The festive season is nearly upon us and, while the global pandemic may have put a damper on the spirit, many South Africans will still be hosting small gatherings with close friends and family. After a rough year, many people will be looking forward to holding social events in their homes, even if the number of guests is limited by the current situation. Therefore, it is crucial that these celebrations are hygienic and that the house is clean and disinfected.
This will require careful consideration and planning before, during and after the event. After all, the safety of your friends and family should be paramount - especially during a time of year where joy and happiness should be the order of the day. Here are several tips for hosting pandemic-friendly social gatherings.
Pre-party cleaning tips
Before hosting an event, the host should ensure that their home is clean and welcoming. This means taking out the rubbish bags, cleaning used cutlery and crockery, tidying up clutter and making the house look orderly and inviting. Here are some ways to clean the house efficiently before an event.
Divide the tasks into segments and start a few days before the event. Cleaning one room per day or tackling similar tasks at a time will help you prepare efficiently.
Pretend you’re a guest and try to look around your house with a scrutinising eye. This will help you to see patches of dirt, cluttered papers, stains and dusty surfaces.
Focus on the toilet and bathroom. Many social gatherings in South Africa are hosted outside, which means that guests only go indoors to use the loo. The toilet and the bathroom should be spotless and don’t forget to place a bottle of hand sanitiser near the basin.
During the social gathering
Don’t neglect to clean during a dinner or party - this will save you time the following day and keep your home looking clean for the guests. This means removing empty bottles and cans and clearing away dirty glasses and plates after use. However, don’t ruin the atmosphere by being a clean freak and making your guests paranoid about their waste. Here are more helpful hints for cleaning during a gathering.
Place a dustbin or empty cardboard box near the drinks fridge or in a discreet place in the room so that guests can throw away their empty bottles and cans immediately. This will prevent clutter as the night goes on.
Keep a space clear in the kitchen for used glasses and plates. This can either be next to the sink or on a tray on the countertop. Guests should know intuitively where to put their used crockery.
Serve no-mess food, such as finger snacks or bite-sized eats that minimise the use of plates. Canapés are a perfect example of party food that can be enjoyed without creating too many dirty dishes.
Try to contain guests in a certain room or area. This will minimise the spread of dirt and litter. It is much easier to clean one room than an entire house and it also keeps the atmosphere alive during the gathering.
Place bottles of hand sanitiser in accessible places, especially near the hub of the gathering. Allow guests to freely use it and remember to encourage social distancing.
Cleaning after the event
Waking up and having to face cleaning the next day is never fun, but if you did a good job containing guests and their waste the night before, this job is much easier. Try to make a start as soon as you can - the longer you put off cleaning, the less likely you are to do it. Here are some more tips for tidying up after a festive event.
Like you did before the gathering, tackle one space or do one task at a time, such as gathering bottles or washing dishes. Segmenting the jobs will allow you to make good progress and clean up more effectively.
Get other people to help. If other friends or family live in the house with you, get them to help out. This involves delegating tasks and asking everyone to chip in. Remember, many hands make light work.
Disinfect all surfaces, such as tables, countertops and door handles. This will ensure that your house remains a sanitised space for everyone who lives in it.
These hints will help you to host a clean party, not just during a pandemic but also in the years to come. Birthdays, cultural celebrations, festive events and regular catch-ups will be a lot easier with the proper preparation and cleaning regime. If you think your home needs a deep clean before or after a party, feel free to contact us and enquire about our professional cleaning services.
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IWESCO offers specialised cleaning and waste control services to industrial and commercial customers in South Africa. These services are aimed at minimising our customers’ impact on the environment. Our services also include pest control, garden maintenance, fogging and disinfecting. Our staff are highly trained to offer the most professional services. IWESCO is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier with ISO 14001 certification for environmental management.
We are a one-stop shop for all your contract cleaning and waste control needs and have a national footprint. Our head office is located in Tshwane but we can provide services to any industrial and commercial client in the major metropolitan areas around South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Mbombela and more.