Some homes are simply easier to clean than others. A new-build flat with laminate floors and gloss cabinets forgives a great deal. A Georgian townhouse with limestone flagstones, a Victorian rectory with original encaustic tiles, or a Cotswold farmhouse with lime-plastered walls and centuries-old oak does not. In houses like these, the wrong product used with the best intentions can do lasting harm.
Caring for a period property is less about scrubbing and more about understanding. Here is how we approach the materials that most often define a fine old house.
Natural stone: limestone, marble and Cotswold flags
Most natural stone is calcareous, which means it reacts with acid. Vinegar, lemon-based cleaners and many bathroom descalers will etch limestone and marble, leaving dull patches that no amount of polishing will hide. Even a splash of wine or fruit juice left overnight can mark a honed marble worktop.
We clean stone with pH-neutral products made for the purpose, warm water and soft cloths or mops. Spills are blotted rather than wiped, so they are not spread across a wider area. Old Cotswold flagstone floors, often laid directly on to earth or lime, are cleaned with as little water as possible; soaking them draws moisture and salts up from below and can leave a white bloom as they dry.
Where stone has been sealed, we note when the sealant was last applied and let owners know when it begins to wear, usually long before a stain makes the point for us.
Oak, walnut and antique furniture
Antique furniture is finished in shellac, oil or wax, and each responds differently. Silicone-based spray polishes, the kind found in most supermarkets, leave a build-up that clouds the finish over time and complicates any future restoration. Water, too, is the enemy of French polish, leaving white rings that require a specialist to remove.
Our housekeepers dust antique pieces with a soft, dry cloth, working with the grain. Waxed surfaces are buffed, and fresh wax applied sparingly and only when needed, perhaps once or twice a year rather than every week. Brass handles and escutcheons are cleaned carefully so that polish does not reach the surrounding wood.
Old oak floors and beams are treated with the same restraint. A dry or barely damp mop and an occasional wax are usually all they need.
Lime plaster and painted walls
Many older properties have lime plaster and breathable paints such as limewash or clay-based emulsion. These finishes are beautiful and soft, and they do not tolerate scrubbing. Marks are lifted gently with a barely damp sponge, tested first in an inconspicuous spot. Where a wall needs more than that, it is a job for a decorator rather than a cleaner, and we say so.
Original tiles and fireplaces
Victorian encaustic and geometric floor tiles are remarkably hard-wearing, but they are often unglazed, so they absorb dirt and are vulnerable to harsh chemicals. They are cleaned with neutral products and dried thoroughly. Cast-iron fire surrounds are dusted and occasionally treated with grate polish; marble fire surrounds are treated exactly like any other marble, and protected from soot with care during the winter.
Textiles, rugs and window dressings
Hand-knotted rugs are vacuumed in the direction of the pile, never with a beater bar, and fringes are left well alone. Silk, velvet and lined curtains are brushed or vacuumed on a low setting rather than laundered at home. Upholstered antique chairs are dusted with a soft brush. For anything valuable or fragile, we recommend a specialist cleaner and are happy to coordinate one.
Silver, glass and the details guests notice
In a fine house, the small things set the tone: the gleam of a silver candlestick, the clarity of a decanter, the absence of fingerprints on a glazed bookcase. Silver is cleaned with a proper silver cloth or polish and stored away from rubber, which tarnishes it quickly. Crystal is washed by hand in warm water, never put through a dishwasher. Mirrors and glass are finished with a lint-free cloth.
Why a consistent team matters
The most important tool in caring for a period home is familiarity. A housekeeper who knows that the kitchen worktop is honed Carrara, that the hall table is French-polished walnut, and that the bedroom floor upstairs is pine rather than oak will make the right decision every time without needing to be told.
That is why every Mulberry client has a dedicated team that returns to the same house, with a written specification describing its materials and how each should be cared for. Over time, the house is not just kept clean, it is kept well.
If you own a period home, country house or listed property anywhere in the UK and would like to talk about its care, request a consultation. We will walk the house with you and write a specification for it.