How to Clean Skirting Boards, Cornices and Hard-to-Reach Areas

Skirting boards, picture rails, cornices and ceiling roses have a habit of gathering dust quietly in the background. You might not notice them during a routine clean, but they stand out immediately when a room is otherwise spotless, or when a landlord or estate agent walks through a property. Whether you're preparing for an end-of-tenancy inspection, freshening up after renovation work, or simply giving your home a proper going-over, these areas deserve some dedicated attention.

Our team cleans homes across Norfolk and Suffolk every week, and these are the spots we see neglected most often. The good news is that once you know the right approach, they're not difficult to deal with.

Skirting Boards: More Than Just Dust

Skirting boards attract two things above all else: dust and scuff marks. In hallways and living rooms, they tend to pick up general household dust. In kitchens, they can collect grease. In bathrooms, they may develop mould or watermarks along the lower edge.

What to use

• Dry dust first. Before introducing any moisture, run a dry microfibre cloth or a soft brush along the top edge of the skirting to lift loose dust. A paintbrush works well in corners where a cloth won't reach.
• Warm soapy water for general grime. A few drops of washing-up liquid in warm water is usually all you need. Wring your cloth out well so the board doesn't get soaked, particularly on painted MDF which can swell.
• White vinegar solution for stubborn marks. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water for watermarks or light mould. Wipe on, leave for a minute, then wipe clean.
• Magic erasers for scuffs. Melamine foam sponges are excellent on painted skirting boards. Use them damp and apply light pressure.

A tip for period properties

Older homes in Norfolk and Suffolk often have deep, elaborate skirting boards with multiple grooves. These trap dust in every recess. A dry toothbrush or a detail brush is the easiest way to clear them out before wiping down with a damp cloth. If the paint is old and flaking, work gently to avoid making the surface worse.

Cornices, Ceiling Roses and Coving

These are genuinely difficult to reach without the right tools, and most households rarely clean them. Over time, a visible line of grey dust settles along the top edge of coving and around the details of a ceiling rose. In coastal homes especially, salt air can cause this to build up faster than you might expect.

Safe ways to reach them

We always use a sturdy step ladder rather than stretching from a chair. For day-to-day dust removal at height, an extendable microfibre duster is the most practical tool for most homeowners. Look for one with a flexible head that can angle into the joins between wall and ceiling.

Cleaning the detail

Once the loose dust is gone, a damp cloth wrapped around your fingers lets you work into the moulded shapes of a cornice or ceiling rose. For heavier build-up, a soft brush dipped in warm soapy water and worked carefully around the detail is effective. Avoid soaking plasterwork, particularly in older properties where the plaster may be fragile.

If there is any yellowing from old tobacco smoke or cooking grease, a solution of sugar soap diluted in warm water can help lift it. Test on an inconspicuous area first.

Other Hard-to-Reach Spots Worth Tackling

While you have the ladders out and the cleaning kit to hand, it's worth addressing a few other areas that often get missed:

• The tops of door frames and window frames. These collect dust rapidly and are rarely wiped down during a standard clean.
• The inside of window reveals. In older properties with deep window sills, the sides of the reveal attract cobwebs and grime.
• Radiator tops and fins. Dust builds up inside radiator fins and circulates through the room when the heating is on. A radiator brush or a thin cloth can reach between the fins.
• Light fittings and shades. Turn off and allow to cool fully before cleaning. A dry microfibre cloth on most fittings; warm soapy water on glass shades once removed.
• Behind and beneath furniture. Skirting boards behind sofas and wardrobes rarely get cleaned. If you're doing a thorough job, it's worth pulling larger pieces out at least once a season.

When It Makes Sense to Bring in Our Team

Cleaning skirting boards on one floor of a tidy home is manageable on a Saturday morning. Cleaning every cornice, coving, skirting, window reveal and light fitting across a larger or older property is a different matter entirely, particularly if you're also dealing with dust from recent building work or need everything immaculate before handing back keys to a landlord.

Our deep cleaning service is designed exactly for those situations. Our cleaners work methodically through every room, including the areas most people overlook, leaving surfaces clean from floor to ceiling rather than just at eye level.

If you're at the end of a tenancy and need the property in inspection-ready condition, our end-of-tenancy cleaning service covers the same level of detail as standard, because landlords and agents notice skirting boards and cornices too.

We cover a wide area across the region. You can check whether we work in your area on our locations page, or browse our full range of domestic services on our home cleaning page.

A final word on preparation

If you're planning to clean these areas yourself before a professional clean, that preparation helps. Clearing furniture away from walls and removing ornaments from window sills in advance means our team can get straight to work on the surfaces themselves rather than spending time moving things around.

Skirting boards and cornices are easy to put off. But once they're clean, they make a real difference to how a room looks and feels, and they're much easier to maintain with a quick wipe every few weeks than to tackle from scratch each time.