Soft Surfaces You Should Make Sure To Clean Before Guests Arrive

As the holidays roll in, so do house guests and the usual cleaning frenzy. Whether you are hosting a party or just having friends or family over for a bit, the pressure to have a clean and tidy home enters in full force this time of year. When preparing your home for guests, you probably already have a deep cleaning checklist to make every room in your home sparkle. You sweep the floors, wipe the kitchen countertops, and scrub the toilets, but you may be skipping an important step: cleaning the soft surfaces. Whether you plan to have people sleep on a mattress, gather on a plush sofa, or sit in the same room as a stinky pet bed in the corner, keeping these areas fresh makes a noticeable difference to guests.

On a floor, table, or shelf, dust, dirt, and spills are easy to see, but on soft surfaces, they can blend in more, making them easier to overlook. Additionally, when you grab your cleaning supplies, you likely have a variety of sprays and cleaners intended for polishing solid surfaces. Meanwhile, your fabric cleaning supplies collection may be smaller and stored elsewhere. While it may take a bit more effort than a quick spray and wipe with a paper towel, cleaning large blankets, pillows, curtains, rugs, upholstered furniture, pet items, and any other soft items that guests will interact with is incredibly important in creating a comfortable environment for your guests.

When you skip over soft surfaces during your cleaning routine, you increase the risk of exposing yourself and your guests to potentially harmful dust and germs, just like you do when you skip cleaning in other areas of your home. Plush surfaces can harbor dust, dander, and allergens that can make breathing difficult or even cause skin irritation. In areas exposed to moisture, mold and mildew can also be present. If you have a guest who is sensitive to dust and other irritants, they may notice right away that there has been no deep cleaning.

Apart from potential health issues, uncleaned soft surfaces can have odors that can be off-putting to guests. Upholstery, cushions, pillows, and mattresses can absorb odors that you do not notice until you move the item or get too close. Nothing is worse than lying your head down on a pillow and getting a musty or sweaty smell. Even if the rest of the room is absolutely sparklingly clean and you've washed pillowcases, blankets, and anything else you can, a bad scent can make the space feel off-putting. 

Finally, cleaning the surfaces of these types of items will complete the polished and perfectly tidy look of a home. There won't be visible pet fur everywhere; you can tackle any stains you notice while cleaning, and everything will look and smell fresh and clean.

If you are convinced that you need to go back and clean all of the plush surfaces in your home, then some tips may help. First, you should know how often to clean your sofa and other furnishings — when you spill something, when something is visibly soiled, and before having guests over. Additionally, you should vacuum, brush, or use a lint roller on your couch, carpet, rugs, and other soft surfaces on a regular basis. Steam cleaning every few months on items that can tolerate it will help reduce allergens and kill germs. The best methods for cleaning each surface will vary, so learning things like how to keep your mattress clean and odorless using two staple cleaners is beneficial. If you keep up with your soft-item cleaning regimen, you won't have as much to do before guests come over.

If guests are about to arrive and you have soft surfaces that need cleaning, you have a couple of options. Quickly run the vacuum over the surfaces to start. Then, spray a fabric disinfectant or fabric odor-neutralizer. While deep cleaning is preferable, sprays can help kill germs and reduce unpleasant odors, making you feel more comfortable about your space. 

Another option is to hire professional cleaners, such as those specializing in carpet and upholstery cleaning. They can ensure that the surfaces are completely ready for guests. Upholstery cleaning typically costs a few hundred dollars, depending on the task, and carpet cleaning usually costs between $100 and $250. The costs can add up quickly, but a professional can help make up for the times when soft surfaces were overlooked and make your furnishings easier to care for in the future.