The menu is set. Someone volunteered for pie, someone else claimed the rolls, and the grocery list is on the fridge. With two weeks to go, the house is the last big job left.

Split it into short daily blocks and you won't lose a weekend to it. Each block below takes 30 to 60 minutes.

Friendsgiving counts

Plenty of people won't sit at a family table this year. Work keeps them in town, flights cost too much, or family lives three time zones away. For them, November looks like a few friends crowded around a borrowed folding table, each holding a dish they made themselves.

If you're the one opening your door, you're giving someone a seat they wouldn't have had otherwise. You deserve a clean home that night, and you deserve to spend the hour before guests arrive getting dressed instead of scrubbing the tub. The plan works the same for a studio apartment on Saturday as for a four-bedroom house on Thursday. Count back from your date.

Days 14 to 11: Clear the decks

Deep cleaning goes faster with less in the way.

• Counters: put away anything you won't use during the holiday. Small appliances go in a closet.
• Coat closet: empty half of it for guest coats.
• Fridge: toss expired condiments and old leftovers, then wipe the shelves and drawers with the Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant. It needs no rinse, even on food contact surfaces, so you can reload the shelves once they dry.
• Serving pieces: pull the platters and gravy boat you plan to use and wash anything that sat in a cabinet all year.

Days 10 to 8: The bathrooms

Start with the bathroom your guests will use.

• Tub, tile, toilet and vanity: spray with the Disinfectant. It kills 99.9% of germs¹ on hard, non-porous surfaces. Leave it wet for the contact time on the label (2 minutes for bacteria), then wipe.
• Grout and soap scum: spray the grout lines, let the Disinfectant sit, then scrub with a small brush. Soap scum and mineral deposits are on its list of proven stains.
• Mirror, chrome and glass shower door: the Everyday Multi-Surface Cleaner and a dry cloth. It leaves no residue and no streaks.
• Textiles: wash the bath mat and, if it's machine washable, the shower curtain liner.
• Toilet brush: replace it if it's seen better days.

Days 7 to 5: The kitchen deep clean

Your kitchen is about to work harder than it has all year. Give it a head start.

• Oven: run the self-clean cycle now. You don't want that smell on Wednesday.
• Grease zone: range hood, stovetop, backsplash and the cabinet fronts next to the stove. The Multi-Surface Cleaner lifts grease and grime and needs no rinse.
• Appliance fronts: fridge doors, the oven door, the microwave and the dishwasher panel get the Multi-Surface Cleaner too. It works on stainless steel.
• Sink and drain area: spray with the Disinfectant, scrub, wait for the contact time, wipe.
• Counters and cutting boards: the Disinfectant sanitizes food contact surfaces in 1 minute with no rinse.

Days 4 to 3: Floors, baseboards, the entry and the produce

• Floors: vacuum first. Then spray tile or stone a section at a time with the Multi-Surface Cleaner and follow with a damp mop.
• Baseboards and door frames: Multi-Surface Cleaner on a cloth, hallway and dining room first.
• Entry: wipe both sides of the front door, the handle and the light switch. Shake out or wash the doormat, and set out a tray for wet shoes if your weather calls for it.
• Produce: shop, then wash the hardy vegetables right away with Eat Cleaner Fruit & Veggie Wash. Spray, wait 2 minutes, rinse, dry thoroughly and store sealed in the fridge. Produce washed this way keeps up to 5x longer when used as directed, so your green beans and Brussels sprouts are ready to go on Thursday. Our Thanksgiving produce guide has the full dish-by-dish schedule.

Day 2: Soft surfaces

• Couch cushions, throw pillows and upholstered chairs: mist with the Disinfectant. It sanitizes soft surfaces in 2 minutes and eliminates odor-causing bacteria at the source. Spot test fabric first.
• Throws and guest bedding: wash them today so they're dry and folded by tomorrow.
• Pet areas: the dog bed and its corner of the room. Pet areas are on the Disinfectant's label, and it eliminates odor-causing bacteria at the source.

Day 1: The touch reset

Spend 20 minutes on the spots guests touch most: door handles, faucets, the flush handle, light switches and remotes. Our hosting tips for the five things guests touch first walks through each one. Then set the table tonight so tomorrow starts with one job done.

The morning of: a 15-minute walk-through

Walk in your own front door like a guest would.

• Empty the trash and the dishwasher so you start with room in both.
• Hang a fresh hand towel in the guest bathroom.
• Put the Disinfectant and a cloth under the sink for spills. Red wine, coffee and grape juice are on its list of proven stains.
• Open a window for five minutes to air out the house.

Hosting Friendsgiving in a small space

• Borrowed chairs: collect them a few days early and wipe them down when they arrive.
• Coats: lay them on your bed over a clean throw.
• Drop-off dishes: clear one stretch of counter and label it with sticky notes so everyone knows where their dish goes.
• Dishes: run the dishwasher before guests come, and again after the main course.
• Between courses: keep the Disinfectant on the counter. No rinse on food contact surfaces means a 1-minute wipe-down before dessert.

The two bottles doing most of the work

The Disinfectant and the Multi-Surface Cleaner split the job. Use the Disinfectant where you want germs handled¹: bathroom surfaces, counters, cutting boards and handles. Use the Multi-Surface Cleaner for everyday grime and shine on glass, stainless steel, cabinets and floors.

• Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant
• Everyday Multi-Surface Cleaner
• The Clean Sweep Kit: the Disinfectant and Multi-Surface Cleaner plus Streak Free Sparkling Glass and Perfect Polish Stainless Steel, in one box
• Fruit & Veggie Wash + Botanical Disinfectant Bundle: your kitchen counters and your produce covered for the holiday

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Deep cleaning FAQ

How long does it take to deep clean a house before Thanksgiving?

Spread over two weeks, this plan takes 30 to 60 minutes a day. Start 14 days out and you avoid a marathon cleaning day right before guests arrive.

What should I clean first before hosting?

Start with clutter and the fridge, then the bathrooms, then the kitchen. Save soft surfaces and high-touch spots for the last two days, since those are the ones guests use first.

What's the difference between a disinfectant and a multi-surface cleaner?

A multi-surface cleaner lifts dirt, grease and grime. A disinfectant kills germs. The CleanBoss Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant cleans and disinfects and is EPA-registered. The Everyday Multi-Surface Cleaner handles everyday cleaning and makes no kill claims.

How do you host Friendsgiving in a small apartment?

Borrow chairs early, set a drop-off spot for guests' dishes, use your bed for coats, and run the dishwasher before people arrive. A potluck menu keeps your oven free for one main dish.

¹Kills 99.9% of germs on hard, non-porous surfaces. Use as directed. See the product label for full directions and the list of organisms.