Hari Raya Cleaning: Getting Your Home Ready for Open House

Hari Raya cleaning works best in two stages: a thorough clean during the last weeks of Ramadan, while energy and time allow, then a quick refresh just before Hari Raya Aidilfitri itself. Focus on the spaces guests will use, such as the entrance, living room, guest bathroom and dining area, and get the kitchen in order before the cooking marathon starts. A clean, uncluttered home makes the open house far easier to host and to clean up afterwards.

This checklist is built around how a Hari Raya open house actually runs in a Singapore flat: lots of visitors, lots of food, and shoes piling up outside the door.

Plan around Ramadan

Fasting changes energy levels and daily rhythm, so heavy cleaning is easier to spread out. Many households find it helps to:

• Declutter and handle deep jobs in the earlier part of the month
• Do short sessions after buka puasa or on weekend mornings rather than one long day
• Save the final wipe-down, floors and guest bathroom for the last day or two
• Bring in help for the physical jobs, such as windows, grilles and the kitchen, so family time isn't spent scrubbing

If you're planning to hire a cleaner, book early. The final week before Hari Raya is a busy period, and dates go quickly.

Stage one: the deep clean

Living and guest areas

This is where visitors will sit, eat and take photos.

• Wash or replace curtains, especially if you're putting up new ones for the festival
• Wipe ceiling fans, light fittings and the aircon unit exterior
• Vacuum the sofa thoroughly, including under cushions and along the base
• Clean the display cabinet glass, shelves and any decorative items
• Wipe window interiors, tracks and grilles
• Move furniture to make room for guests, and clean the floor underneath while it's out of the way

The kitchen, before the cooking begins

Rendang, ketupat, lontong and kuih mean long hours at the stove. A clean kitchen at the start makes the whole stretch more manageable.

• Degrease the cooker hood and wash its filters
• Clean the hob and burners so flames burn evenly
• Clear out the fridge and freezer to make room for festive food and leftovers
• Wipe cabinet doors and handles
• Clear counters and organise pots, steamers and serving dishes
• Check the sink trap and drain so it copes with heavy washing-up

For the details, see our guides to cooker hood cleaning and gas stove and hob cleaning.

Bathrooms

The guest bathroom gets heavy use during open house. Scrub the toilet, sink, floor and tiles; treat grout mould; descale the tap; and put out fresh hand towels, soap and spare toilet rolls. Our guide to toilet cleaning spots people miss covers the hidden areas.

Entrance and shoe area

In Singapore, guests remove shoes at the door, so the corridor outside an HDB flat or the condo doorstep becomes a busy spot.

• Clean the shoe cabinet and clear out pairs nobody wears
• Wipe the main door, gate and doorbell
• Sweep and mop the area outside the door, keeping within your own unit's frontage
• Set aside space or a rack for guests' shoes

Stage two: the final refresh

In the last day or two, run through a lighter list:

1. Dust surfaces and wipe the dining table
2. Vacuum and mop all floors
3. Refresh the guest bathroom
4. Empty bins and put in fresh liners
5. Lay out serving areas, tissues and a spare bin for guests

Prayer and quiet spaces

Many families keep a clean, quiet corner or room for prayer, and guests may ask to use it during visits. Keep this area tidy, vacuum prayer mats regularly and make sure the space is free of clutter. If a cleaner is working in your home, let them know which items or areas you'd prefer they leave untouched, and they'll work around them.

After the open house

Hosting a stream of visitors leaves its mark: crumbs from kuih and cookies, drink spills, sticky floors, a pile of serving dishes and a bathroom that has been used all day. A good post-open-house reset includes:

• Mopping all floors, with extra attention to the dining area and entrance
• Spot-cleaning the sofa and any fabric chairs
• Wiping the kitchen thoroughly, especially the hob and splashback
• Cleaning the guest bathroom properly
• Taking rubbish out promptly, which also keeps ants and cockroaches away

Some families host more than one weekend of visits, so a mid-month refresh between gatherings can be useful.

Getting help with the heavy lifting

Cleaning Assistant serves homes across Singapore, with first ad-hoc trial sessions at $20/hr and on-demand cleans at $26/hr. You provide the supplies and equipment, so you decide exactly which products are used in your home. Our cleaners are trained, background-checked and insured. For a bigger reset before the festival, our deep cleaning guide explains what's involved, and the home cleaning services guide covers the standard scope.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start cleaning for Hari Raya?

Start the bigger jobs two to three weeks before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, spreading them across Ramadan. Leave the final refresh, floors and guest bathroom for the last day or two.

What should I clean first for a Hari Raya open house?

Prioritise what guests see and use: the entrance and shoe area, living room, dining area and guest bathroom. Then make sure the kitchen is clean and organised before the cooking starts.

Can a cleaner come during the fasting month?

Yes. Many households book cleans during Ramadan so they can save their own energy. Just let us know any areas, such as a prayer space, that should be left as they are.

How do I clean up quickly after open house?

Clear food and rubbish first, then wipe the kitchen and dining table, then mop floors from the furthest room towards the door. Booking a cleaner for the day after a big gathering is also a popular option.

Hosting this Hari Raya? Book your pre-festive clean early, or WhatsApp +65 8166 0891 and we'll help you pick a date that fits around Ramadan.