Host a Spotless Dinner Party
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Contributed by Sandy Coughlin of Reluctant Entertainer
These Scotch-Brite Holiday Clean-up Dinner Party Tips will help any hostess with dirty dishes to be assertive, ask for help, and learn to enjoy the party. I am a compensated 3M-sponsored blogger. Opinions are my own, and additional products used in the project were selected by me.
Even though all the planning for entertaining takes time and energy, it’s actually very exciting and fulfilling when the guests show up and all the hard work has been done, and you can sit back and relax with your company, as soon as dinner is served--right?
Right for some, wrong for others. I’ve heard women share horror stories with me about how clean up after dinner parties is a nightmare. That ought not to be!
My tips today will guarantee you get the kitchen cleaned up in no time. Holiday Clean-up Dinner Party Tips:
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1. Clean as You Go
As you cook and prepare, make sure and wash the pans, put the dishes in the dishwasher, wipe the counters.
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2. Do Dishes as You Serve
As you serve the guests, or for each course (depending on how you serve your dinner party), immediately rinse and wash the items. It only takes a few minutes, and frees up more counter space. For example, after the guests enjoy their salad, bus those dishes, rinse, and ask a family member to wash them while you serve the next course.
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3. Bussing Dishes
Don’t be afraid to ask one or two guests ahead of time to help with bussing dishes! We hostesses can become resentful if we don’t ask ahead of time, and we feel saddled with all of the work.
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4. Dish Duty
Be in charge of your own kitchen! Know what can go in the dishwasher and what needs to be washed by hand, and make sure the kitchen help understands that. For stemware and special entertaining pieces, have cleaning tools, such as the Scotch-Brite Clean Curve Dishwand,filled with soap, ready for easy cleaning! Have a fresh new dish pad (I like to use these, versus a clunky dish rack) and kitchen towels, to kick off the holiday season! Give clear direction to your kitchen help, get a system going of what needs to be hand-washed or what can go in the dishwasher. Work together, and get the job done!
I personally love to fill up my sink with hot sudsy water. But there’s another option: With my favorite Clean Curve Dishwand,you can wash as you go, without a sink full of water, and without having to get your hands in the mess! The unique pad shape fits perfectly inside each glass, and is also great for washing other dishes and getting the tough-to-reach spots. Another great aspect of this tool is its under-the-handle soap-release button for easy dispensing--you can easily see the soap level. You twist the cap on for easy refilling. It’s great, and it does not leak! This has become my best tool for fast, easy clean-up.
Be organized this year, be assertive and ask for help. Make sure you have good kitchen cleaning tools to get the job done quickly and efficiently, so you can relax and enjoy the rest of the party!
For me? I set up a jigsaw puzzle each year, and I can’t wait to take off my apron, and head to the puzzle table, with a cup of tea!
This post has been adapted by Sandy Coughlin from the original, which you may read on https://reluctantentertainer.com/2015/11/holiday-clean-up-dinner-party-tips/
