Your guests will touch five things within minutes of walking in: the front door handle, the guest bathroom faucet, the kitchen counter, the TV remote and the light switches. Most hosts clean the rooms and skip the handles.
None of the five needs a scrub. A spray bottle, a stack of microfiber cloths and 20 minutes on Thanksgiving morning cover them. The first five tips take one touch point each, and the last two are habits that keep the house in shape through dessert.
One note before you start. The CleanBoss Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant is EPA-registered and kills 99.9% of germs1 on hard, non-porous surfaces, but it needs contact time to do it. Leave the surface wet for the time on the label: 1 minute for cold and flu viruses, 2 minutes for bacteria. Then wipe or let it air dry. No rinse needed.
1. Wipe the front door handle before the first knock
Your front door handle greets every guest before you do. Spray both sides of the handle, the deadbolt, the storm door pull and the doorbell button. Wait for the contact time, then wipe. Shake out the doormat while you're out there.
2. Reset the guest bathroom faucet, flush handle and lock
Each person who uses the guest bath touches the same three spots: the faucet handles, the flush lever and the door lock. Give all three a spray of the Disinfectant before guests arrive and again between dinner and dessert.
Hang two hand towels instead of one, so a dry one is waiting for the next guest. Wash them with Laundry Detergent Smart Sheets, which are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested.
3. Prep the counter where everyone gathers
Guests end up in the kitchen. They lean on the island, set down a glass and unwrap the dish they brought. Spray the counter with the Disinfectant. It sanitizes food contact surfaces in 1 minute and needs no rinse, so you can set food down as soon as it dries.
While you're there, clear one stretch of counter as a drop zone for the dishes guests bring.
4. Give the remotes a 30-second wipe
The TV remote changes hands all afternoon between the parade, the football and whatever the kids want to watch. Game controllers too, if the cousins are coming. Spray the Disinfectant onto a cloth, not onto the device, then wipe the buttons, sides and back. Cell phones and keyboards are on the label, and the cloth-first method keeps liquid out of the battery cover.
5. Walk the touch path
Light switches are the fifth thing, and they sit on a route. Walk the path a guest takes through your home: front door, coat closet, bathroom, kitchen, table. Wipe each switch and handle along the way, including the closet knob, the fridge handle, the microwave keypad, the banister and the chair backs. The whole walk takes about five minutes.
6. Set up a spill station before anyone sits down
Gravy will hit the counter and somebody will knock over a glass. Plan for it. Put a bottle of Everyday Multi-Surface Cleaner and two cloths on the counter or right under the sink. It lifts spills from counters, glass, stainless steel and stone without residue or streaks.
For red wine or coffee on a hard surface, grab the Disinfectant instead. Both stains are on its list of proven ones.
7. Freshen the couch the day before
After dinner, the couch becomes the most popular seat in the house. Mist the cushions and throw pillows with the Disinfectant the day before. It deodorizes fabric and sanitizes soft surfaces in 2 minutes. Spot test a hidden area first.
Wash the throw blankets with a Smart Sheet in Soft Lavender or Fresh Seaside, so they're folded and ready for the post-pie nap.
Your 20-minute Thanksgiving morning checklist
- Front door handle, deadbolt and doorbell
- Guest bathroom faucet, flush handle and lock
- Kitchen counters and island
- Remotes and game controllers
- Light switches and handles along the touch path
- Spill station stocked
- Fresh hand towels out
Shop the hosting essentials
- Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant: the core of tips 1 through 5 and 7
- Everyday Multi-Surface Cleaner: your spill station
- Laundry Detergent Smart Sheets: hand towels and throws
Getting ready earlier in the month? See the pre-Thanksgiving deep clean for the two-week plan.
Hosting tips FAQ
What are the most touched surfaces in a home?
Door handles, light switches, faucet handles, toilet flush handles, kitchen counters, fridge and microwave handles, and TV remotes. These sit along the path guests take through your home, so they're the first places to wipe before a gathering.
How do you clean a TV remote?
Remove the batteries if you can. Spray a disinfectant onto a cloth, never onto the remote, and wipe the buttons, sides and back. With the CleanBoss Disinfectant, keep the surface wet for the label's contact time, then let it air dry.
How long should disinfectant sit before you wipe it?
It depends on the product and the germ. Check the label. The CleanBoss Multi-Surface Botanical Disinfectant lists 1 minute for cold and flu viruses and 2 minutes for bacteria on hard, non-porous surfaces.
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.
