10 tips from cleaning pros to simplify your Thanksgiving clean-up jobs

Prepping ahead for Thanksgiving should involve more than defrosting your turkey and laying the table – you should already be thinking about the clean-up, experts say, to make your life easier, later.

Although it is by far the least fun part of the holiday, preparing in advance is one of the best ways to help make the clean-up process smoother and less stressful on the big day, so you can spend more time with your family and friends and less time fretting over the never-ending list of chores.

We spoke to professionals for their cleaning tips on the 10 things to do now to make the Thanksgiving clean-up easier, and why the experts swear by this routine for seamless holiday hosting that's worth celebrating.

10 steps to simplify your Thanksgiving clean-up

From sticking to minimalist Thanksgiving decor to preparing a cleaning checklist, you will be thankful to your past self for thinking ahead when you have finished celebrating and just want to relax.

1. Prepare all your cleaning supplies in advance

Before the day itself, you need to get all of your cleaning supplies in order, says Gaby Dalkin, chef and hosting expert, and founder of What’s Gaby Cooking, in partnership with Finish. That could mean organizing your cleaning supplies and taking stock of what you have, picking up more products from the store if you are running low on anything, or making some of the best DIY cleaning solutions for an eco-friendly approach.

Gaby recommends focusing on dish cleaning supplies, such as Finish Ultimate, available at Target:

‘Finish Ultimate works in the toughest conditions – from burnt-on stains to old dishwashers and hard water – even when you skip the rinse,’ she says.

Steve Evans, who has over a decade of experience in the house cleaning business as the owner of Memphis Maids, an award-winning service in Memphis, TN, also recommends setting up a cleaning caddy, to keep all your cleaning supplies in one portable, accessible place.

This may include 'fresh microfiber cloths (such as the bestselling MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths available at Walmart), sponges, and broom, a vacuum cleaner and/or a mop (depending on the state of your floors).'

2. Deep clean your home before the big day

Although deep cleaning your home before mess might seem counterintuitive, starting on key spots such as cleaning a living room and cleaning bathrooms means you have less to worry about closer to Thanksgiving itself, leaving only deep cleaning a kitchen after hosting, says Justin Carpenter, cleaning expert and founder of Modern Maids.

‘This way, you're starting with a clean slate, and the post-celebration cleanup will be less overwhelming.’

Tanu Grewal, chief cleaning officer at Pinalen, Cloralen and Ensueno Laundry, recommends focusing on places you typically neglect to clean, 'especially those less-touched areas like baseboards and air vents, to minimize cleaning once guests actually arrive.'

Use an all-purpose cleaner, such as the bestselling The Pink Stuff, Miracle Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner available at Walmart, which is natural, cruelty-free and vegan, and removes dirt, grease and grime with ease, leaving behind a fresh rhubarb scent.

3. Make scent a priority

'Make scent a priority,' says Grewal. 'Scent is one of the key things that tells our guests “this place is clean” – even if it’s not at its best!'

Ensure you're not just masking smells, by using air freshers for example, which will leave actually tackling them to after Thanksgiving. 'You want some that's actually eliminating those bad smells in the air,' adds Grewal.

'When it comes to a great-smelling home, laundry is key, especially if you have guests staying overnight,' in a guest bedroom. Grewal recommends washing guest bedding with scent-boosting beads, fabric softener and dryer sheets in addition to detergent, to keep smells fresh.

'Ensueño Max Fabric Softener (available at Amazon) contains scents expertly crafted in a perfume house that last on fabrics up to 35 days,' she says. Just make sure you know how to use fabric softener in laundry before getting started.

You can also use pine oil for a fall-scented twist on a great smelling home. 'Pine oil will be your best friend,' says Grewal. 'Pine oil-based cleaners have the advantage of being really tough on dirt and grime, while also leaving an aromatic pine scent behind.'

4. Prepare meals in advance that use minimal dishes

If you only have a small dishwasher or do not want to end up washing everything by hand, then it can be prudent to pick dishes that use limited dishware when cooking and serving to cut back on piles of things to wash before they form, says Steven Ip, cleaning expert and owner of Cleanzen Cleaning Services.

Think about roasts that can all go on one tray, for instance, or picking serving dishes that can hold multiple categories of food in one go.

We recommend the GoodCook 11” x 17” Non-Stick Divided Sheet Pan available at Amazon for this, or use individual tray dividers, such as the Nonstick Bakeware Set available at Amazon for cooking foods with differing oven times with ease.

5. Clean as you go

'While this may sound simple, it can be a huge mindset shift for many people,' says Grewal. 'If you see a shoe in the hallway, pick it up. If you see some Turkey grease on the table, take 30 seconds to wipe it down.'

Finding these little moments to clean as you go will prevent a long, time-consuming tidy up, and make the whole process a lot less daunting. 'My rule of thumb is: if it will take less than five minutes, do it right now,' says Grewal. Try the 5 minute cleaning challenge and see how much you get done.

