The Ultimate Cleaning Checklist Before Having Company Over

Sweep and Clean the Entrance

Whether your guests use the front or back door, the entryway makes the first impression of your home.

Take a few minutes to sweep away debris and shake out the welcome mat. If you have a glass door, quickly wipe away fingerprints and smudges to set the tone of a clean home.

Don't forget to look around the area just inside the door. Corral shoes in a basket, stash the pile of mail in a drawer, and make a little space in the coat closet for guests' coats.

Declutter and Straighten Living Areas

After the entrance, concentrate on the space where your friends usually gather, like the living room. To be efficient—grab a box or laundry basket and work around the room clockwise picking up anything that is adding clutter to the area. As you move around the room, straighten and fluff pillows and fold throws.

Keep a microfiber duster in your hand to quickly dust tables and shelves.

Make the Guest Bathroom Shine

Nothing says "yuck" much more than a dirty bathroom. Having a clean bathroom will help guests forgive a bit of messiness in the rest of the house.

Sweep personal items into drawers or the medicine cabinet. Grab some disinfecting wipes and wipe down counters and sinks. Clean the mirrors and make sure that the toilet sparkles.

Check that toilet paper is fully stocked, put out fresh hand towels, and a new bar of soap, or make sure the soap dispenser is full.

If you have time, sweep and mop the bathroom floor.

Declutter and Clean the Kitchen

Everyone ends up in the kitchen at some point, so make sure to get all of the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

Wash them in the sink, or, in a real emergency, hide them in the oven!

Put away as much clutter from the counters as you can and wipe them down with a disinfecting wipe.

Clean the sink and wipe away fingerprints from appliances. If you have time, quickly sweep or vacuum the floor and use a damp mop to remove obvious dirt.

Prepare Rooms

If you have time to straighten bedrooms, make the beds, hide clutter, and close drawers and closets.

Vacuum the floors and dust the furniture. If you don't have time, close the door to the bedroom.

If guests will be spending the night, make sure the bed has fresh linen and there are fresh bath towels available.

Make some room for their suitcase and a spot in the closet so they can hang clothes.

Vacuum or Damp Mop Floors

Most people capture an overall image of a room at eye level. If you have removed clutter and straightened a room, there is less focus on the floor.

But, if you have time, vacuuming, sweeping, or damp mopping floors are always a good idea.

If you have time, sprinkle carpets with dry baking soda and allow them to absorb odors for at least 30 minutes. As you vacuum it away, the carpet will smell fresher and look brighter.

Keep a duster close by so you can take care of spiderwebs and obvious dust as you vacuum.

Freshen the Air

We all get used to the usual smell of our home. But, others may not find that smell too pleasing so you might want to freshen the air.

If you have time, open windows and turn on vents to draw out cooking and pet odors.

Empty trash cans, use a fabric and air freshener that traps odors, light a scented candle, or turn on an essential oil diffuser.

One trick that every real estate agent knows is to bake some cookies. Keep a roll of cookie dough on hand to immediately give your home a wonderful aroma and you'll have the treat to serve guests.

Add Some Final Touches

Once things are under control, light a candle, turn on some music, and hunt out some clean glasses or cups, so you can offer your guests something to drink.

Try to relax and focus on the real reason the company has arrived—to enjoy visiting with you and your family.