Clean up during/directly after dinner with guests?

B

Betsy Og

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I'm of the view that only minimal tidy up is needed on the night, i.e. get it off the table and piled up on a sink or worktop out of the way, and get back to drinking wine and enjoying the conversation.

My spouse is somewhat less relaxed ;), with the result that on more that 1 occasion I've gotten a bo**icking for not helping out enough on the night with threats of never again, your mates you mind them etc. (this phase passes in fairness).

I've no problem working hard the next day to straighten things (as I would do in the prep) - so is it reasonable to leave it all pile up on the night??

The other option would be to get everyone to make one go at it and, in 10 minutes, it all gets done. Have to say I'd be reluctant to introduce this one.

Also, these fair rare occasions wouldnt be lads only, parnters would accompany, but to date have tended to be my mates.
 
unless you're eating in the kitchen I don't see the problem with clearing all into the isnk/dishwasher and leaving a free run to the fridge for beer.
 
I normally clear the table, when we had a dishwasher i filled it and ran it, emptied in the morning, we havnt got one now so i just rinse the stuff off and leave them till the morning.
Quick and tidy.
 
Deffo leave it.

you're fussing around cleaning, and from experience I think this makes guests feel unrelaxed when your're running from the table to the kitchen cleaning.

when I entertain I concentrate on getting everyone fed and watered and when everyone is full and happy I sit and relax and enjoy the company and conversation.
The washing up can wait until everyone is gone or the next morning...

If you invite guests over then you should be able to sit and enjoy it instead of being stuck cleaning the kitchen :confused:
 
ha! this comes up at home... Personally, I wouldn't clean up while guests are still there! It's a bit rude and Looks like you're more into being 'house proud' than enjoying the craic from the company YOU (presumably) invited over in the first place! Pile up the sink and crack open the dessert wine;)

S
 
Do it when they are gone or in the morning. I agree that it's rude to clean up when guests are there.
 
We entertain quite a lot. We don't have a dishwasher (don't like them) so we don't really have the option of quickly putting stuff out of sight but our approach has always been to remove everything except glasses from the eating area immediately after coffee and maybe leave something like a caked casserole dish or oven tray soaking, but that's it - worry about the cleaning up/dishes afterwards.

I think in our case it's too much of a disruption to the evening to simply commence with a cleanupathon while everyone is still drinking/enjoying themselves.
 
Agreed... Not to mention the amount of wine glasses I save from extinction by waiting until i'm in a more 'co-ordinated' state!!
 
Well from the guest's perspective it is nice to have the dirty plate and clutter removed from in front of you rather than sitting in front of it all night, it pretty much takes the same amount of time to take it into the kitchen and leave it on the counter top as it does to bring it in the kitchen and stick it in the dishwasher.

That said, I think its enough for one person to do this and unreasonable of your other half to give you a bo**icking for not helping while guests are there. Its nice that one of you is sitting there chatting to guests while the other removes plates as you get ready for that dessert wine.

Where we live is quite open plan and it definitely helps regarding smells to clean up as you go.
 
Take it into kitchen and look after cleaning it in the morning.

Guests will think you are trying to get rid of them if you wash up there and then. Your guests should be getting your attention, not the dishes.
 
Niallers said:
Take it into kitchen and look after cleaning it in the morning.

Guests will think you are trying to get rid of them if you wash up there and then. Your guests should be getting your attention, not the dishes.
Click to expand...

+1. Cleaning up while your guests are there is read as a hint you wnat them to leave. (Save that for 3am and nobody looks like moving......)
 
In a few situations where I've seen the hostess getting busy while the rest of the table was chatting ..... the said hostesses had a touch of the OCDs. Rude it is, but look at the poor devil that can't relax 'til the draining board is clear and dried own. So as not to interrupt the flow of things, everything should be left in the kitchen and a return to normal carousing should be ASAP.
 
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