You may also want to consider adopting the mise en place technique when prepping Thanksgiving food. 'It's a French cooking technique where you cut up everything, organize all your ingredients and get everything prepared before you start the actual cooking process,' says Brandon Hardiman, chef, professional organizer and founder of Yellowhammer Home Buyers. 'You clean as you go, and can clean all the dishes you used to cut up food ahead of actually cooking,' handy as it can be difficult to clean while cooking without overcooking or even burning food.

Hardiman recommends using the Stainless Steel Sauce Cups available at Amazon for this, which are a great investment for hosting Thanksgiving in a small apartment, as they're much easier to clean and store than big bowls. 'I end up needing to use less dishes,' he says. 'For example, when making mashed potatoes, you can have a small dish of butter, a small dish of cream, a small dish for herbs, and a small dish for seasonings. This makes it was easier than having to use 4 regular sized bowls,' saving time spent cleaning and prepping on the day.

6. Think stain prevention

Any holiday that involves food usually also involves stains – but that doesn’t have to be the case, says Carpenter.

‘Use tablecloths and placemats to protect your dining surfaces from spills and stains and choose fabrics that are easy to clean or can be thrown in the washing machine,’ he suggests. We love the Autumn Leaves Paper Placemats available at Anthropologie for a fall-themed option that can easily be recycled after use, or the Furbish Studio Placemats also available at Anthropologie for a washable, reusable option, to compliment your fall table decor ideas.

For emergency stain removal, you should also have a stain removal station ready to go – we love the Tide To Go Instant Laundry Stain Remover Pen and Spot Cleaner available at Walmart, or try these natural stain removal techniques for quick clean-up that won't set off guests' allergies.

7. Consider disposable dishware for some dishes

Although Thanksgiving is a great time to show off your best dinnerware sets, you can take some of the pressure off of your dishwasher by opting for some disposable dishware for certain dishes, suggests Elizabeth Grace, designer, and founder of Dream Homemaking:

‘Consider embracing disposable dishware for certain elements of the feast. While maintaining an eco-friendly approach, strategically implementing disposable options for appetizers or desserts can significantly reduce the post-feast dish dilemma.’

Disposable dishes and serveware don't need to be ugly – we love the Chic Leaf Palm Leaf Trays available at Amazon, as they're stylish, recyclable, and biodegradable.

You can also opt to use disposable glassware, such as the #1 bestselling TOSSWARE POP 9oz Flute available at Amazon, which are recyclable and unbreakable, perfect for toasting round the table.

8. Create a dish drop zone

One of the best ways to cut kitchen cleaning times in half is to break your space into zones for easier targets. This means creating a spot for dropping dirty dishes so they are easy to power through.

Lina DaSilva, cleaning expert and founder of Toronto Shine Cleaning, recommends setting up a station with leftover boxes ready to go by the sink so food can be stored away and the plates put right into the dishwasher or sink of hot soapy water for instant cleaning

‘It'll keep things organized and prevent the post-party kitchen chaos,’ she assures.

9. Simplify your cleaning routine

'Find ways to simplify your cleaning routine,' says Grewal. For example, use a multipurpose cleaner, so you don't need to keep swapping cleaners for each area of the house.

'You can reach so many areas, such as the floor, the kitchen table, and even those smelly pet areas, without switching up your rag,' says Grewal. 'Pinalen Multipurpose Cleaner (available at Amazon) is my personal go-to.

This powerful degreaser deeply cleans with a biodegradable formula, to deodoraize surfaces and remove stains. It can be used in all areas of your home, including the laundry.

10. Designate tasks to others

Finally, ask your friends and family to help out with the post-meal clean-up, to take the pressure off battling piles of washing up and ticking off chores from your post Thanksgiving cleaning checklist.

Before Thanksgiving is the best time to ask people if they are okay to help out. Not only does this make delegating responsibilities easier and mitigates any confusion, but ensures everyone pulls their weight in restoring order from the start of the day, keeping the house calm and avoiding chaos, says Ip.

FAQs

How do you keep Thanksgiving simple?

You can easily simplify your Thanksgiving hosting by choosing simple but homey meals that do not require hundreds of serving dishes and hours of prep time. You can also choose to pare back the decor, or incorporate decor that will last all fall long, such as Thanksgiving mantel decor ideas, using minimalist influences and putting the emphasis on spending time together in a relaxed, cozy space. These steps will also make cleaning up simpler, too, for an all-round more relaxed holiday.

How can we reduce Thanksgiving waste?

When planning for Thanksgiving, you can reduce waste and therefore make cleaning up easier by planning portions beforehand and trying to avoid overcooking. Investing in some good glass containers for leftovers and making space in your fridge and freezer is also essential to prevent extra food from going to waste, making it worthwhile to invest in any of our best eco-friendly Thanksgiving food storage containers.

Pairing your pre-thanksgiving cleaning prep with a good holiday declutter checklist will set your home up for success over the holiday period.