As a general rule, baseboards should be cleaned once a month. If you live in a home with high foot traffic, or there are pets who live inside, you will want to clean more frequently, either once a week or twice a month at the minimum.
Research by the American Cleaning Institute found that many Americans spend nearly 6 hours every week cleaning, while a third wonder if they are cleaning enough and correctly. Most homeowners clean the floor, vacuum, clean the bathroom, and dust furniture once a week.
Keep your newly clean baseboards dirt-free for as long as possible by rubbing them with a dryer sheet. Yes, a dryer sheet. This prevents the static that attracts dust.
Definitely! Washing baseboards can be a key part of a deep clean, especially in areas where dust and grime tend to accumulate. It might seem minor, but it really helps in achieving a thorough clean.
In normal conditions, established homes can usually go about five years without needing to re-caulk. When we say normal conditions, it means the same conditions a home withstands year after year.
As a good rule of thumb, you could aim to tackle them once a month. For a deeper clean, every three to six months is usually enough, but if you have kids or pets, you might need to give them some attention more often.
Before many repairs and installations, you must remove old caulk. A clean surface is essential in keeping those cracks and crevices free of moisture and unsightly buildup. Here's how to remove caulk and get rid of ugly residue for a fresh start and surfaces that look dazzlingly new.
A brilliant white baseboard looks modern, clean, and sharp—unless it's dirty. Here's how to clean baseboards that are ultra-white to bring back the shine: Mix warm water, dish soap, and white vinegar in a bucket. Dip a soft cloth in the cleaning solution and wipe away dust and surface dirt.
Here's a look into the causes and some things you can do to prevent this from happening in your home. The dirty streaks that can appear above your baseboards are mostly created by dirt, dust, or carbon soot from a number of sources like fireplaces, cigarette smoke, pets, cooking byproducts, etc.
Bring that Swiffer out of retirement and use it every week on your baseboards. Purchase a Swiffer with the longer attachments, and you'll save time and effort with your weekly cleanings.
Turn on your HVAC systems fan.
The fan gets the air in your house moving, until eventually it makes its way to the intake where your air filter can trap and store dust. (You don't actually get to call this “dusting”—it's more of an assist.) Don't forget to change your air filter often if you make this a habit.
'Dryer sheets repel dust, too'
What's even better about using dryer sheets to clean baseboards is that they'll stop the dust building up again. 'Dryer sheets are designed to reduce static on clothes, and it makes the baseboard repel dust, too,' my mom explained.
Name Your Task
One of the main rules of this method is that you don't have to complete your task within twenty minutes. You can simply see your ten minute break as a pause to rest and reset. But I also know how my brain works, and I tend to struggle with leaving things unfinished once I've started.
The Good Housekeeping Institute says that your sheets should be changed at least once every two weeks. However, if you suffer with night sweats or allergies such as asthma, it's worth washing them weekly to get rid of any grime or potential irritants and keep your sleeping space fresh and clean.
A messy house is really just a house that is a bit too cluttered, which might be as simple as a collection of washing that's been left out. You might catch yourself staring at toys and papers sprawled across your living room, exhausted at what seems like never-ending mess.
Quality wood baseboards can last decades when properly maintained.
Can trim carpentry improve resale value? Strictly speaking, any design sophistication improves any home's resale value, though estimating the exact price increase is impossible. Trim makes an average house look stylish and elegant. It's suitable for homes of all styles, from country to contemporary.
Dish soap is highly recommended due to its grease-cutting and gentle properties, making it effective for removing dirt without damaging the paint or wood, says Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment or a dry microfiber cloth to remove dust from your baseboards.
High-traffic areas, like kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and entryways, require weekly mopping. Infrequently used rooms, such as formal living areas or guest rooms, can be mopped every other week, or even once a month, so long as they're vacuumed once every seven days to remove dust and grit.
Deep Cleaning Your Baseboards
Use a simple solution of ¼ cup Pinesol or other all-purpose cleaner, mixed in a bucket with a gallon of water. Now simply wipe the baseboard with a damp microfiber cloth. For extra grimier baseboards, such as those in your kitchen or living rooms, you may need some extra scrubbing power.
Interior caulking is recommended to be replaced every 2 years or as needed. A refresher of caulking is recommended on: Baseboards: For baseboards you will want to use Paint grade caulking. Dust and dirt build up may cause the caulking to be replaced sooner rather than later.
The overarching reason why new caulk should never be installed over old caulk is because it simply does not produce long-lasting results. The reasons why depend on what has happened to the previous caulk line. In the case of caulk that has gotten moldy, recaulking over this material will not stop the mold problem.
Caulking walls and doors after painting will help prevent water from seeping into the wall and damaging your paint job. When you caulk areas that will be wet, make sure you use a good sealant so water doesn't get into the seam between the trim and the wall.