I had a great response to my first segment of The Perfect Host, How To Avoid Awkward Silence, so I thought I would keep things rolling. This time around I am sharing my favorite party prep cleaning supplies. These are the items I use to clean my house before hosting an event, big or small. There may and probably are better supplies out there, but this is what I have found works fabulous for me.
So let’s start with the kitchen. I typically tidy up and get down and dirty with Method All-Purpose Cleaners (I love the Grapefruit). I use the Method on my countertops, to clean out my fridge and even clean my cabinets with it. Not sure if that will ruin them, but it claims it is ‘all-purpose?’ I am typically not too strict on the non-toxic, but I love that this stuff is. Since my kids are constantly on the counters and in the fridge, it makes me feel better that this cleaner is safe.  I don’t use paper towels with the Method because I hate all the waste and they get expensive. I use Microfiber Cleaning Towels. They are the bomb and last forever. I typically buy mine at Costco, but you can purchase them here on Amazon. I use these babies for everything: walls, floors, cabinets, mirrors, toilets….everything. I even use them with my Swiffer WetJet. Rather than buy boxes of those expensive Swiffer pads, I fold a cleaning towel in half and secure the rag with elastics. Trashy perhaps, but it saves money and works so much better. And that leads me to the Swiffer. I’ve had mine for years and have no complaints. I’m sure there are better systems out there, but this does the job. I attach the rag and mop both my wood floors (with Bona Wood Floor Cleaner…the best) and my tile floors (with water and vinegar). To finish off my kitchen, I use Brillo Pads to clean my sinks and oven range.
Moving to the bathrooms. I continue using my Method cleaner for my counters, sinks and mirrors and then pull out the fabulous Clorox Toilet Wand to clean the toilets. This magic tool has made bathroom cleaning so much more bearable. I love the disposable tablets and that I don’t need to get all up in the toilet’s grill. And for those grimy hard to clean spots (or crayon all over my walls), I use The Magic Eraser. Seriously, how does this magical thing work? It cleans everything! I then Swiffer the floors.
And finally to my carpets. I vacuum my wood floors, tile and carpet with the Shark Rocket. Now I have never been a huge vacuum person. They never work and I don’t believe in spending $500 for a really, really good vacuum. I don’t care how amazing it is. It’s a vacuum! I met the fabulous people at Shark at Alt in January and they petitioned me to use the Rocket. Being the vacuum skeptic that I am, I had my doubts that this bad boy could handle that amount of glitter and confetti we produce at our house. One arrived at my door and I immediately put it to the test. I wasn’t blow away at first, but was super impressed at how light and easy to use it was. I loved that I could easily switch from my carpet attachment to the tile attachment and the more I used it, the more I loved it. Now a few months later I am totally obsessed. It picks up everything. Confetti, no problem. Glitter all over my tile, the Rocket is all over it. And I love that it breaks down so I can easily vacuum my stairs and couches. Seriously, I love this thing.
So those are MY Party Prep cleaning supplies and tips. I’m not a cleaning pro by any means, but these products work great for me. If you have a cleaning supply that you love let me know about it! I’m always up for trying new things. Especially if they can help me keep this house clean! And if you try any of these products, I would love to hear what you think. 
*Disclosure–In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from Shark for my post. However, all opinions and statements are mine and mine alone.
