Pre-Holiday Deep-Cleaning Checklist

This post brought to you by BISSELL Homecare, Inc.. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fall is truly one of my favorite times to get my house back in order, with the promise of the upcoming holidays–and the idea of hosting houseguests!–right around the corner. It might seem like mid-September is a bit early to start thinking about getting a home holiday-ready, but taking a step back to consider how incredibly hectic the latter part of October and all of November and December are with holidays and festivities around every corner, I have found it to be so much better to be proactive. I mean, really: Who wants to be worrying about their mother-in-law noticing the dustbunnies hanging off of the ceiling fans when they are unwrapping presents on Christmas morning?

Most homeowners have a standard checklist of places that receive regular cleanings: showers, toilets, sinks, counters, mirrors, floors, etc. But there are a few less-obvious spots you might overlook in your regular cleanings that holiday houseguests are very likely to notice. I’m going to highlight a few of the most challenging spots in my home, and share my new favorite tool for tackling them, my BISSELL Powerglide vacuum with Lift-Off Technology.

Spot 1: Stairs and railings. As much as I love our staircase, it is an absolute magnet for dust and cobwebs. Case in point: this lovely photo here. (As a sidenote, the following photos of some of my house’s dirtiest spots promise to be quite humbling!)

Spot 2: Underneath pieces of furniture and furniture cushions. In my regular cleanings, I almost never move furniture to tackle the dustbunnies that tend to congregate there, or to lift the cushions to vacuum.

I won’t go into photographic detail for the remainder of the list (you can thank me later), but here are some other not-so-clean places that often get overlooked in regular cleanings, but that holiday guests are sure to notice. 

• Behind the toilet
• Window and door frames
• Ceiling corners
• Ceiling fans
• Light fixtures
• Lampshades
• Drapes and valances
• Blinds
• On top of the refrigerator
• Utensil drawer
• Bathroom drawers
• Baseboards and mouldings
• Under the bed
• Bookshelves (including knicknacks and books)

I don’t know about you, but just reading that list exhausts me! I have to say, though, that I feel so much more equipped for the task now that I have this gem in my posession. Meet my new BISSELL Powerglide with Lift-Off Technology.

Oh friends, this vacuum is incredible. The suction is better than any other vacuum I’ve ever owned, and the swivel feature makes manuevering it around furniture and baseboards a breeze. But the best feature of all, without a doubt, is something BISSELL calls Lift-Off Technology. Check it out:

With the touch of a button, the vacuum comes apart from the base, turning into a handheld, fully-powered vaccum perfect for tackling stairs, drapes, and all of the other hard-to-reach places listed above. Amazing, right? 

Other key features of the vacuum:

• No loss of suction and sealed system
• One-step removable pod for portable cleaning
• Long-stretch hose
• Lightweight
• Swivel steering for maneuverability
• Adjustable handle for easy use and storage
• 12-inch foot for stability
• Large capacity dirt cup
• 27-foot cord
• Included TurboBrush® and crevice tool

Feeling inspired to tackle the tough messes in your own home? Visit BISSELL.com to take advantage of some great pre-holiday offers! 

Enter the promo code POWERGLIDE to receive free shipping plus $20 off of the following products:

• PowerGlide Pet Vacuum with Lift-Off Technology – 2763
• PowerGlide Pet Bagged Rewind Vacuum – 38631
• PowerGlide Pet Vacuum – 1044

Offer valid 9/12/2013 – 11/30/2013

Or, even better, enter to win BISSELL’s fun Facebook sweepstakes, going on now! And while you’re at it, check out some terrific cleaning tips, too!

Amy @ Positively Splendid

Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.