December 9, 2025

From Messy to Presentable: How to Speed Clean Before Guests Arrive

Whether you’ve known you’re having guests for weeks and procrastinated or have an hour’s notice that your friends are popping by, it’s go time. You’ve got to clean your home – and fast.

We’ve all been there. When you’re under the wire, it’s hard to know where to start or how to make time when you’re living your busy NYC life. There’s so much that you need to clean. Thankfully, we’ve put together an overview to help you clean your home room by room.

This is your quick, realistic game plan for getting your home guest-ready on short notice.

What to Clean First

The best way to clean is to break it down room by room, starting from the first impression and working yourself inward.

Entryway

The entryway is your guests’ first impression, so you want to make it a good one.

Wipe down the door and door handle to remove any dirt, smudges, and germs. Then, dust the ceiling and walls to remove any dust bunnies and cobwebs. Don’t worry about anything that falls on the floor. You’ll get that at the end.

Remove any clutter from the area. Put away your shoes to make space for your guests and prevent a tripping hazard. If you have an entry table, identify if there are things you can remove to make it feel tidier. Mail, keys, and other odds and ends often clutter these areas. Dust it and do a quick surface wipe down to remove any stains.

Pro tip: Get a box or laundry basket that you can stow clutter in and move it with you in each space you clean. You can put all items in their rightful place after your guests leave.

End by sweeping or vacuuming the space – don’t forget to get the corners, rugs, and welcome mats.

Bathroom

Quickly dust any fixtures in your bathroom, including lights and cabinets, then move on to the toilet. Spray your toilet with toilet bowl cleaner and start scrubbing. If you have stubborn stains, you can let it sit for a minute before scrubbing. Wipe down the toilet seat, cover, and the inside and outside of the bowl.

Next, spray an all-purpose cleaner on the vanity and sink and wipe down the surface. Don’t forget to get the inside of the sink and to wipe down the faucets and handles. Clean your mirror, door, and door handles.

Quickly sweep the floors and be sure to remove any trash. If your guests aren’t spending the night, you can skip the shower. However, if they are, make sure to clean the walls, bathroom, and shelving.

Pro tip: Place an air freshener, diffuser, or candle to help your bathroom smell fresh.

Living Area

Do a quick pass at removing any clutter in the living area, placing it in the same container you used for the entryway. Then, start to straighten, putting items back in place, including blankets, throw pillows, remotes, and more. Remove any dirty dishes and put them in your kitchen sink or the dishwasher.

Once the surfaces are free from clutter, quickly dust from top to bottom, then use an all-purpose cleaner or disinfectant to clean surfaces. Finally, end by sweeping or vacuuming the floors and couches. You can quickly spray the area with air freshener, light a candle, or use other items to make the space smell nice.

Pro tip: Clean the room clockwise so you know where to start and what area is next, so your cleaning is more systematic.

Kitchen

At some point, your guests are going to need to go into the kitchen for something, so it’s best that you do a cursory clean.

Remove items from the counters. If you can’t quickly put them into place, stash them in your clutter box. Wipe down surfaces using a safe multipurpose cleaner, including counters, stovetops, the outside of your oven and microwave, sink, faucets, dishwasher, and refrigerator.

Wash your dishes or place them in the dishwasher. Throw out your garbage. If available, toss an orange peel or lemon skin down the garbage disposal and turn on the hot water as it’s running. They will help your kitchen smell fresh naturally. Sweep the floors.

Pro Tip: If you have large pots and pans or dirty dishes and you can’t clean them in time, just toss them in the oven if you don’t plan to use it. Just remember to take them out before you turn it on next time.

Bedrooms

If your guests aren’t spending the night and you have time left over, you can quickly clean your bedroom. Start by cleaning the floor, including putting clothes in the hamper, putting shoes away, and removing items that have fallen. Quickly remove any items that are sitting on surfaces and dust with a microfiber cloth.

