How To Spring Clean Your Living Room

Ready for a proper spring clean? This living room spring cleaning checklist takes you through every step, so you can reset your living room fast.

Your living room works hard. It’s where you flop after work, host mates, watch telly, and (somehow) lose every remote you own. A proper spring clean isn’t about perfection. It’s about getting the room feeling lighter, fresher, and easier to live in.

Spring’s basically your cue for a reset. Brighter days show up the dust, winter stuff starts feeling heavy, and you naturally want your home to feel more open again. 

So, if you’ve been wondering how to do spring cleaning without it turning into a full weekend meltdown, this living room spring cleaning checklist breaks it down into simple steps.

In This Article

1. Open The Windows And Let The Room Breathe

2. Clear The Clutter First (So Cleaning Is Actually Easy)

3. Hoover And Refresh The Sofa And Chairs

4. Wash Cushions, Throws, And Blankets

5. Dust Shelves, Decor, And Furniture

6. Clean Lamps And Lampshades

7. Wash Windows, Sills, And Screens

8. Disinfect Switch Plates, Remotes, And Door Handles

9. Dust The TV And Tidy Cables

10. Sort DVDs, Games, And Living Room Bits

11. Wash Walls, Skirting Boards, Vents, And Doors

12. Sweep, Hoover, And Wash Floors

13. Do A Final Reset So It Stays Clean Longer

1. Open The Windows And Let The Room Breathe

Before you do anything else, open the windows for ten minutes. It’s the quickest spring cleaning win going.

Fresh air lifts that “stale winter room” feeling, helps fabrics smell better, and makes the whole space feel more awake. If you’ve got throws or cushions that can handle a bit of airing, drape them near the window while you get started.

2. Clear The Clutter First 

This is the bit that stops a spring clean becoming a never-ending shuffle of stuff.

Do one quick sweep and pick up anything that doesn’t belong in the living room. Mugs, hair ties, odd socks, receipts, chargers, toys, half a craft project. Get it all into one basket and move it out of the way. You can sort it properly after.

Once surfaces and floors are clear, every other step becomes faster. You’ll also actually see what needs cleaning, instead of cleaning around piles.

3. Hoover And Refresh The Sofa And Chairs

If you only deep clean one thing in the living room, make it the sofa. It’s the most-used piece of furniture, so it holds onto dust, crumbs, pet hair, and everyday smells.

Take the cushions off and hoover properly. Get into seams, creases, and along the arms. Use the attachments if you’ve got them, because those small nozzles make a huge difference in the hidden bits.

If you spot marks, go gently and check the care label first. A careful spot clean is usually enough for a spring clean. You’re aiming for fresher fabric, not a soaking wet patch.

Finish by plumping cushions and rotating them if you can. It helps them keep their shape, and the sofa instantly looks smarter.

4. Wash Cushions, Throws, And Blankets

Soft furnishings make a living room feel cosy, but they also quietly collect dust and “house smells”. A wash is one of the quickest ways to make the room feel properly refreshed.

If your cushion covers come off, wash them according to the label. For throws and blankets, a wash and a full dry usually brings them back to life. If something can’t be washed, airing it and giving it a light hoover still helps.

When everything’s dry, give cushions a proper plump. That little reset makes the room look cleaner straight away.

5. Dust Shelves, Decor, And Furniture

This is where the living room starts to feel properly polished.

Dust settles on shelves, frames, sideboards, coffee tables, and all the places you stop noticing day to day. Lift smaller decor items off first, dust the surface, then wipe it down. That order matters, because it stops you pushing dust around.

If you’ve got open shelving, this is also a good moment to edit what’s out. Fewer, more intentional pieces always look cleaner, and they’re quicker to dust next time too.

6. Clean Lamps And Lampshades

Lamps are sneaky dust collectors, especially the shades.

Switch them off and let the bulbs cool. Then dust the shade gently. A lint roller works well on fabric shades, and a soft cloth is usually enough for most bases.

It’s a small job, but clean lamps make the whole room feel brighter. Even if you haven’t changed a single bulb.

7. Wash Windows, Sills, And Screens

Now you’ve already opened the windows, deal with the window area properly.

Start by hoovering up any cobwebs around the frame, curtains, and blinds. Wipe down the sill, then clean the glass. If you’ve got window screens, wash them too. They hold onto more grime than you think, especially after winter.

This is one of the biggest visual upgrades in daylight. The whole room looks clearer, because it literally is.

8. Disinfect Switch Plates, Remotes, And Door Handles

These are the bits everyone touches, and almost nobody remembers to clean.

Use a lightly damp cloth with mild detergent for switch plates and door handles. For remotes and controllers, keep moisture to a minimum. A slightly damp cloth followed by a dry one is plenty.

It’s classic spring cleaning advice for a reason. This step makes the room feel properly “done”, not just surface-clean.

9. Dust The TV And Tidy Cables

TV units collect dust fast, and cables make everything look messier than it is.

Dust the TV and electronics carefully. Then untangle wires, group them, and tuck them out of sight where you can. Even basic cable clips or a tidy box can make the whole area feel calmer.

If you can, pull the unit out slightly and hoover behind it. That hidden strip of dust is often what makes a room still feel a bit grim, even after you’ve cleaned everything you can see.

10. Sort DVDs, Games, And Living Room Bits

If you’ve got shelves of DVDs, games, or “living room stuff”, spring cleaning is the perfect time for a quick edit.

Be honest about what you still use. If no one in the house is interested anymore, donate or sell it. Less visual clutter makes the room feel bigger, and it’s easier to keep clean going forward.

Then put the keepers back in a way that makes daily life simpler. The most-used bits should be easy to grab, and the rest can live neatly behind doors or in baskets.

11. Wash Walls, Skirting Boards, Vents, And Doors

This is the “big spring clean” step people skip, then wonder why the room still feels dusty.

Start with skirting boards. If there’s a lot of dust, hoover first using a brush attachment, then wipe with warm soapy water. Do the same for door frames and door knobs.

If you’ve got vents or floor registers, clean the covers too. Dust loves gathering there, and it affects the whole room.

Walls don’t always need a full wash, but high-touch areas do. Marks around light switches, doorways, and kids’ height are worth a quick wipe. It’s one of the best spring cleaning home tips for making the whole room feel fresher without loads of effort.

12. Sweep, Hoover, And Wash Floors

Finish with floors so you’re not dropping dust onto clean surfaces.

Hoover carpets and rugs thoroughly, especially along edges and under furniture legs. If you want to go further, a carpet cleaner is great for high-traffic areas where the room looks a bit dull.

For hard floors, sweep first, then mop. Pay attention to corners where dust collects. If you’ve got a rug, lift it and hoover underneath. That trapped dust is often what makes the room feel stuffy.

13. Do A Final Reset So It Stays Clean Longer

This is the bit that turns “I spring cleaned it” into “it still feels nice next week”.

Put things back with intention. Give your remotes one home. Keep a small basket or tray for daily clutter. If the room has a natural drop zone, make it work for you so the mess doesn’t spread.

If you want the easiest upkeep habit, it’s a quick weekly reset. Ten minutes to hoover the sofa and floors, plus a fast surface dust, will keep the living room feeling fresh long after the spring clean is done. That’s the real secret of how to spring clean your house without doing it all over again two weeks later.

Want to keep the momentum going? Have a browse of our latest home refresh blogs, and check out our Spring Cleaning Guide For Bedrooms for the next room to tackle.