This TikTok Cleaning Hack Is The Easiest Way To Clean Walls And Baseboards
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Any hack that can help you clean your home faster and more efficiently is a win, which is why TikTok has become a favorite among homeowners. The platform has a variety of videos that offer clever tricks to tidy your abode. While some might seem a little out there (think combining all of your detergents into one tub), others are actually convenient. If you've been looking for a way to clean your walls and baseboards that doesn't require extreme elbow grease and crawling on hands and knees, this hack might be just what you need.
Some of TikTok's cleaning suggestions might seem obvious, but many people don't think of using certain products in areas they weren't designated for. An example is the salad dressing hack, which suggests using vinegar to cut through dirt, grease, and bacteria without harsh chemicals. Creativity isn't restricted to hobbies — you can find new ways to clean your house while taking some stress out of a job. According to the New York Post, the average person will spend almost 24 hours a month tidying their dwelling, so any time saved is time gained for other endeavors.
Grab a mop
Heather Rhodes, a TikTok user, discovered a way to clean those pesky baseboards while also getting walls in shipshape. By swapping out microfiber cloths or standard sponges for a mop, Rhodes realized that wiping down these surfaces became a breeze. The content media creator says that this hack can be used on doors, walls, and baseboards but saves her mop and bucket specifically for these spots. If you have a mop you already use for your floors, purchase a new one — and a fresh bucket — to avoid moving bacteria and dirt from the ground to these surfaces.
Rhodes uses the O'Cedar Spin Mop, which helps to grab dirt and grime without the longer strings of traditional mops dragging excess water over the walls. The O'Cedar features short microfiber strings that grab dust and other detritus, while the built-in wringer ensures you aren't creating more mess as you move from the bucket to vertical surfaces. Once you've used the mop head on your baseboards, doors, cabinets, and even your blinds, as Rhodes does in the video, you can remove it from the stick and machine wash it.
Why it works
This trendy trick wouldn't be as effective without the unique cleaning mixture Heather Rhodes uses, which combines ½ tablespoon of fabric softener, ½ tablespoon of powdered detergent (Rhodes recommends Tide), and hot water. This concoction can be made up inside the mop bucket, then carried around as you move from surface to surface. Using more than ½ a cup of each addition can be detrimental, causing too much soap build-up or residue after the mopping is complete.
Not only does the detergent work to remove dirt, scuffs, and other detritus, but the fabric softener acts as a fragrant coating that keeps walls smelling fresh. The ingredients in the latter are also useful for keeping dust from coming back as quickly, according to Rhodes in her video. The Daily Mail had an influx of responses from people who had tried using fabric softener on their walls, and the positive results they incurred, too.