‘Tis the season for at-home entertaining. Whether Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Hannukah, Christmas or New Year’s, holiday hosts are getting ready for some big events. And sure, they might need products like stemware or serving dishes, but don’t forget about a big pain point that goes along with entertaining: Clean-up.

The holiday season is a prime opportunity for retailers to emphasize products that offer less mess and less stress – and to draw attention to the cleaning solutions these products offer before, during and after a holiday gathering.

Hosting: We Have a Problem
The International Housewares Association (IHA) has surveyed consumers about at-home entertaining for the last several years. And what’s the challenge that always seems to rise to the top? Clean-up.

In the 2025 IHA At-Home Entertaining Survey, 34% of respondents said cleaning up was the hardest part of hosting an at-home gathering. (Preparing everything at the same time was next hardest – but further back at 23%, and preparation in general came in third at 13%.)

Less Mess, Less Stress

So, while clean-up might not necessarily rank as the most glamourous part of a holiday marketing campaign, the topic should definitely strike a chord with holiday hosts.

Retailers should consider promoting products that help with cleaning before, during and after a holiday gathering, while also emphasizing how these items can spark some joy and give hosts extra time and energy to focus on the fun parts of gathering with family and friends. Offering your own tips and tricks will likely be appreciated too.

Products can include trusted cleaning items such as Pine-Sol™ Cleaning Tools from Volume Brands International – you can remove the cleaning elements on their Microfiber Twist Mop and Flat Microfiber Mop to toss them in the washing machine for a quick and easy clean.

It could include the Bar Soft Foam Glass Washing Brush from Harold Import Co. (specially shaped to clean hard-to-reach areas of stemware, barware and vases) or the ZoomBroom (a lightweight, but powerful cordless air broom for those lucky to be entertaining outdoors).

Full Range of Solutions

Don’t forget clean-up solutions for holiday hosts, that will help them focus more on fun during an event. For instance, the Glad Link & Sort Recycling Station with Clorox antimicrobial protection from Volume Brands is an easy, attractive way for hosts (or guests themselves!) to toss their garbage, recycling or food waste as they go.

When promoting products that help keep holiday get-togethers easy and breezy, make sure to call out built-in solutions that might not be obvious. For instance, the Nuwave Moxie Vacuum Blender has a self-cleaning feature (just add soap and water and select the “Clean” function). And the Brentwood TS-643BK 1200W Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill has a ceramic non-stick grill that wipes down easily; the drip pan and base can be placed in the dishwasher for effortless cleanup.

Discover more about the featured products by clicking the images below.