Okay. I’m finally getting around to attempting to clean my baseboards. It is one of those “don’t-really need-to-get-to chores.” If you’re like me, you look at them throughout the year and silently say in your head, “I need to clean those one day.” Which outside of my head means “never.” Well, I actually cleaned them today. I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what kind of baseboards or what type of color that you have on your baseboards, it will not hide the lint and hair that clings to them, especially in the bathrooms. They seem to be the worse in the bathrooms. I’ve heard of people cleaning their baseboards with dryer sheets, but these boards were way pass that stage since the dirt and lint seemed to have stuck on the boards. It didn’t bring off the dirt for me. Perhaps, this is due to never cleaning these boards since I’ve been in this house This is probably the reason that it is a chore that rarely gets done. Until today…. I used liquid fabric softener and it made the cleaning so much easier.
Items Needed:
- 4 quarts of water
- 1 cap full of liquid fabric softener
- bucket of pail to hold water
- brush
- towel
Directions:
Pour four quarts of water into a container.
Add a cap full of liquid fabric softener. This should help deter the lint from sticking so much the next time. Plus, it gives you a fresh laundry scent when you’re finished.
I decided to start in my family room where I’m always sitting and looking down at these boards. Ugh….
First, brush as much as the dust and lint off the boards as possible. If you’re lucky, you may be able to get your boards really clean after this step.
Then use a towel to wipe/scrub the dirt and lint away. I’m using a lint-free towel that I picked up from Every Things a Dollar Store. Wow! Just a couple of hard scrubs and it’s looking good already. Now, if these boards could stay this clean, I would be such a happy camper. Perhaps, since I’ve cleaned them, I may be able to just take a dryer sheet when I need to touch them up. I’m crossing my fingers that the Fabric Softener will deter future lint from sticking to the boards.
Below is a couple of before and after shots of the bathroom’s baseboard.
These were in serious need of cleaning. For some reason, with all the other chores that need to be done in the house, this is one that is easy to overlook.
Though, this is a chore that one rarely or perhaps never gets to, it definitely makes the room feel so clean or shall I say cleaner. I just love the look of these freshly-cleaned boards. Next time, I’m delegating this chore to my girls.
So, honestly, how often do clean your baseboards? If you’re like me, the answer is never.
This is definitely one of those tasks that needs to be done atleast fortnightly, if not weekly but most of the people keep on postponing it till they become really dirty and acquire a different shade that is certainly not pretty. Thanks for sharing the process and the best tools for it.
Your baseboards look really good! Glad to see how easy it was, I’m dreading cleaning mine, but it is on the list! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sharon. Does the towel you described in this procedure have the fabric softener solution on it?
Hi, Sharon. I’m glad I found this tip. I have read a few of yours tonight. I am wondering if the fabric softener has helped with less dust and yucks sticking. It’s been several months now since you cleaned them.
Thanks for sharing! Off to read a few more.
HI Michelle. Yes, the fabric softener has definitely helped. I still need to occasionally wipe them down but it makes it so much easier to wipe down.
I sooo need to clean my baseboards! I will try this soon!
Visiting from SITS!
They make the room look so much cleaner when you get a chance to clean them….
This is by far the best tip for cleaning baseboards I have come across! I tried this today, and it was so much easier than my usual routine of vacuuming and following up with warm, soapy water. I found it most effective in the bathrooms where the fabric softener solution seemed to cut through the dreaded hairspray buildup with no heavy
scrubbing. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Wendy! Glad it was helpful. Doesn’t clean baseboards just make the room look so much cleaner?
I only clean my baseboards sporadically. I may clean the bathroom one day and end up cleaning the hallway baseboards months later. I can’t even remember the last time I tried to clean the ones in the bedrooms. Sometimes I’ll use the vacuum attachment to clean the ones in the living room when I’m vacuuming. I never thought of using fabric softer as a cleaner. Great tip!
Hi Sonya! It is definitely a chore that is hard to get around to doing. Glad I was able to get to it now because I don’t know when I’ll have time again….
This is amazing…I would have NEVER thought of adding fabric detergent but it makes sense. Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome Tiffany! I’m hoping to cut down on cleaning those boards, so here’s to that fabric softener working….
A Swifter Duster every few days works well..
I am co hosting Fluster’s Creative Muster Linky Party and I want to thank you for linking up to the party!!
Hugs,
Debbie
You’re welcome Debbie!
Wow, I wouldn’t have guessed I would need a tutorial to clean my baseboards, but I can never get them clean just wiping them off with a rag and they are filthy right now so thank you for the tips! I’m doing this tomorrow!
Hanna
http://www.stripesandpolkadotsblog.com
Hi Hanna! Those boards are such a chore to clean. However, you’ll love them when they’re clean. They make the rooms look and feel so much cleaner.
I can’t keep up with basic chores, much less get to the baseboards on a regular basis. Need to do this!
Hi Kim! I’m in full agreement on that. It’s so hard to keep up with the basic chores. Hopefully, I won’t have to clean the boards in awhile….
I use a cotton mop on my baseboards once a week when I clean my tile floors but they still get chips and dings, so I try to repaint them every few years. In the areas where I still have carpeting, I dust them with a swiffer. They all still need a good cleaning on occasion. I’ll try the softener concoction. I’ll do anything to cut down on time spent cleaning.
Hi Jacque! I was trying to find some type of dusting mop to tidy them up every now and then but didn’t find anything. Will keep the swiffer in mind. I think that if I just dust them every now and then, they wouldn’t get so bad….
Thanks for the excellent tip on fabric softener! I need to so this!
Hi Raquel! It’s one of those chores that you do every blue moon. Crossing my fingers that the fabric softener is a winner….
I hate cleaning the baseboards!!! I try to be a bit more diligent in the bathrooms but the rest of the house….not very often with those baseboards!
Hi Kim! At least you get to the ones in the bathroom. It’s just such a hard task to get around to doing…..
I was just telling a friend not too long ago that I don’t hear about people doing it, but cleaning the walls will be something I might have to look into lol. This is perfect. Our bathroom baseboards get pretty gross too. I’m pinning this for later! 🙂
Hi Brittnei! It’s definitely one of those chores that people tend to never get around to doing. There is just so much else to do. But, it looks so great if you can ever get to it.
This post is perfect timing! We are just about to move out of our apartment and have to clean all of the wood trim. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Happy Valley Chow
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