The Only Post-Party Clean-Up Guide You'll Ever Need For The Festival Of Colours
It’s done, you had the world’s greatest party, smeared a lot of colours—some powdered and some liquid—on your loved one's faces. Now, what stares back at you is the mess waiting to be picked up and cleared. You are probably reading this either if you are already in the mess or preparing for the mess that your house is about to become after the revelries of the festival of colours. We bet on the latter and will share tips that will help you prepare in advance so your post-party cleanup is effortless. Dig your heels in and grab some of your friends and family to help you with the mess.
Protect Your Indoor Space
The floor and walls mostly need covering so you don't have to chase guests out from indoors, which you anyway will, to the outdoors, where the colour exchange happens. Remove any absorbent decors and clothing that won't come in use like towels, curtains and rugs. Make sure to also cover any valuables, furniture and electronics to prevent any damage to them. Get good anti-slip mats for guests who might be soaked in water. As the walls and windows use warm water and soap, make sure to get rid of any powders by dusting first.
Protect Your Outdoor Space
It depends on what kind of outdoor space you have; if it's on the terrace you'll only need sheets and absorbent rags to clean up any mess. If you have grass and play with colours on a lawn, cover the grass with a waterproof sheet, and also your patio. Move any furniture indoors and only keep the non-staining, plastic ones outside.
Waste Disposal – Wet and Dry
Between the water splashing, and balloons bursting with colours, there is a lot of wet waste around. Not to mention the dry powder colours that should be the first priority. Set up proper baskets lined with garbage bags or any kind of trash cans for water drainage. Keep these in a designated area for convenient disposal later. For the dry waste designate different trash cans and label them so any wasted colours can go into those bins. Another section could be for recyclable wastes like empty packets, pouches, and toys that have dried up after the water play. Go big on the towels, napkins and rags for absorbing any puddles. Now onto the cleaning!
Start With the Outside Areas
The Festival of Colours is an outdoor affair and most of the mess will happen outdoors, so this is where you should start. Avoid the puddles and wet patches and sweep whatever powder, debris and dry waste you can and put them in garbage bags. If your festive playing area has drainage areas, grab a hose and hose down any remnants of colour and direct them to the drainage areas. We are assuming you will be hosing down people first before you proceed to clean your outdoor space. This will ensure they bring minimal messiness indoors. Also, shake out any collected water or waste on any sheet or cloth you might have put outside.
Tackling the Indoors
Now that the outdoors is done, get started with the kitchen and the bathrooms, don gloves, an apron, hairnet or whatever else you need to keep the grime and colours off you and wipe down counters, sinks, and appliances with a rag and a heavy-duty cleaner. Move to the bathroom and clean toilets, showers, mirrors, and other fixtures that guests have used. Now, grab a bucket and get to mopping the floors and any sealed spaces thoroughly. For shelves, tables and chairs, use a damp cloth with a cleaner if stains need removing.
Be gentle on stains and keep spot correctors handy for stubborn areas that need your attention. Make sure you blot them first then gently dab to remove the stains. Rinse with running water and put it out on your patio or clothesline to dry. Don’t try this on fabrics, clothing and rugs that specifically call for dry cleaning. Not all stains will go at one go, if there is a stubborn stain, let it rest and try again later, some stains need professional help and some go away in a couple of days of washing and spot cleaning. Remember: the hassle is worth the memories and the time you get to spend with the people you cherish most!
