4 cleaning tips for after parties

Hosting a house party is a great way to catch up with friends and family in a comfortable environment—but they can be messy. After-party cleaning can be simple and painless. Here's how.

• If you're serving food at your party, don't serve it using your household plates. Instead, purchase some inexpensive plastic or paper plates so that you don't have to wash an endless load of dishes after people go home.
• There are many attractive and recyclable disposable dish products available, so go for one that suits your aesthetic taste.
• If you're having a fancy dinner party and want real plates, consider renting them from a party rental company. Some companies will provide you with plates and pick them up afterwards so you don't have to clean them yourself.

• Before the party, place garbage cans throughout your home in visible places. Once the party gets rolling, guests will have a convenient place to dispose of dishware or other supplies.
• You don't have to make the garbage cans a focal point, but try to place them near a couch where people sit or next to a drink station. Although this will remind people that they should be used, make sure to encourage this habit verbally.
• Guests tend to pile up messes only when they don't know what else to do with their garbage.

• At the end of the party, pack plastic baggies or brown paper bags with leftover treats, and then send guests home with the bags. Sending guests home with doggy bags is a good way to eliminate leftovers, and it saves you the chore of finding a place to store food.
• On top of this, it's also a good way to give your guests a little party favour to thank them for attending.

• When you start cleaning, tackle the biggest messes and essential spots right away. This means that you should treat stains, get rid of food that will rot, and pick up garbage immediately after the party.
• It can be a costly mistake to put off cleaning. When you let the mess sit for a day or two, some stains or odours will become permanent. Tackle those messes right away, and your home will be fresh and sparkling in no time.