The Best Way To Deep Clean Your Stained Wood Baseboards

The baseboards in your home do more than add visual interest to your room. They have a number of advantages, like protecting your walls from scratches and scuffs, or keeping moisture that can cause serious damage from seeping under floorboards and behind drywall. However, they are also an area of the home that can be easily neglected, and sometimes even taken for granted. While they quickly accumulate dust, dirt, and stains over time — especially in high-traffic areas of your house — they can often feel less important than the other items on that deep cleaning checklist you use when you're tackling a messy home. Making sure to give your baseboards extra TLC will help preserve their beauty and maintain their functionality.

While there is some overlap in the process of cleaning both painted and wooden baseboards, wooden baseboards require the use of products specifically formulated for them. But before you begin the deep cleaning process, you should prep your baseboards by giving them a good dusting, especially if you're aware of the hidden hazards of built-up dust in your home. You can start by using the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove larger crumbs and dirt particles, then run a dry microfiber cloth across the surface. A microfiber cloth is the best tool for the job since the fine fibers will actually grab and trap dust rather than just pushing it around. Once you have ensured you have a clean surface, you can move on to deep cleaning and removing any stains.

To begin, find a wood cleaning oil that will be safe for your exposed baseboards. Then apply it to a microfiber cloth and gently rub the oil along the surface to remove any remaining dirt, enhance the finish, and restore shine to the wood. Once the baseboards are fully covered, you can take your cleaning a step further. Fill a small bucket with warm water and mild dish soap, making sure to avoid any harsh chemicals that can strip the wood's natural oils. Dip your microfiber cloth in the water and wring it out until it is damp, not soaking wet. Since water and wood don't mix, make sure your baseboard doesn't absorb any excess moisture that can lead to warping or damage.

Work in small sections of your baseboards with the cloth until you're satisfied. If you have stubborn, stuck-on grime, you can get into corners and crevices with a small cleaning brush or an old tooth brush, especially if you have more intricate molding in your home. Once you're done, immediately take another clean, dry microfiber cloth and go over the wood again to ensure that you've removed any remaining water. Of all the mistakes you can make when cleaning your baseboards, one of the most annoying is causing more staining or some other type of damage from moisture left behind after cleaning. When this last step is finished, the wood will look polished and restored. Then repeat the deep cleaning process once every month or two, depending on your lifestyle.