I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for, but this is something of a specialty of mine, since we entertain frequently and I made an agreement with my SO long ago that I'd clean if he'd cook (since I can think of very few people who would willingly eat my cooking). For the record, we do not own a dishwasher OR a garbage disposal (the joy of living in NYC), and we have relatively limited space (LOTS of space for NYC, but not so much for anywhere else), so I've adopted a plan of action that takes this into account and makes the room being cleaned as comfortable as possible for anyone (SO, roomies) who may be up, about, reading newspaper, drinking coffee, etc. If possible, I like to do it all at once immediately after the event, to get it over with, but more often a party ends late and I'm a...tad...tipsy (read: stinking plastered) by then, so here's my strategy. What you need: Rubber gloves (I like to use these, then my hands don't get all dried out & bleachy) tons of paper towels lots of clean dishtowels for drying and dusting lots of dish soap Clorox Clean-up spray Windex all-purpose spray (I like the vinegar surface cleaner but don't mix it with the clorox!) a vacuum (I can't weigh in on which is best, since ours is a truly kickass vintage all-metal Electrolux) a broom a dustpan a mop your favorite mopping liquid (I like to pour a little formula 409 into the water--gets things clean & shiny) a bunch of trash bags During the event: If it's a sit-down dinner, I try to at least rinse/soak the dishes from each course as we clear them. Frequently, in the "plating" time between courses, I'll have the chance to quickly wash the dishes from the previous course, then put them away as I wash the dishes after the NEXT course, if that makes any sense. I sometimes enlist our roommate, his girlfriend or a good friend for help with this After the event: No matter what time it is or how wobbly I am, I PUT THE FOOD AWAY (the one time I didn't do this, we ended up wasting some perfectly fabulous machaca that was one of my few cooking outings) and put any dishes that will fit to soak in the sink (especially things like roasting pans that might have food kind of stuck to them). I also try to gather up the trash (empty wine bottles, corks, whatever) and bag it and assemble the glassware on the kitchen counter. Then I go to bed. The morning (well, morning to me. Usually early afternoon in real time) after: I put on some good cleaning music (the soundtrack to "O brother, where art thou" is lovely, but anything lively & danceable but not TOO loud will do. I'd probably play Eminem if the SO wouldn't stab me with a fork) The very first thing I clean is the kitchen--I can't think if my kitchen isn't clean. The order, and I follow it STRICTLY, is as follows: Dishes (wash/dry/put away) Silverware (ditto) pots/pans (ditto) move glassware to sink, clean off kitchen counter (spray w/Clorox Clean-up and wipe down), spread clean dishtowels on kitchen counter. Wash glassware, then set upside down on dish towels to dry. Clean stovetop (remove burners, spray with Clorox Clean-up, wipe off. I wash the burners w/soap & water if they need it) I spray down and wipe off my cabinets with Clorox Clean-up, too. Sweep kitchen floor so it's debris-free If needed, mop kitchen floor. Then, when I can breathe again, I get started on the dining/living room. First I move any chairs/tables that have been displaced to somewhere where they won't get in my way. Then, I use the dustbuster to vacuum random food bits off the tablecloth before I put it into the laundry basket (actually, I use the dustbuster to vacuum random bits of stuff off the living room furniture too). Sweep dining room floor, sweep living room floor. Water stains--well, actually *blush* the only time this has happened was a party at which I went to bed before cleaning up, and the next morning the stains were, well, dry, and gone. So I don't know what to say about that. For other stains, though--it's been my experience that seltzer will take out damn near anything, including red paint (out of a beige couch). Use foaming rug cleaner if necessary, then vacuum the crap out of the living room rug. Browbeat SO/roommate into taking out the three or four big bags of trash that have accumulated. Then I change out of my cleaning clothes into my South Park pants, take my coffee and the paper into the living room and enjoy the rest of the morning. I find if I do this RIGHT AWAY and follow my routine, it gets done within an hour (I think the MOST time I have spent cleaning up after a party was two hours, and that was a really serious bash) and then I can do whatever else I want for the rest of the day. I hope this helps. K