“We’ll see you in half an hour!” Ugh.
Impromptu guests are every woman’s nightmare - especially at 9 am on a Saturday morning when your house is in a mess and you’ve just woken up with a nightmarish hangover.
What now? Because you’re pressed for time, performing a total turnout is out of the question. A quick clean, however, will do the trick.
Here’s how:
Make a cuppa
Awful stench lurking in your living room from the previous night’s festivities? No problem.
Fast fix: Switch on the kettle and brew a strong pot of coffee. The aroma will not only dissolve all other smells, but the scent of the beans will linger on forever.
Time taken: 1 minute
Pick a room
Because there isn’t enough time to scrub your entire house, you have to devise a plan.
Fast fix: Choose rooms that your guests will frequent the most while visiting. Chances are that these include the kitchen, bathroom and living room areas so make them your priority.
Time taken: 2 minutes
In the kitchen
Dirty dishes stacked on the sink and tabletop counter?
Fast fix: First, make sure that your oven’s power is switched off. Next, dump everything inside it. Unless you’re planning to whip up a batch of muffins on their arrival, no one will notice.
Time taken: 5 minutes
In the bathroom
Laundry basket overflowing with two weeks’ worth of washing? Don’t fret about your frillies on display.
Fast fix: Stuff it all inside the washing machine and close the lid. Voila! Your, um, dirty secret is now safely hidden.
Time taken: 5 minutes
In the living room
Books and magazines cluttering every surface? We’ve got a solution.
Fast fix: Make an artful pile of the best-looking ones. And the rest? Shove ‘em into a box and hide it away in a bedroom that has a key and a lock!
Time taken: 5 minutes
The floors
Forget how finicky you usually are about clean floors. You can worry about every nook and cranny later on.
Fast fix: Only sweep, ‘spot’ mop or vacuum floors visible to the eye like hallways, the middle of your living room, your kitchen and your bathroom.
Time taken: 5 minutes
The final wipe
Sticky and icky surfaces? Grab a damp cloth or sponge.
Fast fix: Using a multi-surface detergent (they’re extremely handy at times like these) and start wiping down everything. In the kitchen, wipe down the counters and the stovetop. In the lounge, scrub off any residue left behind on the coffee table. In the bathroom (you’ll need a separate cloth), clean off the sink, the bathtub, the toilet and the mirror.
Time taken: 2 minutes
Can you believe it? You're done! And you still have 5 minutes to spare - think you can shower and freshen up now?
Can you offer more clean-up tips? Share your cheat secrets below.