Cleaning Skirting Boards with Vinegar and Water – For those who prefer to opt for a natural and chemical free approach, white vinegar does the trick. Simply add a few capfuls of white vinegar to warm water, mix it thoroughly, then use a cloth or sponge to polish your skirting boards.
It is likely that the woodwork has been finished using an oil-based paint. The solvent based alkyd binder (synthetic polyester resins), drying additives and the natural oil in the paint reacts with oxygen in the air as it dries and hardens and may turn yellow as the coat ages.
Bleach and Sprays
For regular cleans, we wouldn't recommend using such strong detergents, but they are great if you need to remove tougher stains that just won't budge with the use of warm soapy water.
Simply add a few capfuls of white vinegar to warm water, mix it thoroughly, then use a cloth or sponge to polish your skirting boards.
Fill a bucket with warm water and add fabric softener as 'soap'. Dunk a cloth or sponge into it, wring so it's slightly damp rather than wet, then use to wipe away dirt, grime and scuff marks until the skirting is clean and shiny. It'll smell fresh, too.
We don't recommend painting your skirting boards without sanding them first. Sanding gives the paint a better surface to stick to and means applying fewer coats. Lightly sand the surface of the skirting board and wipe down the dust. Leave it to completely dry.
Why should you replace skirting board? Simply put, replacing the skirting board means less mess! Unlike sanding out the marks or paint, you can have fresh new skirting board without having to deal with the need to do a mass tidy following it.
If you're stripping down years of paint, a lower grit number (40 - 60 grit) will work best at first. If you're just making the surface smooth, a higher grit number (80 - 120 grit) will give the best results. For the best finish, it is recommended to use a lower number grit sandpaper and work up to a higher grit.
Simply pour a quarter cup of baking soda into 1/4 cup of water to form paste. After the paste has been pasted, dip a damp sponge, soft toothbrush, or nylon-bristled scrub brush in it. Use the dry brush to gently scrub the yellow areas. Once finished cleaning, mix in baking soda with 5 minutes of salt.
Why Is Yellow Coming Through White Paint? Moisture. It is possible for moisture from smoking in the home to enter the air and settle on paintwork, causing yellow stains upon arrival.
Yellowing is often a natural and common side-effect of the drying process and the aging of oil paint. Aging is a common cause of white painted cabinets turning yellow and white paint turning yellow on wood.
A diluted solution of mild dish soap and water is suitable for cleaning most surfaces, including your painted white doors. Some people swear by cleaning paintwork with vinegar, but vinegar can be too acidic.
Skirting boards can get very dusty; they need to be wiped down monthly or more often if your family is sensitive to dust particles.
Skirting board and architrave can be reused if it is in good condition and doesn't get damaged when it is removed from the walls.
As you can see, skirting boards are now flexible and can be changed in any way you see fit. Times have changed and now the opportunity to make your house a home can finally come true.
If you don't have a hacksaw blade, a hammer and bolster chisel can also be used. This step is to avoid damage to the skirting board in the event that you might want to reuse it. You can now lift away the skirting board.
Painting Skirting Boards With Emulsion
Most of the time, you'll be told that eggshell, satin or gloss paint will be the best paint for skirting boards. However, emulsion is another option. Surprisingly, you can get a hardwearing and attractive finish using emulsion paint even though it's normally the cheaper option.
Unless you're wallpapering a wall, it's best to paint the skirting last to reduce the risk of your brush picking up dust or carpet fibres. For wood and metal surfaces, use Dulux Light+Space Quick Dry Satinwood, which features light-reflective particles to make your room feel spacious and bright.
Before painting, you will need to prepare your skirting boards. A bare wood skirting board needs to be treated with a knotting solution and wood primer first. If they're already painted or varnished though, you will need to thoroughly clean and abrade the surface using wet and dry paper with a mild detergent.
Some of the oil based paints do yellow quickly, try an Acrylic paint. In some cases this can happen. If you had used water-based paint and the skirtings were stained with smoke, water or just hasn't been painted for very long time.
Dip a soft cloth into the bleach and water. Gently clean the wood with the damp cloth. Bleach naturally kills the mold that causes yellowing on the painted wood. Clean the painted wood thoroughly.
Scrub the yellowed spots gently with a damp sponge, flat toothbrush or nylon-bristled scrub brush. Combine 1/2-cup baking soda with 1/4 cup water to make a paste. Use a damp sponge to paste it. 5 minutes are sufficient time for the baking soda to dissolve.