6 Things to Clean After Houseguests Leave to Refresh Your Space

Whether it’s for a holiday, a celebration, a short or extended visit, having guests stay with you can be a wonderful thing. It can also be a lot of work. And that work doesn’t end when your houseguests leave. As much as you probably want to relax after hosting and just enjoy your more quiet and empty home, your space probably needs a refresh before you can feel completely at peace. Here’s a checklist of sorts on how to clean and reset your home after hosting guests—and how to prep for your next guests while you’re at it.

Strip the Bed

The first thing you want to do after your guests leave is clean the bed linens. Rochelle Wilkinson of Dirt Detective Cleaning in Baltimore, Md. recommends stripping the bed down to the mattress pad and washing the sheets and blankets. “For a guest bedroom, it’s recommended to have a down alternative fluffy comforter in a duvet cover so the duvet cover can be washed in between guests,” she says.

It’s also a good idea to have two sets of bedding on hand, so you don’t have to do laundry immediately after your guest leaves. 

Clean the Guest Room

Wilkinson advises giving the guest room a thorough wipe-down, including dusting and vacuuming, right after guests leave so that’s it’s ready to go for the next round of guests. However, if your next guests aren’t coming for more than a month after the other guests left, you’ll want to give the room a quick dust and refresh right before their arrival date, too, Wilkinson suggests. “Many people suffer from allergies so you want to be sure the room is dust-free,” she explains.

Refresh (or Restock) the Pillows and Blankets

Aside from just washing the pillows and blankets, now is also a good time to take inventory of what you’ve got to make sure the next guests are as comfortable as possible. Wilkinson recommends having at least two pillows per guest in the room along with plenty of blankets—including a heavier blanket for the colder months and a lighter throw for the warmer months.

Clean the Bathroom

If your guest only stayed a night or two, you probably don’t need to do a deep clean, but the bathroom probably needs a refresh. “This includes tubs, showers, toilets, and sinks,” says Wilkinson. Especially during cold season. “You want to be sure you rid the space of any germs that may linger for the people in your home and anyone else who may be visiting soon,” she says.

Don’t forget to swap out used bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths for clean ones. 

Restock Bathroom Supplies and Toiletries 

When you’re taking inventory of your guest spaces, bathroom supplies are probably the most important items to check. After your guests leave, it’s important to check that aren’t running low on any items that your guests will need—like toilet paper, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. “This way, [your guests] don’t have to ask if they forgot these items,” Wilkinson says. “I also suggest having a fresh toothbrush in the packaging, toothpaste, pain reliever, tampons, band-aids, safety pins, and a hair tie.”

Make sure the extra toilet paper is easy to find. It’s best to keep an open basket of extra rolls near the toilet, because no one wants to be in a situation where they need to ask where more toilet paper is. Also don’t forget to refill any hand soap pumps or replace bars that are nearly used up. 

Restocking these items now will also help you cut back on the list of things you need to do or buy right before your next guests arrive.

Add Finishing Touches to the Guest Room

While it’s not necessary, it’s nice to make sure the guest room has a few more essentials that your next guests will appreciate. This could include tissues (even a small travel pack stashed in a nightstand drawer will do) and water. Wilkinson suggests having two bottles per guest, but you can also fill a carafe with tap or filtered water and keep a glass on the nightstand. 

Another fantastic touch Wilkinson likes is having the WiFi password printed out and framed on the nightstand. You don’t need a fancy frame, just something simple that complements the decor. This is also a good spot to include other information about the home they might not know, such as how to open a tricky window or turn on the television.