The holiday season is up ahead and most homes will be having long strings of gatherings to celebrate the different occasions. When parties are planned, and family and friends will be coming over, it’s imperative that the house is spotless for them; otherwise, homemakers will surely be judged for their poor home management skills.

General cleaning is not hard to do if you already have an established system and you’re not getting around to it in haste. Just tackle one task at a time and you can be sure that by the time the guests come, your home will be the full epitome of a clean, comfy, cozy sanctuary from the numbing cold of the outdoors.

One of the most important tasks to cover is carpet cleaning. You can’t have musty-smelling rugs with embedded pet hairs and other debris during the holidays because you need the floors for additional seating when you run out of proper seats for the guests—the last thing you want is for people to feel itchy while seated on your carpets.

To help you get started on this crucial task, here are five quick holiday cleaning tips for your carpet:

1. It’s always good to start with some thorough vacuuming to get rid of loose dirt, dander and other particulates. After a first go with the vacuum, sweep under the carpets to get rid of dust, and then begin another vacuuming session.
2. If you’re dealing with musty scents that trigger an allergic fit and you have the time, wash your carpets. Take the carpet out and give it a bath using a mild detergent and a stiff bristle brush. Soap the carpet, brush, and rinse thoroughly. This is not really a quick way to clean a carpet, but you’ll get it done in a few hours—especially if the sun’s generous with light and heat.
3. Now, if you don’t have the time for thorough cleaning, you can use a steam cleaner after you’ve vacuumed the carpet. This will help get rid of stains and the unpleasant odor of the carpet. The trick with this cleaning tip is to make sure the carpet dries completely so it doesn’t become a magnet for dirt.
4. For accidental spills of red wine and other deeply pigmented beverages during a party, the carpet cleaning solution to have handy is club soda. Pour some on the stain, then press on the spot with a clean towel for a few seconds. Much (if not all) of the stain will be gone.
5. For an even easier carpet cleaning solution, hire the pros. Their equipment and system will restore the lovely appearance of your carpets, get rid of all dirt, and make sure that your giant floor rugs smell fresh and nice for the holidays.