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Published November 22nd, 2025
Recovering Your Home After the Big Feast
The turkey has been eaten, the football games are over, and the last guest has headed home. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for connection, but the morning after can be a bit of a shock for the host. You are left with a kitchen covered in grease, floors that have seen heavy traffic, and maybe a few mysterious stains on the carpet.
Don't let the post-holiday mess steal your joy. As your local cleaning experts in Hampton Roads, we have put together a survival guide to help you tackle the aftermath efficiently so you can get back to relaxing.
Phase 1: The Kitchen Triage
The kitchen takes the biggest hit during Thanksgiving. Between the turkey, the sides, and the pies, grease and grime are everywhere.
Tackling the Grease
Cooking a turkey often leaves a film of grease on your stovetop, backsplash, and even the range hood.
• Use a degreaser or a mixture of warm water and dish soap to cut through the film.
• Don't forget to wipe down the cabinet fronts near the stove, as grease splatters often land there unnoticed.
• Soaking the range hood filters in hot, soapy water is a great way to remove built-up residue.
• Use a degreaser or a mixture of warm water and dish soap to cut through the film.
• Don't forget to wipe down the cabinet fronts near the stove, as grease splatters often land there unnoticed.
• Soaking the range hood filters in hot, soapy water is a great way to remove built-up residue.
The Refrigerator Tetris
Before you clean the fridge, you have to organize the leftovers.
• Consolidate food into clear, stackable containers.
• Toss any empty jars or boxes.
• Wipe down the shelves as you rearrange to catch any drips from cranberry sauce or gravy immediately.
• Consolidate food into clear, stackable containers.
• Toss any empty jars or boxes.
• Wipe down the shelves as you rearrange to catch any drips from cranberry sauce or gravy immediately.
Phase 2: Stain Control
Accidents happen, especially when the house is full. If you wake up to find spills, quick action is key.
Red Wine & Cranberry Sauce
• Blot the stain with a clean cloth; never rub, as this pushes the pigment deeper into the fibers.
• For carpet, a mixture of white vinegar, dish soap, and warm water is often effective. Rinse with fresh water and blot dry.
• For carpet, a mixture of white vinegar, dish soap, and warm water is often effective. Rinse with fresh water and blot dry.
Gravy & Grease Spills
• Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the spot to absorb the oil.
• Let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum it up.
• Treat any remaining mark with a grease-cutting dish soap and water.
• Let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum it up.
• Treat any remaining mark with a grease-cutting dish soap and water.
Phase 3: The Floors
Your floors likely saw more foot traffic in one day than they usually do in a month. In Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, guests often track in sand and fine grit without realizing it.
• Vacuum thoroughly, including under the dining table and along baseboards.
• Mop hard surfaces to remove sticky spots and tracked-in dirt.
• Mop hard surfaces to remove sticky spots and tracked-in dirt.
The "I'm Too Tired" Factor
Let's be real: You just spent days shopping, prepping, and cooking. The last thing you want to do is spend your weekend scrubbing the house top-to-bottom. You deserve a break.
If the post-Thanksgiving mess feels overwhelming, you don't have to do it alone.
If the post-Thanksgiving mess feels overwhelming, you don't have to do it alone.