruff, dust, and any other allergens or dirt particles.
Depending on the type, you should mop your floors as well. A nice trick is to add a few drops of essential oil to give it a nice fragrance. Citrus and floral touches are always good choices for essential oils, and you will associate that room with cleanliness right away.
As for the actual cleaning agent, either vinegar or castile soap work great, but not together. Make sure you do some research or try in a small, inconspicuous area and wait 30 minutes after applying. This way, if you see any stains, you’ll be able to act quickly.
If you are using the vacuum cleaner, take this opportunity to use your handheld vacuum cleaner or upholstery cleaner. If you notice any pieces of furniture that are dirty or stained, take the time to run your vacuum cleaner on them.
Take Care of Your Kitchen
Your kitchen is right now probably filled with dirty dishes and cookware, as well as crowded countertops and messy-looking appliances.
As always, start by decluttering and removing garbage first. Place your dirty dishes and cookware in the sink or the dishwasher, depending on where they belong.
If you have food that is stuck on, add some hot soapy water until you cover the bottom of your pot or plate, and leave it for an hour or two. This way, you will only need to scrub softly with a non-scratch sponge until your item is squeaky clean.
Make Your Countertops Look Shiny Again
As for countertops, it really depends on the material. If it’s a natural stone (granite, quartz, marble) it’s best to use a specialized cleaning product or just warm water with mild dish soap. Avoid anything too acidic or capable of causing stains, such as vinegar, bleach or lemon juice.
For laminate countertops, you can try a DIY solution that is a bit more abrasive, because the material is resistant enough. Usually, mixing equal parts of white vinegar and warm water is more than enough. If you have the chance, add one or two tbsp of lemon juice to add even more degreasing action to your cleaning.
If you notice any particularly stubborn stains, you can try mixing baking soda and dish soap until you form a paste. Apply on the stained area and let sit for 15 minutes. Then, scrub with an old toothbrush.
Deep Cleaning Your Oven
It’s not uncommon to hear that you’ve cooked something delicious in your oven for Fourth of July. In this case, you might need to deep clean it.
If you need to clean your oven, start by removing any trays and leaving them soaked in hot, soapy water. Then, fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil, or skip this step if you have a steam cleaner.
Create a DIY oven cleaning solution in the meantime. Just mix ¼ cup hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup dish soap, and ½ cup of baking soda. Apply the solution inside your oven, let sit for an hour and then wipe everything out with a steam cleaner.
If you don’t have one, place an oven-safe pot or casserole in your oven. Run your oven for 1 hour to let the steam work by itself, and then wipe with a microfiber cloth.
Final Tips
By now, your home should be looking put together. The last areas that are now waiting for being cleaned are probably your bathroom and your guest bedroom (if you had any guests staying over).
A really good way of tackling both areas is to start with your bathroom and let cleaning agents act for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, while they are acting, work on your guest bedroom. Or even your regular bedrooms if you need to clean them.
The most essential tasks would be to replace your bedding, and wipe and declutter surfaces (TV stand, nightstand, libraries, or shelves). And, of course, vacuum and/or mop your floors if you haven’t done so already.
Conclusion
Here you have all the cleaning tips you needed after Fourth of July! As always, make sure to adapt this to your current needs and your household.
And if you’re busy this week and you still weren’t able to clean up your home after Fourth of July, remember to check our cleaning services in Memphis.
Good luck with this cleaning guide and we’ll be back soon with another article!