spruce up your hallway
Make a good first impression on guests with a spotless entryway
1
CLEAR THE CLUTTER Start with a quick tidy-up, clearing away any abandoned items that have been dumped in the hallway and don’t belong there. Hang up coats, scarves, hats and bags piled on the banister, pair up any stray shoes and boots cluttering the floor and clear surfaces of unwanted post, paperwork and junk mail.
2
HAVE A GOOD SHAKE Take rugs, runners and doormats outside to shake off any dirt and grit that’s been walked inside. Give them a good beating with a stiff brush, going over stubborn dried-on mud with the bristles and wiping away any damp patches on the undersides. Roll up and place to one side while you carry on.
3
POWER THROUGH THE DUSTING Run a duster along the top of door frames, picture rails, skirting boards and ledges, around light fittings, door panels and stair banisters, getting into any crevices. Use a long-handled duster to reach ceiling corners and get rid of dust and cobwebs. Then run the vacuum cleaner over the floor, going along skirting again with the soft brush attachment.
4
GIVE SURFACES THE ONCE-OVER Arm yourself with two soft microfibre cloths. Spray one with antibacterial cleaner, wiping over door handles and smeary light switches, followed by stair finials and hand rails. Use the dry cloth to buff mirrors, picture glass, shelf and table surfaces. Then give wooden or tiled floors a once-over with a damp mop.
5
TACKLE THE FRONT DOOR Once you’ve wiped the inside of the door, move outside. Give the step and porch a thorough sweeping to remove surface dirt, then wipe the door clean with your cloth and spray, rinsing it out a couple of times if the door is particularly dirty. Use glass cleaner on glass panels and windows, buffing afterwards with a dry cloth. Finish off by polishing the letterbox, doorknob and door numbers with a dab of metal polish, buffing to a shine with a soft cloth or kitchen paper.
Vacuum stairs working up from the bottom to the top, to give a clearer View and less chance of the Vacuum toppling on you