5 Smart Ways To Clean Your Baseboards

Baseboards are an essential part of most people’s homes, putting the finishing touch on an otherwise boring wall. But they’re often the last thing we want to think about cleaning. They’re hard to reach, and does anyone even notice how clean your baseboards are when they visit?

We get it—baseboards aren’t exactly the crowning glory of your home. But when you give them a good clean, they can really make a difference to the look and freshness of your living areas. In this article, we’re sharing our favorite methods to keep your baseboards looking their best.

If cleaning your baseboards feels like a huge chore, you can always book a professional, affordable cleaner to clean your home through Homeaglow.

Tips for before you start cleaning

Cleaning your baseboards doesn’t have to be difficult, and it’s a simple way to get your home looking extra fresh. 

Before you start the cleaning process, here are a few basic things to consider:

Clean your baseboards last

When you’re cleaning your walls, shaking out rugs, plumping pillows, sweeping, and vacuuming, there’s a fair amount of dust flying around the room. And where does this dust most likely end up settling? You guessed it—on your baseboards.

Make a point of cleaning baseboards last during your cleaning routine to get the best, longest-lasting results.

Vacuum baseboards before wiping them down

Use a wand attachment on your vacuum to quickly run down the length of each baseboard and suck up any surface dust. This will make it faster and easier for you to clean the baseboard panels with one of the below methods.

If you don’t own a vacuum, use a soft broom to dust down the baseboards instead.

Give your baseboards a deep clean every few months

As well as regular weekly cleaning, you should add baseboards to your home’s deep cleaning checklist. 

Take a Q-tip and dip it in a gentle cleaning solution, then work your way around any cracks and crevices in your baseboards to freshen up those hard-to-reach areas that you might have missed.

Protect your wood baseboards

If your home has wood baseboards, it’s worth investing in a protective oil that you can apply after cleaning. 

This will help repel dirt and dust, and keep these beautiful wood areas of your house gleaming and fresh.

How to clean baseboards — our 5 favorite methods

These are some of our favorite ways to keep your baseboards in top shape.

1. Make a DIY baseboard cleaning solution

This is one of our favorite all-purpose cleaning sprays. It’s natural, gentle, and effective, and you can whip it up easily with ingredients you’ll most likely have on hand in your kitchen.

In a large, clean spray bottle, mix together:

• 2 cups of white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap
• 2 cups of warm water

Shake gently to combine, and use this to spray and wipe down your baseboards with a soft cloth or sponge.

If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can just mix this solution up in a bucket or large bowl instead.

2. Magic Eraser

Magic Erasers are handy to keep around the home for cleaning emergencies such as removing sharpie marks. They’re also great for cleaning your baseboards.

Simply wet your Magic Eraser and use it to wipe down the lengths of all your baseboards until they’re clean. 

3. Baby wipes

If you’re pressed for time and have cleaning wipes or baby wipes on hand, you can use these to quickly get your baseboards shiny and fresh. This method is ideal if you’ve got guests on their way over and you’ve just noticed your baseboards are looking grubby.

We recommend using eco-friendly, biodegradable wipes if you decide to use this method regularly.

4. Grab an old sock

If you’ve got a few odd socks lying around, you can put them to good use cleaning your baseboards. 

Simply pull the sock over your hand, and wet it with either water or your DIY cleaning solution. Then proceed to wipe down your baseboards with it. It sounds weird, but it works a treat, and it will give some extra life to socks that might otherwise go straight to the trash.

5. Dryer sheets

Dryer sheets don’t need to just be used in your dryer. You can also use them to clean your mirrors and baseboards effectively.

After vacuuming and wiping down your baseboards as we’ve outlined above, dry them off and then rub them down with a dryer sheet. 

Your dryer sheets contain powerful anti-static properties that repel dust and dirt, which means you won’t need to clean your baseboards as often.

How to clean baseboards if you have a bad back

If you’re reading about how to clean baseboards, but your knees and back are complaining just thinking about it, there are a few handy adjustments you can make to the above cleaning methods so you don’t need to bend over or get down on your hands and knees.

• Vacuum your baseboards with a suitable long-handled vacuum cleaner attachment
• Squirt cleaning solution down onto your baseboards with a spray bottle
• Use a Swiffer cleaner with a long handle and a dryer sheet or cleaning wipe attached to it
• Use a mop dipped into your chosen cleaning solution
• Use a steamer with a wand attachment to make short work of the dirt and dust on your baseboards
• Use a broom and a clean towel to dry off your baseboards after cleaning them

How often should you clean baseboards?

This is mostly dependent on your home and lifestyle. If you have a house with lots of guests, kids, or pets, it’s best to keep up a weekly cleaning schedule. 

Not a fan of cleaning much at all? Aim to wipe down your baseboards at least once every month. If you notice that they’re dirty during their monthly clean, give them a quick dust or mop every couple of weeks instead.

If you need a hand with cleaning your baseboards, or anything else around your home, the Homeaglow team is always available to help out when you need us. Find and book your perfect cleaner online today.