Spring cleaning, the Hausley way: room by room

Spring cleaning, as a concept, is older than most people realise. It comes from a time when houses were heated by coal, lit by oil lamps, and lived in with the windows closed all winter. By March, every surface had a film of soot on it. The first warm day was the first chance to open the windows, drag the rugs out, beat them in the garden, and start again.

Modern London homes don't have soot. But they do have six months of accumulated dust, dead skin, pollen, takeaway-night grease, and the kind of grime that builds up so slowly you stop seeing it. Spring is still the right time to reset.

Here's our room-by-room order — the same one we use on a full Hausley deep clean.

Bedrooms first. Strip the bed entirely. Wash the duvet and pillows if they're machine-washable (most are, on a 60°C wash). Flip and rotate the mattress. Vacuum it with the upholstery attachment, both sides. Move the bed and clean underneath. Wipe the headboard. Open the wardrobe, take everything out, vacuum the bottom, wipe the rails, and put back only what you actually wear.

Bathrooms second. Take down the shower head and soak it overnight in white vinegar (or call us, because we have better stuff). Scrub the grout. Empty every cupboard. Bleach the toilet brush holder — the most overlooked source of bathroom smells in any home. Wash the bath mat.

Kitchen third. Empty the fridge entirely. Wipe every shelf and drawer. Check expiry dates on everything in the cupboards. Pull the cooker out and clean behind it. Descale the kettle. Clean inside the microwave, the dishwasher, the toaster, the kettle. Wipe the tops of cupboards (where six months of cooking grease has settled).

Spring is still the right time to reset.

Living spaces fourth. Vacuum every soft surface — sofas, curtains, rugs. Lift the sofa cushions and vacuum what's underneath (every home has a small civilisation living down there). Wipe every surface, including the legs of furniture and the back of every framed photo. Dust the books — pull them off the shelf, wipe the shelf, dust the top edge of each book, put them back.

Hall and stairs last. Hoover every step. Wipe every banister. Polish the front door inside and out. A clean front door changes the way you feel about coming home.

If this list is exhausting to read, it's exhausting to do. Most clients spread spring cleaning over a fortnight. Or — and we're slightly biased here — call us and we'll do it in a day.