You can use your clutter box or place items in a closet to keep them out of the way. Then, make your bed and sweep or vacuum the floors. If it’s a guest room, you’ll want to change the sheets to fresh ones to make your guests feel more comfortable.

What Rooms to Skip

Consider what type of visitors you’re going to have when considering what rooms to skip. Some safe bets can be:

Laundry Room
Pantry
Office
Master Bathroom
Bedrooms, unless you have overnight guests
Children’s rooms

Just keep in mind that you may end up giving a house tour, so some areas may end up being visible that otherwise would be off limits to guests.

Cleaning Checklist

Now that you know what rooms to prioritize and what to skip, here’s a cleaning checklist based on the amount of time you have available. When you follow our guide, it will help your space go from messy to presentable without panic.

15-minutes

To start, you’ll need an empty box, a vacuum/broom, a trash bag, and a multipurpose cleaner.

Starting with the entryway, place all items that don’t belong in the box. If there is trash, throw it away in the garbage bag. Work through the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Stow the box away somewhere out of sight.
Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove any visible debris.
Wipe down and clean your toilet, vanity, and mirror in your bathroom.

You’ll have to move fast – but you can do a quick tidy if you stay on task.

30-minutes

To start, you’ll need an empty box, vacuum/broom, duster, trash bag, and multipurpose cleaner/rag.

Grab your box and place everything that doesn’t belong in it. Throw away any trash. Start with your entryway, then move to your living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. Put the box somewhere your guests won’t see.
Take your duster and quickly dust corners, walls, and any dusty tables or shelves.
Vacuum or sweep the floors, beginning with the entryway. Don’t forget to vacuum any rugs or welcome mats.
Clean your bathroom, including the toilet, vanity, and mirrors. Empty the garbage
Tackle your kitchen, including washing any dishes or placing them in the dishwasher. If there is time, wipe down the counters.

With an extra 15 minutes, you can tackle another room and add a quick dust.

60-minutes

To start, you’ll need an empty box, vacuum/broom, duster, trash bag, and multipurpose cleaner/rag. You can also set a timer and plan to spend 15 minutes on the main areas: Entryway, Living Room, Bathroom, and Kitchen.

Entryway

Throw anything that doesn’t belong there in a box and discard the trash.
Straighten or put away any shoes.
Wipe down your door, including the handle.
Dust the walls and surfaces.
Vacuum or sweep the area.

Living Room

Throw anything that doesn’t belong there in a box and discard the trash.
Dust all surfaces. Use a multipurpose cleaner to remove any stains.
Straighten the couch cushions, throw pillows, blankets, and other personal items.
Vacuum or sweep the area.

Bathroom

Clean the inside and outside of your toilet bowl.
Clean the vanity, including the sink, faucet, and counter. Wipe down the outside quickly.
Clean the mirror.
If guests are staying overnight, quickly spray down the shower walls, shelves, and tub.
Empty the garbage.
Sweep or vacuum the floor.

Kitchen

Remove all items from counters that aren’t supposed to be there. If you aren’t using the appliances, you can quickly store them inside the microwave or oven.
Wipe down the surface using an all-purpose cleaner.
Empty the sink of dirty dishes and wipe it down.
Quickly wipe down the stovetop, outside of the oven, microwave, and other high-touch appliances.
Empty the trash.

Some areas may take shorter than others, so use the extra time to clean another room or simply sit for a few minutes before your guests arrive.

Avoid the Panic with White Glove Cleaner

While you can clean your home in 15 to 60 minutes, that doesn’t mean you should. You can avoid the panic cleaning by hiring professional cleaners like White Glove Cleaner to help. They will keep your place looking in top shape, whether it’s just you or you’re hosting a party.

White Glove Cleaner can meet your busy NYC schedule, getting in and out of your home seamlessly. The only thing you’ll notice is a clean house, allowing you to enjoy your company stress-free.
Book your first appointment and experience the magic of White Glove Cleaner.

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