Safety first
Most ceiling cleaning can be done from the floor with an extendable duster or a flat mop with a clean microfibre head. If you need to go higher, use a stable step ladder rather than a chair, keep three points of contact and don't overreach – move the ladder instead. In stairwells and double-height rooms, a long-reach pole is safer than any ladder.
Before cleaning light fittings, switch them off and let bulbs cool. For anything beyond dusting the outside of a fitting, turn off the power at the consumer unit. Never spray liquid into a light fitting, switch or ceiling rose.
Dusting ceilings and removing cobwebs
Start with the corners and the edges where the ceiling meets the walls, where cobwebs collect. A long-handled cobweb brush or a microfibre duster on an extension pole removes them in one sweep. Work around the room in one direction, then across the ceiling in overlapping strokes.
Vacuuming with a soft brush attachment on an extension wand also works well and stops dust falling on you. Do the ceiling before the walls and floors, so anything that drops gets cleaned up afterwards.
Washing marks and grease
Kitchen ceilings collect a sticky film of cooking grease, especially above the hob. Bathroom ceilings get condensation marks and mould spots. Living room ceilings can have grey smudges above lamps and radiators from rising dust, and yellowing from smoking or candles.
For grease and grime, mix a little washing-up liquid in a bucket of warm water. Dampen a sponge mop or flat mop, wring it out thoroughly and wipe in small sections, rinsing often. Then go over the area with clean water and a well wrung-out cloth. Too much water leaves tide marks and can soak into plasterboard joints.
Mould spots on a bathroom ceiling need a mould remover suitable for walls and ceilings – our guide to removing mould from walls and ceilings explains the safe way to tackle it and how to stop it coming back.
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Textured and Artex ceilings
Textured ceilings trap dust in their peaks and swirls and are difficult to wash. Dust them gently with a soft brush attachment or a lambswool duster rather than wiping. Avoid scrubbing, which can break off pieces of the texture.
Artex and similar textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s may contain asbestos. Cleaning the surface gently is generally considered low risk, but don't sand, scrape, drill or scrub hard at it. If you're planning to remove or repair a textured ceiling in an older home, get the material tested first.
Light fittings, lampshades and fans
Different fittings need different treatment:
Pendant shades and glass fittings
With the power off, unscrew or unclip glass shades and wash them in warm soapy water, then dry thoroughly before refitting. Dead insects collect in bowl-shaped shades and can be emptied out first. Wipe the bulb with a dry cloth once it's cool.
Fabric lampshades
Use a lint roller or a vacuum with a soft brush on low suction to remove dust. Spot clean marks with a barely damp cloth. Many fabric shades are glued, so don't soak them.
Spotlights and ceiling fans
Dust spotlight bezels with a dry microfibre cloth. For a ceiling fan, slide an old pillowcase over each blade and pull it back – the dust stays inside the pillowcase rather than falling on the furniture. Then wipe the blades with a damp cloth.
Chandeliers
Small chandeliers can be cleaned in place with a cotton glove dampened in diluted glass cleaner on one hand and a dry glove on the other. Larger or valuable ones are best cleaned by a specialist.
How often, and when to call a cleaner
Dust ceilings and remove cobwebs every month or two, clean light fittings every few months, and wash a kitchen ceiling once or twice a year. High ceilings in Victorian and Georgian homes, stairwells and double-height rooms are often worth leaving to a professional with the right reach equipment.
High-level dusting – coving, picture rails, light fittings and the tops of doors – is usually included in a deep clean and is part of a thorough spring clean. For tenancy check-outs, cobwebs and dusty light fittings are small things that inventory clerks often note.
