A Christmas Cleaning Checklist from Experts for Singapore Homes

The Christmas season always comes with too many emotions. You might feel like the season is approaching fast right after we warm ourselves up to prepare our homes. There is a lot to do, and sometimes we like to wait to find out what to start with. If you have no idea how to do cleaning effectively, it is gonna take a whole lot of time. Here is the deal- good planning, focus and organisation will help you go far more than you think. And, that is why we are here with a Christmas cleaning checklist- something you might not have come across before. We are happy to share all the salient hacks you should know to have the cleanest home in town for this Christmas season. Go on, read!

‍

When is the Right Time to Start Cleaning for Christmas?

Before preparing a Christmas cleaning checklist, you should know when to start cleaning for Christmas. You should prepare to engage in deep cleaning activities at home two to three weeks before the time you would want guests and family at home. It helps you get ample time to tick off each task without stressing yourself. We have mentioned a time that will suit most households in Singapore. However, see if you would require more time if you have a large house and certain specifics as it plays a great role too.

The first task we would encourage you to do is make a simple list of all the tasks you would need to do. Also, calculate the approximate time you need to complete those tasks. It might seem like a silly thing, but trust us- it is going to save you a lot of tasks you would otherwise miss and worry about during the last minutes. Here is a list of things at home you shouldn’t miss to clean before Christmas. Hang it somewhere convenient while engaging in cleaning. 

Our second tip - delegate the tasks. We would like to remind you that you are going to take a lot of time than you think if you plan on doing it all by yourself. Chances are that you get tired halfway, plus it is always great to make sure that everyone involved in cleaning because it is a win-win for everyone at the end of the day. Distribute the tasks and time according to each family member’s capacity. Let’s move to our main Christmas cleaning checklist at home. 

Here are a few things that you can keep in mind before starting the Christmas cleaning in full force!

Christmas Cleaning Checklist for Your Home 

If you ever think of decorating your home to get in the mood for Christmas, we urge you to reconsider. Organising decorative stuff first and cleaning later will damage your embellishments; there is also a possibility for you to discover the need for repair while cleaning, so better not to double the work. Here are the must-do cleaning tasks you should have in your Christmas cleaning checklist:

• Eliminating the Clutter

A decluttering spree just before the Christmas season will only do good to your mansion. It is a great way to start deep cleaning for the season. Decluttering can be a job for some days when there is a chance for you to get distracted, so make sure that you focus on the main areas of your home. Get a large bag and go around every room to gather the things that are out of space. This strategy will help you to sort toys if you have toddlers at home, but the reason for the clutter is not always children.

There could also be piles of stuff like magazines, toys, coats, books, and similar stuff in a mess. Carrying a bag will help you organise things by saving time when compared to picking up each item and finding it a place when you clean the house. You can go over the bag to wipe clean (if that’s necessary) and put things back in their place, donate or discard each item. We also suggest you go over your wardrobe and see if there are any clothes you can keep with the things you would like to donate. 

• Cleaning All the Bathrooms

Cleaning each bathroom is one of the most time and energy-consuming tasks of the Christmas season. It is also why we emphasise getting such chores out of the way while your energy is not on compromise. If you fear that you will be worn out by the time you deep clean all the bathrooms at your home in Singapore, book the service of professional cleaners from Sendhelper by downloading the Sendhelper app. Paying attention to all the details while cleaning and disinfecting your bathrooms is crucial if you are doing it on your own. But, if you are resorting to us, you need not worry about any of it- we take care of all of that for you! 

Approach bathroom cleaning this way and give it your best work to make them sparkling clean:

• Look for dirt in all the corners and hidden areas of your bathrooms and see if there is any damage due to water or mould. If you find mould stains, treat them as soon as possible. 
• Inspect the tiles and use scrubbing powder to clean their grouts. 
• It is a must to take off the curtains in your bathrooms and give them for laundry. You definitely won’t like the guests staring at the dirty curtains just because you missed cleaning them. 
• Clean the bathing tub, sink and shower, and polish all the tapware. 
• Wipe clean the mirrors and make them sparkling clean. 
• Free up the space in bathroom cabinets by throwing away all the old bottles and expired items. 
• Freshen up the bathroom mats and keep extra toiletries for your guests.

If you like to read a few tips on how to keep your bathrooms odourless while you have guests at home, read our guide. Also, if you are about to deep clean your bathroom by yourself, here is our step-by-step guide on how to deep clean bathrooms at home.

How to Eliminate Mould

Mould is one of the common problems in bathrooms due to humidity and sometimes we can’t help it until we do something about the ventilation. Using store-bought mould removers is not advisable since they can cause a strong smell after use. You can use a mixture made of white vinegar and water in a ratio of 2:1 to kill the fungus; adding a few drops of tea tree oil will help release a good smell too. It is also an all-purpose cleaner you can use while cleaning other areas of your bathroom from taps to tiles!

Now comes the hard part- cleaning the grouts. Either use a paste with baking soda and water or use bleach as they have strong whitening power. But you should be mindful while using those- use them in small amounts only. In addition to that, make sure to keep the bathroom windows open while you use these cleaning agents. 

Get help from one of the professional handyman experts in town through Sendhelper if you spot leaks while cleaning. Minor leaks can intensify during the Christmas season when more people use the bathroom, so it is always better to fix the small issues before they go out of hand. 

