Cleaning baseboards...advice please

[finn's mom]

Yup, I can't do much in the way of rearranging furniture or painting, so I'm making myself useful in other ways. Such as...cleaning baseboards! Any suggestions on the most effective way to clean baseboards would be very helpful! I don't want to break my back doing this. I may have to break the chore down into small sections, especially since I'll be doing all of it in a sitting or knealing position. Not that it's hard, yet, but it's definitely not as easy as it was two months ago!

[Moesha]

Do you have a vacuum with attachments and a long handle that you can use to walk around and suck up the dirt? Or what about one of those lambs wool or other fluffy kind of dusters, like you might use for ceiling fans, with a long handle that you could use to rub along them while you are upright? If you feel you need to wipe with a cloth, then my suggestion would be to sit on your bum and scoot along the wall while you have a rag and a bucket of warm water with your cleaner of choice in it.

[lvpets2002]

Hey you want to come to my house & do mine.. I clean mine with a vacuum attachement knozzle & or by hand with a rag..

[finn's mom]

Well, I vacuum them at least once a week for the most part, but I need to do some real cleaning. I figured I'd just have to get down there with a rag or sponge and just do it. I'll probably use vinegar or a lemon juice solution, depending on whichever is readily available when I'm ready to start. I wonder if scrubbing with lemons on the boards would work...I have heard that works well on soap scum, so maybe...

[Moesha]

I usually use a vinegar solution.

[finn's mom]

I usually use a vinegar solution.

I should buy stock in vinegar, I use it for everything!

[Medusa]

Do you have a vacuum with attachments and a long handle that you can use to walk around and suck up the dirt? Or what about one of those lambs wool or other fluffy kind of dusters, like you might use for ceiling fans, with a long handle that you could use to rub along them while you are upright? If you feel you need to wipe with a cloth, then my suggestion would be to sit on your bum and scoot along the wall while you have a rag and a bucket of warm water with your cleaner of choice in it.

Yep, Moesha and I both have cleaned houses and I agree w/what she said. Bending over would be exhausting and hard on your back but if you take this advice, the job should be that much easier.

[sabies]

I just happened to read an article today linked from msn.com. It said to use Borax:

Baseboards, countertops, and walls: Dissolve 1/2 cup borax in 1 gallon hot water and pour the solution into a spray bottle (which you can store for later use). Spritz generously, wipe down with a damp cloth, and let air-dry.

Here's the article:
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organ...547/page5.html

[Cataholic]

I would buy several Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. The job should be super easy that way.

[Karen]

I would buy several Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. The job should be super easy that way.

I would do that, and buy a cheap sturdy dowel which you can affix it to, so you can do it either standing, or seated in a chair that you can move along. That way you can still apply pressure, but don't have to bend to do so!

[finn's mom]

Yep, Moesha and I both have cleaned houses and I agree w/what she said. Bending over would be exhausting and hard on your back but if you take this advice, the job should be that much easier.

I absolutely would if vacuuming or dusting them would do the trick. Unfortunately, they're not dusty, they're dirty. I will do the boards in sections, though, so as to not hurt myself. Should be a fun job. ha

It said to use Borax:

I think I have some of that already, thank you!

I would buy several Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. The job should be super easy that way.

That's a great idea, too! And, Karen's idea would work really well in conjunction with the erasers! YAY!

[beeniesmom]

Are you nesting too already!!!
I cleaned my baseboards first by running the broom over them to collect the dust, then sitting on the floor with a damp rag and bucket of water and vinegar and scooting as I go by.
Don't do them all in one day. Do a room a day.

[finn's mom]

Are you nesting too already!!!

Not quite, haha. I usually do my own a few times a year, but we have been at my sister-in-law's since November and I've been meaning to do them since we moved in.

[mruffruff]

Definitely sit on the floor and scoot along. As you get a section clean, apply a coat of furniture wax to keep them clean longer.