No time for a full spring clean? Pick two or three of these 20 quick wins a day. Each takes 10 to 30 minutes of hands-on time, needs very little kit, and catches something a weekly clean usually misses: a smelly dishwasher, a dusty radiator, a fluffed-up dryer filter. Spread over a fortnight, they refresh the whole home.
How should you use this list?
Treat it as a menu, not a schedule: set a timer, pick a job that fits the gap, and stop when it rings. Times are hands-on minutes for a typical London flat; machine and soaking time come on top.
Load the machine jobs, such as the pillows or the shower curtain, first. For the full room-by-room plan, see our eco-friendly spring cleaning guide.
Which kitchen and laundry jobs take under 30 minutes?
1. Clean the dishwasher filter and spray arms (15 minutes)
Twist out the filter at the bottom of the machine, as the manual shows, and rinse it under the hot tap, scrubbing the mesh with an old toothbrush. Clear any food from the holes in the spray arms with a cocktail stick. A clean filter often cures gritty glasses and a stale smell.
2. Descale the dish rack and drainer tray (15 minutes)
Hard water leaves a white crust on the rack, and mould grows where water sits in the tray. Soak both in warm water with a little citric acid, scrub the corners, rinse and leave them to dry completely before you stack anything on them.
3. Deep clean bottles, lunch boxes and travel mugs (15 minutes)
Take every lid apart and pull out the silicone seals, where coffee and milk residue hides. Soak the parts in hot soapy water, scrub with a bottle brush, rinse well and let everything air-dry fully before reassembling. Throw away any seal that stays black or smells.
4. Clean the washing machine drawer and door seal (20 minutes)
Pull out the detergent drawer, soak it in warm soapy water and scrub away the softener sludge. Wipe inside the drawer housing, where black residue collects. Then fold back the rubber door seal, remove fluff, coins and grime, and run an empty hot or drum-clean cycle if your manual recommends one. Leave the door ajar afterwards to dry.
5. Clear the tumble dryer filter and condenser (10 minutes)
Electrical Safety First advises cleaning lint and fluff out of the filter and around the door after every use, and avoiding running a dryer overnight (Electrical Safety First). As a spring job, also empty the water container on a condenser dryer and rinse the condenser unit as the manual describes.
Which bathroom jobs give the quickest results?
6. Wash the shower curtain (10 minutes)
Many shower curtains can go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with a couple of towels, which scrub the folds as the drum turns. Check the label first, and hang the curtain back up to dry.
7. Dust the extractor fan grille (10 minutes)
A furry grille moves less air, so steam lingers and mould gets a foothold. With the fan switched off, vacuum the grille with the brush attachment and wipe it with a damp cloth. Remove the cover only if the manual says it is designed to come off.
8. Clean or replace the toilet brush (10 minutes)
Empty the dirty water from the holder, wash the holder in hot soapy water and let the brush dry with the head hanging over the toilet bowl, held in place by the seat. A brush with flattened, stained bristles is cheaper to replace than to rescue. Wash the bathroom bin at the same time.
9. Clean hairbrushes and combs (10 minutes)
Pull the hair out with a comb, then soak brushes and combs in warm water with a little shampoo for ten minutes. Scrub the base of the bristles with an old toothbrush, rinse, and dry them bristles down on a towel. Brushes with wooden handles or padded cushions should not be soaked; wipe them instead.
What can you refresh in the bedroom and living room?
10. Wash the pillows (10 minutes)
Check the care label. Many polyester and feather pillows can go in the machine two at a time, which keeps the drum balanced. Dry them fully, on a low tumble with a couple of clean tennis balls if the label allows, as damp filling smells musty.
11. Wash cushion covers and throws (10 minutes)
Unzip the covers, close the zips again so they do not snag, and wash them inside out, following the labels. Shake the throws outside first.
12. Dust lampshades and light fittings (15 minutes)
Switch the lights off and let the bulbs cool. Run a lint roller or the vacuum's brush head over fabric shades, and wipe glass shades and the bulbs with a dry microfibre cloth.
13. Dust radiators and the wall behind them (20 minutes)
Once the heating is off for spring and the radiators are cold, push a radiator brush or a long, thin duster down between the panels and catch the dust on a towel laid on the floor. Vacuum the top and the skirting below, then wipe the wall above, where grey dust marks gather.
14. Wipe phones, laptops and keyboards (10 minutes)
Switch each device off and unplug it, then wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth that is barely damp. Apple's cleaning advice, for example, says not to spray cleaning products directly onto the device and not to let moisture into any openings (Apple). Turn keyboards upside down and tap out the crumbs first.
15. Dust the tops of tall furniture and picture frames (15 minutes)
Dust builds for months on top of wardrobes, bookcases and door frames. Stand on a sturdy step, not a chair, and lift the dust off with a slightly damp cloth rather than brushing it onto the floor. Finish with picture frames and the edges of mirrors.
16. Clean houseplant leaves (15 minutes)
Wipe large leaves with a damp cloth while supporting each one with your other hand, and rinse small plants under a lukewarm shower in the bath. Dust on the leaves blocks light. Wash the saucers and wipe the pots while the plants drain.
Which window, front door and safety jobs should you add?
17. Clear window tracks, drainage slots and trickle vents (20 minutes)
Vacuum the grit from the tracks of sliding and uPVC windows with the crevice tool, then wipe with a damp cloth. Clear the small drainage slots at the bottom of the frame with a cotton bud so rain can escape. Dust the trickle vents at the top, which let in a steady trickle of fresh air.
18. Clean the outside of the front door (15 minutes)
Wash the door, letterbox, knocker, house number and doorbell with warm soapy water, then dry the metal parts. Sweep the step and brush down any cobwebs around the frame.
19. Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (10 minutes)
Press the test button on every alarm. The government's Fire Kills campaign says to test smoke alarms at least monthly, whatever type you have (Fire Kills), so spring is a good time to start the habit. Clean the outside of each alarm as its instructions describe. London Fire Brigade advises fitting carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with a fuel-burning appliance, such as a gas boiler, cooker or fire (London Fire Brigade).
20. Service the vacuum cleaner and your cleaning kit (25 minutes)
Empty the bin or change the bag, cut tangled hair off the brush bar, and wash or tap out the filters as the manual says. Washable filters need to be completely dry before they go back in, so do this in the evening. Then put the mop head and cloths through a hot wash and replace worn sponges.
Which quick wins make the biggest difference?
If you manage only five, choose the dishwasher filter, the washing machine seal, the radiators, the extractor fan grille and the alarm test. The first four change how the home smells and how much dust floats around, and the alarm test matters most for safety.
What if 20 minutes a day is still too much?
Quick wins last longer on top of a simple routine. Our weekly cleaning checklist shows what to keep on top of each week so the basics never pile up.
If the weekly routine is the part you cannot fit in, a regular cleaner can take it on. SW Clean London's regular home cleaning costs £17 per hour on a weekly or fortnightly plan, with the same cleaner each visit and eco-friendly products on request. Our guide to cleaner costs in London explains how many hours a home usually needs.
Ready to hand over the routine? See how regular home cleaning works, or book a home cleaner online.