Last Minute Cleaning Routine + Free Printable Checklist

Last Minute Cleaning Routine; This cleaning schedule is easy to follow, not overwhelming and gives you a nice clean home in 30 minutes or less.

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Hi Beauties!

Looking for a last minute cleaning routine checklist? I got you covered with this post and free printable! You can use this list as a last minute cleaning routine or a daily cleaning schedule checklist!

Everyone has a cleaning routine, but some people have a last minute cleaning routine, in which they clean up their messes at the last minute before any guests arrive. This is my jam. I constantly leave the house a mess until the guests are about to arrive then I panic clean.

Having kids definitely does this to you. No matter how far in advance you clean your home before having people over, kids will destroy it. So I came up with this list of a last minute cleaning routine that makes my house look like I have my life together.

Last Minute Cleaning Routine:

If you've ever found yourself looking at the dirty dishes in your sink, the overflowing laundry hamper, and the moldy cheese in your fridge, it's probably because you failed to do a quick cleanup earlier. I used to find myself in this situation all the time. (I'll get to it later! I'm busy!) But then I finally realized that my lack of organization was getting in the way of my happiness, so I had to change some things.

Instead of waiting until a mess is too big or embarrassing to deal with (like when guests show up at my door), now I try to do just a few simple steps every day. You don't have to spend hours on end cleaning your place—a 15-minute break here or there can make a world of difference!

If you struggle to stay on top of the cleaning then this last minute cleaning checklist is for you! Make your house look perfect right before the guests arrive. No need for cleaning services or professionals. This list has you covered!

Ready for my last minute cleaning routine secrets for those last-minute guests? Let's dive into them below! P.S Don't forget your last minute cleaning checklist printable!

Shut The Doors

This may upset some people but I'm just going to say it and make it number one on the list. Before guests arrive, shut your doors. Shut any doors to rooms that the guests wont be going into like your laundry room or bedrooms. This hides all and any messes in those rooms and saves you from spending time cleaning them.

Concentrate on cleaning the few places in your home that the guests will actually be in. Focus on the living room, bathroom and kitchen. Lock any door that reveals a messy room, unmade bed or piles of clothes. You can clean them later, we don't have time for that today!

Quick Pickup and Tidy

This should be a given, a quick pickup and tidy. Grab a laundry basket or large plastic bag and run through the house and pick up everything thats on the floor that shouldn't be there. Stray toys, misplaced shoes, other knickknacks. Hide the basket in the closet or one of the closed door rooms, if you dont have time to put it all away.

Pick up clutter. If you have time to clean your house before guests arrive, it’s a good idea to pick up any items that may be lying around the house. This includes magazines, clothing, papers, toys and other items that are strewn on the floor or in other places where they are not supposed to be. It also means putting away dishes and utensils from the kitchen countertop so there is nothing obstructing a path for guests entering through the front door.
Tidy up the house. A quick tidy of your home will make guests feel welcome and cared about when they step inside after traveling long distances over bumpy roads or through crowded airports and train stations with little sleep in between their travels from other countries across continents around Earth! You may even surprise yourself by how much easier it is to relax now that your living space looks beautiful again (assuming it ever did).

Clean the Guests Bathroom

This is a must for any time you have guests over. Do a quick clean of the ONE bathroom they will be using. Every house has a bathroom that the guests will use, whether it is your main bathroom or a small powder room, focus on cleaning this bathroom only.

The bathroom is the last place that you want to overlook during your cleaning routine. It’s a small room, so it shouldn’t be too hard to clean in a short amount of time and have it looking great.

Using a damp paper towel or microfibre cloth with cleaner, quickly wipe down the counter, sink and toilet. If you want a super quick option, you can use a disinfectant wipe and then just throw it out after. Clean the toiled bowl with a specific toilet bowl cleaner with bleach and a toilet bowl brush.

Pick up any towels and hang them back up on the rack or put them in a laundry basket to be washed later. Hang a few pretty and fresh hand towels for guests to use on the towel bar.

Wipe down the mirror. I love windex, it works magic on our mirrors. Guests will feel like you did a deep clean if the mirror in the bathroom is sparkling clean rather then blotchy from strayed water or toothpaste gunk.

You may also want to do a quick clean of the floor if there is a lot of dirt on it. Use that microfiber cloth after cleaning and wipe down any areas of the floor that look rough. No need to get out a mop and do a deep clean, just wipe it off with a cloth for now.

You may also want to rinse out the soap dish and add a fresh bar of soap. If you don't use bar soap then make sure you have filled up the soap pump for the guests to use.

