Cleaning your baseboards isn't exactly exciting. But it's the kind of job that, when done spick and span, will make your home feel and look better. We've rounded up a few ways to clean your baseboards this weekend (or whenever it suits you). There are tricks that are simple and those that are very thorough. Find out how to clean your skirting boards here!
Cleaning skirting boards: How often?
The best advice: get the family involved so that this task can be completed more quickly. So how often should you tackle this task? That depends entirely on your needs. In homes with a lot of fur and hair, you should clean the baseboards once a week, but if you live alone and everything else pretty muchis clean, you might be able to settle for once or twice a month.
Clean floorboards with home remedies – DIY spray
You don't need a lot of fancy cleaning solutions to clean your baseboardsto shine. Our favorite recipe harnesses the power of vinegar to clean baseboards. It is a great all-purpose solution for all types of skirting boardsor stainsand is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.
What you need:
- 500 ml warm water
- 500 ml white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid
Simply mix the ingredients in a bucket and use the solution to clean all of your baseboards. You can even use this recipe as an all-purpose cleaner for almost any area. If it is difficult to reach the soil, put the mixture in a spray bottle and spritz it where it is needed.
How to get wooden skirting boards clean again
Stained wood is a durable and attractive material for baseboards, but it can warp or discolor if it gets too wet or dries out completely (Did you know that the wood in your home is 6-8% water?). The good news is that you can balance the moisture levels in your baseboards with two simple steps. When cleaning wooden baseboards, do not use too much water and treat them with oil to lock in moisture. First, dust or vacuum your wooden baseboards. Then make the following mixture:
- 4 liters of warm water
- 4 tablespoons dish soap
- 1 tablespoon mineral oil
Use a sponge or microfiber cloth to clean the baseboards with the cleaning solution. Wring out the sponge well so that too much water does not get on the wood. When the baseboards are clean, wipe with a cloth moistened with clean waterremoveall soap residue. The oil remains and nourishes the wood. Finally, polish the baseboards with a dry cloth and use a dryer sheet to prevent dust from settling there.
Cleaning skirting boards – painted wooden skirting boards
If your wooden baseboards are painted, you do not need to treat them with oil. The paint already protects the moldings and this also means that you can use more water and pressure when cleaning, making the job easier.
- Remove loose dust and dirt from the baseboards.
- Add dishwashing liquid to warm water and clean the baseboards with a sponge or microfiber cloth.
- If you find stubborn stains, you can remove them with a sponge.
- Rinse the cloth with clean water and wipe the baseboards to remove any soap residue.
- Use a dryer sheet to keep your baseboards dust-free.
Other methods for easy cleaning
Here we will show you two more ways to install your skirting boardscan clean.
The broom method
If you don't have too dirty baseboards, you may just need to dust. Make it easier for yourself by using the right tool for the job. Use a small hand broom or, if you don't have one, a clean brush (the edge brushes work great).
If you sweep your baseboards this way, you should do it before vacuuming the floors to pick up any hair and dust that will be swept away. And if you have a small vacuum cleaner attachment with bristles for your vacuum cleaner, you can use it to dust the strips.
The sock method
- Take an old sock.
- Insert a stick into the sock.
- Spray the sock with the cleaning fluid of your choice (mild soap, vinegar and water, or wood cleaner) and wipe down the baseboards.
Clean white plastic skirting boards
White skirting boards look elegant, but can quickly become dusty and worn out. If your white baseboards are painted wood, follow the tips above. If they are made of PVC, follow these tips instead.
- Vacuum your baseboards as usual.
- Use a mixture of dish soap and warm water to wipe down the baseboards.
- If you have a lot of scratch marks on your plastic baseboard, use an all-purpose cleaner (or the DIY cleaner we mentioned earlier) and a sponge to remove the dirt (always do a spot check first!).
- To keep your baseboards sparkling white, you can also make a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts hot water and spray them with it. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes and then wipe off with a clean, damp cloth.
