Dan's Papers - March 13, 2009 - Keeping your Interior Tidy, Even after the Party

So you put it all together yourself. You bought all of the food, you cooked in the kitchen, you set up wine glasses and frozen beer glasses, you even built a fire in the fireplace. Your weekend party may have been a big success, but the mess that you are dealing with afterwards has your head spinning.

Thanks to the economy, inviting friends over for food and fun is becoming more and more popular. And why shouldn't it be more popular anyway? Having friends over for a little party is a great way to utilize your home and many times means more fun for everybody. There is no pressure at a house party, you can play board games or Nintendo Wii or just sit around the table and talk politics (no - don't ever do that!).

If your party went well however, the after party cleanup is never easy or fun. There are some tricks of the trade when it comes to cleaning up that makes things faster and easier. After all, in this economy, it's doubtful that you'll be springing for a clean up crew to do it all for you.

The first rule is: enlist some of your guests in the clean up. You'll have to be the leader. When the party is over, make it clear that it is not just going to be you cleaning up. Granted you aren't going to want to make your guests do all the heavy lifting, but most likely some of them will volunteer to help. Assign small jobs to people giving you a hand.

It's a good idea is to buy extra large garbage bags because lugging around small kitchen bags when you have loads of beer and wine bottles to throw out isn't going cut it. Your basic cleanup however, is going to be all about speed and just getting it done. In terms of cleaning products, you aren't going to go wrong with basic off the shelf solutions, this is a party not a crime scene.

I spent about an hour researching a product called Sham-wow with fellow editors here at Dan's Papers. Sham-wow is essentially a towel and yes, it absorbs liquids and cleans up messes, but so do towels and sponges, folks. One editor here actually has the Sham-wow and claims that it doesn't work, while another sales person here claims that it does. The bottom line with the Sham-wow is that it is a towel. If you want to spend $20 on a towel then buy the Sham-wow as this will absolutely fill your needs. It's also a great conversation starter because of the product's remarkable ability to attain greatness, thanks to its expert salesman, Vince Offer, a former comedian. Regardless, if you have a Sham-wow, go get it! There's no better time to get excited about a cool towel then after a party!

Here are some other tips. We got an email from Weiman Products, giving quick solutions to party messes. Your girlfriend's mother (if by some horrible chance she's at your party) spills a drink on the carpet. If she doesn't offer to clean it up, hopefully you will be ready with a spray bottle of warm water to which you've added a few drops of dish soap. Spray the cleaning solution on the area and blot with a clean cloth. Repeat if needed, or if you just want to embarrass the person who spilled it.

Then there's that pesky wax from a candle that spills on the tablecloth. The big revelation? Use a candle wax remover that's guaranteed not to stain or damage furniture. Or, there's the ice cube trick. Rub an ice cube wrapped in plastic over the wax to harden it. Then, remove the majority of wax by gently scraping it with a non-stick spatula. Non-stick spatula. Don't forget!

If butter, grease or oil based food falls onto the leather sofa (if you're lucky enough to have a leather sofa), blot away the excess with a clean, dry cloth. Don't wipe it or wash it or apply water. Don't use cleaning fluid, shoe cream, saddle soap or mink oil. Leave the spot alone and the stain should disappear into the leather. Then use a high-quality leather cleaner that contains natural oils.

If a glass of wine spills on a granite countertop, blot it up immediately and make that person leave your house. Use a non-abrasive cleaner that does not contain lemon, vinegar or other acids. Also, be sure your guests are using coasters on the granite.