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Cleaning up after a big event


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We use a bagless vacuum. It seems to work fine although its disconcerting to see just how much cat hair has been lying around. It's also very easy and quick to dispose of the junk--just slide out the plastic thing that holds the stuff and slide it back into its locked position.

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I am at all times an utter slob, so I supress the guilt about the budget and buy disposable everything. Also don't need to worry about breakage that way. Pass out and face it all in the morning. And somehow it does seem that the bigger the hangover and the bigger the mess, the more fun must have been had. Coping mech, perhaps. The late lamented apartment had wood floors. The condo has (pale!) carpet so I haven't had the nerve to entertain since moving. Parents bought a cheap Dirt Devil as a housewarming -- works but nothing to particularly recommend. Best keep-you-moving music for the cleaning for me is The Smiths. He's supposed to be depressed but it makes me happy and dancy regardless. When helping out at my parents' huge annual Christmas party, toss things as they accumulate because my stepfather is the neat freak I am not and everything has to be spotless before we can go to bed. A few years back, my mother arrived from out of state the morning after a bash and took pity and cleaned while I remained on futon in pain. Found empties in bathroom sink and atop bedroom dresser and I don't remember where all else. Still gives me grief but it was a saintly deed.

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Vacuums -- Oreck. Light and powerful and good.

Clean-up-- Get the food in the fridge, clear everything into the Kitchen at least, dump any garbage-y stuff and toss garbage bag into 'collector' garbage bag in the garage, toss linens into laundry room, go to bed. Clean everything the next day in similar fashion as detailed by others above.

Refrigerator inventory??? :blink:

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I have had an Oreck for years. Still works great. For some reason my daughter didn't want to deal with bags so I got her the Hoover. I don't get that. I would jump at a Meile for $400 C. How do they do that? My new house will have NO wall to wall carpet so I would really like to have a canister. I still think I may get one of those macho shop vacs for party clean-up. What a hoot to just go suck up everything!

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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My motto is, "Can't see it from the bedroom."

Pile all dishes into kitchen. Pile the really dirty stuff into the sink to soak.

Put away food.

Scrape plates, throw out corks and such.

Start one load of dishes.

Turn out kitchen light.

Next day, ignore the mess and the auditory hallucination of your mother's voice telling you should be ashamed of yourself for going to bed with a kitchen in such a mess-while making your coffee. Try to drink it in peace in the living room while ignoring what a sty that is. At all costs, do not enter dining room, and if you do, do not look down at your rug.

Once awake and reasonably not hungover, clean house. You will be done in no time.

PS I love my Miele.

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I still think I may get one of those macho shop vacs for party clean-up. What a hoot to just go suck up everything!

That's my Brothers credo; don't bother with a vacuum that won't suck up socks and beer cans...

=Mark

Give a man a fish, he eats for a Day.

Teach a man to fish, he eats for Life.

Teach a man to sell fish, he eats Steak

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry to kick this back to the top, but dudes...I got a Swiffer this weekend. I didn't buy the WetJet, but I did pick up some wet swiffer pad thingies in addition to the dry ones that come with it.

Best. Kitchen floor. Cleaning. Tool. Ever. And it got a trial by fire, since we had a dinner party Sunday night (messy one, too--homemade pizzas and numerous bottles of wine, not to mention some RAWTHER delicious port).

So I need to add that to my list of post-party cleaning necessities. Swiff your way to freedom.

K

Basil endive parmesan shrimp live

Lobster hamster worchester muenster

Caviar radicchio snow pea scampi

Roquefort meat squirt blue beef red alert

Pork hocs side flank cantaloupe sheep shanks

Provolone flatbread goat's head soup

Gruyere cheese angelhair please

And a vichyssoise and a cabbage and a crawfish claws.

--"Johnny Saucep'n," by Moxy Früvous

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My strategy:

1) "Cook clean", cleaning as you go. Lesson painfully learnt after enduring multiple bollockings from my wife, who complained about being stuck with cleanup. This means allocating enough time before the event so that things can be put in order.

2) Plan -- what dishes will be used, where they will be plated (at table or in the kitchen), where they will go when finished.

3) Run the dishwasher before the meal begins, so that it starts out empty and is ready to be loaded.

4) Have a second dishwasher. Not currently true for us, though the second unit is going in as the kitchen is renovated.

5) Recruit help: we pay the nanny a few extra ££ to help with service and cleanup. This was paradise when the nanny was a recent catering school graduate, who understood how these things are done. Or bring someone in to help during the meal, so that while you are eating, dishes are being done. Children can also be helpful here, but in any event the cost is not prohibitive and the benefit enormous.

Jonathan Day

"La cuisine, c'est quand les choses ont le go�t de ce qu'elles sont."

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