Hosting Christmas is hard work. Even before one potato has been peeled for the Christmas lunch there’s the tidy-up phase throughout the house which seems to take days. Spare rooms have to be decluttered, extra pillows dusted off and then there’s the cleaning chores. Here are five hacks to help save you time ahead of the relatives arriving with the added benefit of saving pennies too.
Reduce washing loads with a laundry sheet
No doubt you’re currently thinking about all the spare bedding which needs to get washed and ready before the guests arrive, not to mention all the usual loads which pile-up week to week. To help save time, use a Colour Catcher sheet because it allows you to mix darks with whites and will reduce the number of machine loads you need to run. It works by catching loose dye and ensures coloured fabrics remain bright. That means Grandma’s white bed linen can be washed in the same load as a red Christmas tablecloth. Reducing the number of wash cycles will also help to save money on utility bills which will be extremely welcome during the winter when we’re all feeling the pinch. What’s more, both the laundry sheet and its carton are biodegradable and recyclable.
Don’t forget about your appliances and limescale removal
In all the Christmas kerfuffle it’s easy to forget about maintenance for appliances. During the winter, washing machines are put through their paces with thick jumpers and several party outfits for each family member while the kettle is boiling non-stop for warm drinks. If you live in a hard water area, you’ll need to pay extra attention to limescale which can result in expensive repairs and a reduction in efficiency, which leads to an increase in energy costs. To get rid of limescale, descale your appliances every three months if you live in a hard water area or every six months in soft water areas. This maintains the life of your washing machine and helps save money on pricey repairs. Limescale within your kettle also creates scum on your cup of tea and a nasty sediment… and that’s definitely something to get rid of before Grandma arrives for Christmas!
Get your best glasses sparkling
If you have a set of wine glasses reserved for special occasions, chances are they’ve gone a little cloudy since Christmas last year. If they’ve already been run through the dishwasher but their sparkle doesn’t cut the mustard, don’t run them under the hot tap and waste energy, instead mix two tablespoons of vinegar with one cup of water and apply the solution to the glass using a paper towel. This is a quick, easy and cheap solution to ensure your table looks the part with shiny glasses. Even better, do this ahead of time and get prepared ahead of the big day.
Get your oven spick and span
Cleaning the oven has to be one of those chores we put off for as long as possible. But as soon as Bonfire Night is over, it’s the perfect time to roll-up your sleeves and head into battle. Burnt food lurking in ovens creates hygiene problems but can also detract from the quality of cooking. Food particles stuck to the grill become charred, and research shows that charred food may contain cancer-causing agents, while bacteria can also grow on these leftover food particles. Some people go the whole hog and hire professional oven cleaners before Christmas but there are ways of tackling baked-on grime. Use a specialist product such as Jeyes BBQ and Oven Cleaner to removes fat, grease and traces of burn. Alternatively, baking soda and water can be combined to form a spreadable paste and applied to the inside of the oven using a pastry brush. Leave for eight hours and then remove using a microfibre cloth so it doesn’t scratch. Wire racks can be sprayed with distilled white vinegar and sprinkled with dry baking soda and covered with water. These methods will free you up from scrubbing for hours and restores your oven to a tip top condition, ready for the onslaught of Christmas.
Use a lint roller instead of dusting and polishing for hours on end
Most Christmas hosts feel the need to remove every speck of dust ahead of the big day but getting into every nook and cranny can take hours. Try running a lint roller over all your upholstery, cushions and lampshades. This can work a treat and is an easy chore for the kids to take on. It will even work on curtains and means you don’t have to take them down or re-hoister them. It’s a cheap solution to save you faffing about with the vacuum cleaner for days.
