Cleaning Tips - How To Look After Your Skirting Boards!

Not of much importance in the scheme of things in the home or in terms of interior decor you might think.

However, skirting boards are not that irrelevant 

Skirting boards add some sort of beauty to the home furniture wise,they are low maintenance,but still need some sort of care as with any gear in the home.

The main function of a skirting board is to protect walls from damage. 

Walls are particularly susceptible to knocks and scuffs as well as wear and tear around the base as people in the home go about their daily lives. 

Skirting boards act as a barrier that shields the base of the walls, minimizing the effects of wear and tear and pressure of everyday use.

So if the skirting boards protect the walls,how do you care and look after your skirting boards? 

What’s the best way to keep them good for as long as possible?

Whether your skirting boards are in need of a bit of TLC, or it’s been a while since you last gave them any love, here are a few ways to keep them looking their best!

Don’t Forget To Dust!

Skirting boards can easily overlooked when it comes to cleaning around the house,yet even with their small surface area,they can very quickly become the worst place for dust to settle.

Skirting boards can be a nightmare to clean,due to its location around the home.

However,giving your skirting boards a good dust down,plus proper cleaning helps prolong its viability.

Cleaning can easily be done by using an attachment on your vacuum cleaner. 

It means less bending over,kneeling about and can be a lot more effective than using a dust cloth only..

Say you don’t have a vacuum cleaner with a suitable attachment, or your skirting boards have intricate detailing on them, you can always spray a little dust spray on to a dust cloth, or microfibre rag.

Simply wipe the skirting boards down, remembering to shake out your rag and reapply the spray every now and then.

If your cloth can’t get into those smaller areas, try using a cotton bud to get into those hard to reach areas.

Use Soapy Water

Once you’ve taken off the top layer of dust, you can now take your cleaning up a notch with soapy water.

You will need some warm, soapy water and a cloth,making sure the cloth is damp with soapy water,and not wet.

Most skirting boards will be water resistant, not water-proof so there is the need to be careful with how much moisture it will retain.

 It’s important to squeeze as much moisture out of your cleaning cloth before applying it to the skirting boards to avoid damaging them, or making the wood warp.

Cleaning Solutions

Strong chemicals such as bleach are not recommended on your skirting boards as it may end up damaging them.

Instead, a small amount of washing-up liquid, hand soap, or even some fabric conditioner could be ideal.

Bleach could be used sparingly if you are looking to get rid of nasty stains on your skirting. 

Simply make sure it’s watered down abit before applying and ensuring the solution spends less time as possible on the boards 

If by any chance all cleaning hacks,tips and tricks prove unhelpful to clean and maintain your skirting boards,then it might just be time for them to be replaced.