Hosting a Super Bowl Party Soon? Here’s How to Make Cleanup Smoother and Faster

Throwing a Super Bowl party (not to be confused with a Superb Owl party) is about more than tasty snacks and a big TV. Unless you’re a Patriots fan, you should be able to enjoy the game without spending all night afterward scrubbing and sweeping. With a bit of planning before kickoff and some smart moves during the game, you can drastically cut the cleanup time after the last touchdown. Here’s a playbook to keep your pre- and post-game cleanup efficient and stress-free.

Before the Super Bowl party

• Avoid staining food and drink: Try not to serve items that are prone to staining. While nachos are a staple, you may want to skip it if you don’t have a solution for the salsa and drippy cheese getting everywhere. The same goes for drinks that can stain, like red wine. 

• Use an air fryer: An air fryer can make an array of food like burgers, hot dogs, baked potatoes and more as good, if not better, than an oven. As an added bonus, it’s easier to clean and won’t heat up your whole house.

• Rug removal: Roll up and remove area rugs if you can. While it may tie the room together, cleaning a carpet is tougher than cleaning a spill-off vinyl or hardwood.

• Use disposable tableware: It’s not environmentally friendly, but disposable plates, cups and utensils can reduce how many dishes you need to wash. You can also spend a bit more for biodegradable bamboo or paper plates rather than plastic.

• Protect surfaces: Use tablecloths or plastic covers on furniture to prevent spills and stains. This can look a bit tacky, though, if you overdo it, so you may want to skip covering the couch and large furniture pieces and just stick to tablecloths.

• Have trash cans readily available: The more the merrier when it comes to trash cans. Guests are more likely to dispose of trash properly when they have plenty of options to do so.

• Keep pets out of the way: Pets are family, but having dogs and cats underfoot increases the likelihood of guests tripping or floor-surfing dogs trying to steal food. You may want to keep them in a different space with their own food, water and toys while your guests are around.

• Prep for spills: Keep cleaning supplies like paper towels and stain remover handy for quick cleanup.

Read more: Want To Spend Less Time Cleaning Your Kitchen? Try These 10 Hacks For Cleaning While You Cook

• Outdoor party: If the weather permits it and you have the backyard space, hosting a Super Bowl party outdoors can make cleanup easier, especially when it comes to spills and food debris. It’s also a great excuse to grill, which is always a hit when the weather is nice. 

• Limit decorations: Avoid decorations that might be difficult to clean or take down afterward. Obviously, if you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, most people are there for the game, food and TV, rather than the decor. If you want a cool ambiance, a nice touch might be to use your smart home with color changing lights to set the mood. 

• Use serving dishes with lids: Seven-layer dips are always a hit, but if you’re serving them, try putting them on a baking tray with a lid. Getting one with a lid can help prevent spills and keep food fresh. Offer small plates or cups for dips and finger foods so people aren’t juggling big, greasy plates on couches.   

• Provide coasters and napkins: Plentiful coasters and napkins can help protect surfaces and prevent spills.

After the gathering

• Tackle spills and stains immediately: Address spills and stains before they have time to set in. The faster you get to them, the easier they will be to clean up. Resolve and a carpet cleaner can be a game changer if you have a lot of carpeted space.

• Enlist help: Don’t hesitate to ask friends or family members to help with the cleanup. Hey, you’re hosting them; it’s the least they could do.

• Start with the perishables: Dispose of any leftover food promptly to prevent spoilage and odors.

• Wrap up or refrigerate food that won’t be eaten soon. Getting cold foods into the fridge or onto ice helps prevent foodborne issues and frees up surface space for cleanup. Have containers ready so guests can take food home instead of leaving you with mountains of leftovers. This reduces waste and keeps counters clear.

• Soak dishes: If you’re not using disposable tableware, soak dishes that can’t go into the dishwasher in hot soapy water to get embedded grime and food particles off.

• Clear countertops and tables: Use cleaning wipes or all-purpose cleaners to wipe down surfaces and put away any remaining food or drinks.

• Gather trash and recycling: Collect all trash and recycling and take it out to the appropriate bins.

• Vacuum or sweep floors: Once the main debris is cleared, vacuum or sweep the floors to remove any crumbs or spills. If you have a robot vacuum, having it take over this task can save you quite a bit of time and effort, though you may still want to do a once-over with a vacuum cleaner.

• Put away furniture: If you moved any furniture for the party, put it back in its original place or put it into storage if it’s not something you commonly have out.

• Air out the space: Opening windows or using fans and air purifiers helps clear lingering smells after a night of cheering and snacks.