A week and change to Thanksgiving! No doubt you’re going to spend this weekend prepping for the big feast. It’s what our crews are doing. We’re also doing a few things at home to prepare that we’d like to share with you. Consider these lessons learned after all the pre-Thanksgiving homes we’ve cleaned over the years:
Check The Oven!
It’s true. Many of us use the oven for storage. Especially in older houses with less storage. Just be sure to check it before you turn it on! We’ve been in more than one house where the disposable pie trays patiently waited, with their plastic tops, which then melted into the trays while the oven preheated on Thanksgiving morning. How did we know? We call it “eau de plastic” the morning after.
Go Easy On Kitchen Appliances
Know who makes the most money around the holidays? We’d like to say us, but in truth, it’s the plumbers. Because kitchens get stressed out over this time of year—starting with the kitchen disposal, and ending with the dishwasher. Yes, your appliances may be top of the line and in good condition. But an ounce of prevention, and all that. Rinse off plates and dishes before you toss them in the dishwasher, which may run more often in the next few days than usual. And go easy on the disposal, where all those single grains of rice and random noodles can add up to a clog. Which brings us to….
Clean Out The Filters
Even if you routinely rinse dishes before running them in the washer, or tend not to put anything down the disposal, now’s the time to make sure both are working. Dishwasher filters, especially. And yes, you will have earned your glass of wine or other vice of choice after tackling those things. For there are no words to truly convey the utter grungitude of a dirty, and neglected dishwasher filter. But just think of how much worse it would be after a holiday meal, what with the additional guests and grease factor.
Clean Out The Fridge
Not for nothing does National Clean Out Your Fridge Day happen this this week—the better to get rid of all USOs (“unidentified shriveled objects”) and make room for all those groceries and glorious leftovers! If you’re not up to the task, call us, because we do clean fridges by special request. Please do be sure to mark everything clearly. We would hate to accidentally throw out your carefully pre-prepared pie filling or stuffing.
Accommodating Guests … AKA “Sleeping In On Black Friday”
Ah, Black Friday. The day to shop. Or maybe just sleep in, or stay in. And we completely second the latter emotion! Especially if you had guests from out of town. If you’re scheduled for a routine appointment the day after Thanksgiving, and you’d like us to come in later than usual, let us know ahead of time. We completely support all efforts to get more shuteye or pajama time with loved ones!