Introduction
Cleaning baseboards is one of those household chores that often gets overlooked. As a lazy person myself, I used to avoid cleaning baseboards at all costs. However, taking the time to properly clean baseboards can really make a difference in the overall cleanliness and aesthetic of your home. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share all my tips and tricks for cleaning baseboards the lazy way. Whether you want to spend as little time and effort as possible or just need some motivation to finally tackle this chore, this guide has got you covered!
How Often Should You Clean Baseboards?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to clean baseboards, let’s discuss how often you actually need to do it. Here are some general guidelines:
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High Traffic Areas: Clean every 1-2 months. Areas like hallways and entryways tend to collect more dust and dirt.
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Medium Traffic Areas: Clean every 3-4 months. This includes places like living rooms, bedrooms, and offices.
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Low Traffic Areas: Clean every 6 months or as needed. Baseboards in rooms like guest bedrooms or storage spaces can be cleaned less frequently.
Adjust as needed based on how quickly dirt and dust accumulates in your home. Things like pets, kids, and proximity to outdoors impact frequency.
Supplies You’ll Need
The good news is you likely already have most, if not all, of the supplies needed:
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Vacuum – This is key for a quick baseboard freshen up between deep cleaning. Any vacuum will do.
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Microfiber Cloths – I prefer dry microfiber cloths for dusting baseboards. They grab onto dust efficiently.
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All-Purpose Cleaner – Look for something mild. My favorite is Method All-Purpose Natural Surface Cleaner.
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Old Toothbrush or Rag – For scrubbing crevices and corners. An old toothbrush works great.
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Water – To dampen microfiber cloth when necessary.
That’s it! No need to buy anything special.
Tips for Quick and Easy Cleaning
Here are my go-to tricks for getting baseboards clean with minimal effort:
Clean from Top to Bottom
This prevents dust and dirt from the baseboards falling onto the floors you just cleaned. Gravity works in your favor.
Use Attachments on Your Vacuum
The brush and crevice tools are perfect for getting into nooks and crannies.
Don’t Move Furniture
Cleaning around furniture takes extra time. Just clean the exposed areas.
Spot Clean Tough Stains
Squirt all-purpose cleaner onto stains and scrub with an old toothbrush. No need to scrub everything.
Go Slow
Take your time and be thorough instead of rushing. It’ll ensure baseboards get fully cleaned.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these steps for sparkling clean baseboards:
1. Vacuum Baseboards and Nearby Areas
Use the brush and crevice tools to vacuum up any loose dirt, dust, pet hair, and debris on the baseboards and the surrounding few feet of floor.
2. Dry Dust Baseboards
Dip a microfiber cloth in water, wring it out so it’s just damp, and run it along the length of the baseboards. The dampness will pick up dust.
3. Spot Clean Any Dirty Areas
Spray all-purpose cleaner onto seriously dirty spots like mud or grime. Let it sit for a minute to penetrate grease. Scrub with an old toothbrush.
4. Dry/Buff Baseboards
Take a clean, dry microfiber cloth and go back over the baseboards to pick up any dampness and buff them to shine. Make sure they are completely dry.
And that’s it! With these simple steps, you can get baseboards looking fresh and clean in no time.
Extra Tips for Truly Lazy People
If even that seems like too much, here are some extra shortcuts:
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Only vacuum and dry dust. Skip wet cleaning entirely.
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Only clean visible areas and ignore the floor-baseboard edge.
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Spot clean stubborn dirt but leave the rest.
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Only tackle high traffic areas and ignore low traffic spaces.
Do whatever you can manage! Something is better than nothing.
Conclusion
There you have it – everything the lazy person needs to know about cleaning baseboards effectively yet efficiently. With the right mindset and techniques, you can get this chore done in the most painless way possible. Just take it slow and steady. Put on some good music or a podcast, and you’ll be done before you know it. Then you can relax and enjoy your clean baseboards without exhaustion. Don’t let the baseboards beat you!
