I Just Discovered a Brilliant Technique for Keeping Baseboards Clean
I have no problem with reaching down to dust the baseboards in my home. My issue is remembering to reach down and dust those baseboards. While it doesn’t take more than a pass of a damp microfiber cloth to get them clean, I’ve got a lot of baseboards in my house, so I’m thankful it’s not a task that needs to be done every week. Or, at least it doesn’t now that I know to give them a couple of swipes with a dryer sheet — a trick Apartment Therapy taught me.
I know that many folks don’t like using dryer sheets in their laundry because of the chemicals and fragrances — or simply because they add to the landfill. But this clever hack will still work if you use unscented, nontoxic, and/or eco-friendly dryer sheets, so keep reading.
How to Use a Dryer Sheet to Keep Baseboards Dust-Free
For best results, follow these steps after dusting or vacuuming your baseboards.
Take a single unused dryer sheet from the box. If you use large dryer sheets, feel free to cut one in half.
Using the same motion you would to dust the baseboards, run the dryer sheet along the entire baseboard, paying special attention to any trim or grooves.
As much as I like the fresh scent that lingers after I finish running the sheet along the baseboards throughout my home, there’s a much bigger benefit: The light film left behind by the dryer sheet helps repel dust, just as it helps repel lint and dog hair when you toss one into the dryer.
Speaking of dog hair, I know this hack works because my baseboards no longer catch my black Labrador’s hair as he sheds. When I did notice some dust starting to build up on the baseboards, it was not nearly as much as it was before my using dryer sheets.
Clean People Fabric Softener Sheets
Amazon
$13.99
Honestly, it works so well that sometimes I’m tempted to run a dryer sheet along every surface of my house. But as effective as it is, I don’t want that film coating every object in my house (and neither do you). However, if you have pets, you’ll be relieved to know that my dog hasn’t noticed what I’ve done to the baseboards. Granted, he’s rather well-behaved, but I believe this bodes well for any pet parent concerned about their furbabies sniffing or licking up any chemicals. I have used fragrant Bounce sheets in the past; I would certainly consider spending more on nontoxic ones.
While this cleaning hack does require going over the boards twice, it’s an extra step I’m more than willing to take because it saves time in the future. Now I clean my baseboards about once a month or every six weeks. If only it were a one-and-done task, but alas, the dust-repelling film eventually wears off. In the meantime, I love that the dust and hair just fall to the floor — it’s so much easier to mop or vacuum up.
Further Reading
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
