This holiday season, create a welcoming environment for your guests. From getting your home ready for company to managing the many messes that come with a packed home, there are several cleaning tips to help you enjoy the fun at hand without the extra stress.

"The holiday season offers up an abundance of get-togethers," said Coryanne Ettiene, home and lifestyle expert at Kitchen Living with Coryanne. "But all of this merriment can bring about a lot of messes and more cleaning for the busy host."

Tips for spick and span spaces

Ettiene offers up these tips for tidying so you can keep your holly jolly home in guest-approved order this season:

Act like a guest. A properly cleaned home requires close attention to the details. Before you get out the duster and cleaning solutions, look through each room with a visitor's eye. That pile of old magazines in the corner may be something you overlook each day but should be straightened before the guests arrive.

Prep your kitchen surfaces. Often serving as the base camp for holiday entertaining, the kitchen deserves some extra attention. For kitchens with granite and other natural-stone surfaces, use an effective cleaner, such as the Granite Gold three-part system of cleaning, sealing and polishing before the party to ensure that it looks cleaner - and finger-print free - for longer and it's safe for food preparation.

Manage holiday decor. From the tree in your living room to the glittering wreath on your door, those holiday decorations can create a mess in your living spaces. Have a helpful tool on hand, such as a lint roller, to clean up the glitter, pine needles and other tiny messes in minutes.
 
Have a plan for common spills. The kitchen is a common hangout in many homes, and granite and other natural-stone counters will see plenty of spills and messes. A properly sealed stone counter will help make clean-up easier because the seal will prevent liquids from penetrating the surface. "Wipe up those spills and messes right away," Ettiene warns. "If a stone counter isn't properly sealed, that liquid will soon turn into a stain and an eyesore."

Attack the germs. With so many family members and friends stopping by to wish you a happy holiday, it is essential to keep the kitchen hangout clear of germs. To do so, clear your kitchen surface of debris and apply a convenient product, such as Granite Gold Disinfecting Wipes, which kill bacteria and won't harm sealed stone surfaces. These wipes are great to keep on hand so you can wipe away spills as they occur. "An important reminder about any disinfectant is to let it sit on the surface for at least five minutes for it to take effect. Don't wipe away the residue right away; let the disinfectant do the job," Ettiene said. "After that, rinse with potable water and continue with your normal cleaning routine. For granite and other natural-stone counters, make sure you're using a safe-on-stone cleaner."

Clear a space for guest items. Make sure other areas of your home are accommodating to guests. If your coat closet is full of items, clear some space for visitors to hang their coats, hats and other accessories. Keeping this area free of clutter is a great first impression for entering guests. If you don't have a coat closet, designate a special area on a guest room bed or trunk for such belongings.
Don't let the stress of cleaning take away from the many joys of the season. For more cleaning tips and tricks, visit www.granitegold.com/stone-care-blog/.
 
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