Your baseboards get dusty and dirty quite easily. Even if you remove the dust, clean the floors, and wipe the windows regularly, a dirty baseboard, can make your house look untidy. You don’t have to worry, cleaning the baseboards will not use up a lot of your time, and you don’t have to do them every week.
Here are the easiest ways to clean your baseboards:
Vacuum
Clean the baseboards using your vacuum cleaner. Use the brush attachment to remove the dust and dirt from the surface of the baseboards. Make sure you clean the crevice between the bottom of the baseboard and the floor. If you do not have a vacuum, you can use a small whisk broom.
Getting Rid of the Hard-to-Remove Dirt and Stains
To clean the hard-to-remove dirt and stains, it is best that you vacuum the baseboards first to wipe away the dust. Most of the time the kitchen baseboards get very dirty because of grease splatters and food. The mudroom baseboards attract a lot of dirt because people track dirt in from the outside. Combine liquid dish soap and vinegar, in a bucket of warm water. Dip a soft cloth or sponge in the mixture and scrub stains and scuffs. A melamine sponge is the recommended cleaner for getting rid of tough grime. Make sure to wring out the sponge or cloth thoroughly, so there is no need to put too much water on the baseboards. To get rid of dirt in the grooves of the trim use a toothbrush. After cleaning, use a clean towel to dry the baseboards. If you leave too much water on it, it could damage the wood.
Cleaning the Top and the Crevice
In cleaning the top of the baseboards and the crevice between the floor and the boards, use a cotton swab dipped in a cleaning solution.
Keep the Baseboards Protected
To keep your newly clean baseboards dirt-free longer, rub them with a dryer sheet. This stops the static that draws dust.
Additional Tips on Cleaning Baseboards
Make sure you clean baseboards last after cleaning the room to avoid their catching dust and dirt from cleaning.
The best way to remove stains on baseboards is to use a store-bought wood cleaner.
If the stains and grime don’t come out with water and soap or wood cleaner, you may need to use paint to cover it.
For painted baseboards use a sponge mop in cleaning.
Use toilet wand and sock method in cleaning the painted and stained baseboards. For painted baseboards wet the sock with the mixture of water and vinegar. For stained baseboards wet the sock with a wood cleaner.
When clean, rub orange oil on your baseboards to leave a fresh scent.
Cleaning baseboards should be done as needed, usually once during each of the four seasons. However, in homes where there are several young children or active teenagers, cleaning baseboards may need to be done more often. Also, if you live near a dirt road where a lot of dust is circulated every day, baseboards are great for catching dust as it comes inside and they will need to be cleaned more often.