Clean the toilet: The first thing you need to do is clean the toilet. Use your favorite brand of toilet cleaner or make some homemade cleaning solution by mixing baking soda, vinegar and water until it becomes sudsy. Always opt for a toilet brush too. You can also use this homemade cleaner on your floors and then wipe up with paper towels or rags.
Clean the sink: Use the microfiber cloth or an actual bathroom sink cleaner to quickly wipe down the entire sink.
Clean the mirror: After you have cleaned the sink, you can move on to your mirrors as well as any other surfaces in this room that need attention! Some people prefer using vinegar for this task but others like using glass cleaners instead (or even lemon juice). Whatever works best for you should be used here – just remember not leave any residue behind after doing so because then there will be streaks everywhere which isn't very attractive at all!
Clean the floor: Like I mentioned earlier, only do a quick clean of the floor after you vacuum. You don't have time to get out the mop and bucket this time! Make it a quick clean up!

Dust the Big Stuff

A small vase or chandelier that is dusty is easy to ignore and not notice.. that large mirror or TV screen is definitely something you should consider dusting before your guests arrive. Take a look at your main living spaces that your guests are in and decide what will be noticed. Consider these a priority to be dusted:

Mirrors
TV screens
Coffee table or side tables
Any visible cabinets or hutches

These bigger items will glisten with dust, especially in the day time, so do a quick clean of these. Remember to focus on only the areas the guests will be in. No point in cleaning the basement when your guests will remain in the kitchen or living room the entire time.

How to dust? I usually use my swifer duster which works magic and can easily be thrown out after cleaning. If you don't have a duster, I recommend using a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe down the surfaces, just watch for streaks!

Once everything has been dusted off well enough for guests not to notice (or care), give yourself permission not worry about whether they'll see something dusty when they walk through your door later today!

Revive the Kitchen

Kitchens are usually a hot spot for guests and family gatherings so make sure you focus a lot of your cleaning time in this area.

Start by clearing the sink of any dirty dishes, pots, pans or utensils. If you don't have time to clean them, throw them in the dishwasher and run it. You can always throw dirty pots or pans in the oven if you are in a real time pinch but don't forget to take them out before the next time you cook!!

Wipe down the kitchen counters, sink and stove top. Clean anything visible with a damp microfiber cloth or a disinfectant wipe. Make sure you can not see any crumbs or food spots.

Also, if you have time, wipe down your stainless steal appliances. There is nothing worse then seeing finger prints or old food drips down them. I love this appliance cleaner for this exact task.

You may also want to consider cleaning windows that have a lot of finger prints or dirt on them. Quickly spray them with your choice of clean products or glass cleaner, then use a cloth or paper towel to wipe clean.

Vacuum

Do a quick vacuum of any high traffic areas or areas that guests will be in. I also recommend vacuuming the front entrance area and door mat or rug. Make the guests notice a clean entryway the second they walk into your house.

A hot spot that you will also want to vacuum is the kitchen near any food prep areas. Crumbs will be all over the floor here so give it a quick once over with that vacuum too! You may also want to consider doing a quick vacuum of your sofa or throw pillows if you have shedding animals in the house. Also change out blankets for fresh ones if you have spare ones around!

If you dont have time to get out the vacuum you can just sweep or broom the hot spot areas to make sure there is no huge areas of dirty or pet hair on the ground. Unless you have a carpet of course.

Aromatherapy

Time to make your house smell amazing. I love using essential oils to make my house smell clean. They are safe to use and are healthier for you then febreeze or fragrance sprays. Try this clean and fresh essential oil scent!

You might have heard of the benefits of essential oils, but it’s important to know the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils. Essential oils are natural and derived from plants. Fragrance oils are synthetic, man-made chemical compounds that often mimic the scent of the plant they were intended to resemble.

Essential oil diffusers are designed to release ultrasonic vibrations into the air that break down water molecules into microscopic droplets and release them into your space as a fine mist (think fog machines at concerts). They're usually made with glass or plastic cups, ceramic bowls, or metallic trays so you can place them on surfaces like tables without having to worry about tipping over—which is awesome because who wants a last minute clean-up job?

The aromatherapy experience is further enhanced by using different fragrances in each room; for example: lavender helps ease anxiety while peppermint provides energy support!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE CLEANING CHECKLIST PRINTABLE

Anyways thats all I have for you folks! I hope you enjoyed this last minute cleaning routine list. Your guests will be happy with your house cleaning either way!

Until next time,