How to Properly Clean Your Baseboards

So you’ve decorated the transition between the walls and ceiling of your home with , but now you have to install baseboards that still add the same architectural features. Well, if you’ve hired a team of experienced professionals to install and design the custom crown molding, they should be able to properly advise you on the baseboards to match. Now, once you have the interior of your home furnished, there comes the matter of keeping those baseboards clean and mold free.

If not properly treated, your baseboards will take whatever beating given to them. Overtime, they’ll begin to warp, peel away from the wall, lose paint, or become affected from water damage. Now, if you’ve gone through the initiation of living in an apartment with terrible and un-kept baseboards (if there were even baseboards to begin with), well in my first apartment, there was a water leak and my baseboards acted like a sponge – how did the trusty maintenance workers fix it? They painted over the molded wood, that’s it. Don’t be like those maintenance workers. If you are like them, we’re going to tell you how to PROPERLY care for your baseboards, especially if they’re custom.

Properly Cleaning Your Baseboards

First, let’s go over the materials you’ll need to complete this task:

• Duster or Vacuum with a brush attachment.
• One (clean) Sponge.
• Wood Cleaner (if you have it), Vinegar, or Dish Soap.
• Dryer Sheets.
• Cotton Swabs (that won’t break).

1. Step One: Remove the Dust and Dirt

   Take your vacuum’s brush attachment and run it along the length of the baseboard. Overtime, your baseboards collect a majority of the dirt and dust that gets dragged into your home and accumulates overtime. If you’re using a duster, you should be able to pick up any loose debris that fell onto the floor with a dustpan.

2. Step Two: Get the Mixture Ready

   Once you’ve removed the dust and dirt, it’s time to get rid of the built up spots of grime that are legitimately noticeable. So, take your dish soap (or vinegar) and mix it with warm water. Then take your sponge, wring it out and then scrub any of the marks you can see. Keep in mind, if your baseboards are finished rather than painted, you may want to use a more specific cleaner to remove the grime.

3. Step Three: Grab the Cotton Swabs

   This step requires a little bit more labor and focus. You want to take your cleaning solution and cotton swabs to get in the corners where dirt and grime really builds up. Take the cotton swabs – you may need to use a lot of them – dip them in the cleaning solution and start getting in those corners and cracks.

4. Step Four: Time for the Dryer Sheets

   If you want to preserve your cleaning job, take your dryer sheets and rub them along the baseboards. This will keep your home smelling fresh, and the antistatic properties in dryer sheets perfectly repel the dust for a significant amount of time.

Tags: Cleaning Baseboards, Cleaning Guide

Bruno Romano January 30, 2015 Articles and Tip Guides from Alliance Cabinets & Millwork