• Clean Your Oven

Of course, there will be a lot of things to take care of in the kitchen too, but that doesn’t mean you should skip cleaning an important appliance like an oven. The accumulated dirt and debris in the oven could spoil your special Christmas dinner, so inspect your oven inside out and clean it very well. Reach out to a professional if you feel that there is a need for repair, especially if you have not used it for a while. 

You can start the cleaning by preheating the oven with a bowl of water and lemon juice as it helps loosen the stains. Turn the oven off, wait for it to cool down, take out the bowl and clean the inside by following these steps.

• Take out the trays, racks and other pieces and wipe the oven’s inside to collect the food particles and grime. 
• Mix some baking soda with water to make a paste, spread the paste on the oven's interior and leave it for around 30 to 40 minutes (spare the heating elements).
• Now pour a mixture of vinegar and water over the baking soda paste, leave it for 10 minutes, wipe clean and rinse the walls using clean water. Vinegar and baking soda help remove burnt-on grease, so using them on the elements of your oven will be of help. 

• Clean and Free Up the Fridge

The Christmas season no doubt calls for freeing up and cleaning your fridge since you will have to keep the fresh foods from the Christmas shopping in it. Make sure that you clean it after switching it off, defrosting and taking everything out of it. Follow by wiping its interior using a solution of soap and warm water. Here is a detailed guide on how to disinfect and clean a freezer and deep freezer at home. 

• Clean and Polish the Surfaces of Cabinets and Appliances

One thing that tends to get dirty no matter how much we clean periodically is kitchen cabinets. Getting rid of unwanted items, cleaning them and getting things inside of the cabinets in order will save you a lot of worries. After all, we don’t know who will be peeking inside them on food items like spices and throwing away what is not usable. Wipe the cabinets inside out using an all-purpose cleaner and let them dry well before closing.

• Do an Inspection on Carpets, Furniture, and Blinds

The upholstery at your home, regardless of the type of fabric they are made of, absorbs smells and liquid. Be concerned that it can stay trapped in the upholstery’s fibres for a long time. Give the upholstery a deep clean if you recall dropping coffee or drinks on them even if there are no stains after such accidents. However, you must be aware that you cannot clean all furnishings the same way. Treating upholstery the wrong way can damage them. Therefore, clean them after checking the specifics of the fabric. Go through our detailed guide on how to clean upholstered chairs at your home effectively. 

• Freshen Up the Mattress and Linen

Pay attention to even the tiniest of details while preparing your guest rooms to ensure that they will be comfortable.

The bed is the central piece of your guest room and demands more attention. You can then move to fix the other areas and stuff in the room. Here are a few things to do while setting up the room for your guests. 

• Remove unwanted items and free up space in the room for your guests to keep their belongings.
• Inspect the mattress and linen for odour and stain whether you have used it in a while or not.
• Consider steam-cleaning the mattress as a quick solution
• Closed rooms tend to have a smell. So freshen up all the carpets in the guest room, air out blankets and pillows and let fresh air in.
• Use fresh linen while making their bed and keep fresh towels at the foot of the bed.
• You can also hang some Christmas decorations here to make them feel like the Christmas season just when they arrive.

Note that mattresses will take considerable time to get dry, so you should consider cleaning them early.

• Wipe Clean the Floors and Surfaces

Now that you have almost reached the finish line, now you are left with wiping clean surfaces and floors. It can be a strenuous task, so we suggest you gather up some energy before you get on with it. Get rid of the dust from all the surfaces such as shelves, coffee tables, baseboards, light fixtures, fans.

• Freshen Up Your Christmas Decorations

We have kept the interesting part as the last! Hanging decorations for the Christmas season is the most thrilling thing to do, whether they are old or new. Just give your decorations some fine dusting and polishing to make them look good and also extend their life. Here is how you can clean the different types of most commonly used Christmas decorations at home.

Christmas tree: Cleaning up dust on Christmas tree is one of biggest challenges. Use a soft bristle brush to remove the dust or a microfibre cloth for cleaning. You can vacuum large Christmas trees using brush nozzles but do it gently to not damage them.

Glass decor: Glass ornaments are expensive and classic pieces of decoration. However they will brighten like shining stars when you wipe with a soft damp cloth and a mild cleaner. You should also polish them with a soft and dry microfibre cloth to make them sparkling and shining.

Fabric tree skirt: Thank God! You can throw these fabrics directly into the washing machine. But small embellishments made of fabric are more delicate, which makes them inappropriate for machine wash. So wipe them using a damp cloth after dipping them in mild soapy water. You can let them dry completely and then hang them on the tree.

Styrofoam ornaments: Styrofoam embellishments are durable, but they tend to develop mould when exposed to moisture. You cannot clean them with spray cleaners; instead do light dusting and brushing.

Clay or dough decor: Clay and dough ornaments improperly tend to develop mould if stored improperly. You should remove the fungus using a toothbrush by gently scrubbing them. Use a solution made of vinegar and water for it. You must ensure the complete drying of these ornaments. Repaint them if that’s necessary and also varnish these decorations to prevent scratches and wear and tear on them.

‍

Christmas Cleaning made Easy!

You are now ready to welcome family and friends to your sparkling clean home for this Christmas season. We don’t like to see you anxious thinking of cleaning all the time, ticking off your Christmas cleaning checklist. So if you like to take that weight off your shoulder completely, Sendhelper’s services are just a booking away!