Save me from getting on my hands and knees!

July 15, 2010 5:49 AM

Is there an easy way to clean baseboards with a small ridge?

Not the baseboards technically, but my kitchen has a black baseboard and then above it has a ridge where the wall starts. Then on top of that there is some kind of wiring that was painted over that creates a ridge as well. The wiring ridge is only in the kitchen but the wall ridge is in all my rooms. As all my rooms are painted white, you can imagine how nice the dirt accumulation looks. A blurry photo here.

Is there an easy way to clean this? Using soap and water just kind of washes the dirt/dust all around. It's not sticky, exactly, but it won't blow off easily either. I'm not averse to buying a cleaning product specifically for this. I'm also not averse to using a chemical cleaning product.

I'm in the middle of a massive apartment cleaning and reorganization, so expect lots of future cleaning questions, MeFites! Thanks!

posted by unannihilated to Home & Garden (19 answers total)

i would use Magic Eraser. But then, i use magic eraser for everything
posted by lblair at 6:05 AM on July 15, 2010

I use standard squirty kitchen cleaner product and a damp rag.
posted by emilyw at 6:11 AM on July 15, 2010

We tend to just use a vacuum cleaner along the tops of our skirting boards, possibly helping free stubborn bits up with a brush attachment. Is the dirt loose enough that that would work?
posted by lucidium at 6:15 AM on July 15, 2010

I use a damp sponge and Murphy's Oil Soap and a little elbow grease.
posted by desuetude at 6:28 AM on July 15, 2010

If it's not really stuck on there, brush loose with a stiff-bristled brush and wipe clean with a terrycloth rag. If it's more greasy / filmy than dusty then spritz generously with Fantastik or 409 (ammonia-based cleaners), brush loose and wipe clean.
posted by jon1270 at 6:29 AM on July 15, 2010

We just discovered that Simple Green removes that sticky kitchen gunk that accumulates on everything. The bf used it full strength, but you're supposed to dilute it first.
posted by cabingirl at 6:49 AM on July 15, 2010

I just sweep the baseboards while I sweep the floor.
posted by artychoke at 7:00 AM on July 15, 2010

It's probably a little greasy/filmy, like jon1270 suggested. In that case, just keep going at it with soapy water (Dawn works well) or a standard kitchen spray cleaner. It will eventually come up. And once it does, a once-a-week (or more, depending on your desire to clean) wipe-down should take care of it in the future.
posted by cooker girl at 7:02 AM on July 15, 2010

You can use sticky tack cloths to pull up dust. The cloths are great for loose dust/dirt, and can grab some more stubborn dirt as well. However, they might not work on the greasy dirt that kitchens sometimes get. They can be bought at hardware stores or anywhere you buying painting supplies (they're great for pulling up dust from sanding spackling, etc.)
posted by runningwithscissors at 7:05 AM on July 15, 2010

I was also going to say Magic Eraser. The consistency of the spongelike stuff is very good at molding itself around odd shapes with a little bit of pressure, and it cleans like a dream. It freaks me out a little because I don't know what it *is*, but it does work very well for this kind of odd job.
posted by Miko at 7:29 AM on July 15, 2010

Murphy's oil soap if the paint is glossy (not flat) and a terry cloth rag. As a kid this was always my chore, but I kinda liked it as everything magically came off. Hands and knees will be required, which was probably why it was always a kid's chore. Nice orangy-scent though.

Once you bust through the accumulated gunk, a bi-weekly/monthly vacuuming of baseboards will keep it much cleaner.

If you're going to be moping the whole floor, feel free to use that mop solution (pinesol or fabuloso) on the walls/baseboards. A sponge mop with a brush head on the reverse will work well for this. Hot water makes a huge difference.
posted by fontophilic at 7:36 AM on July 15, 2010

Vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment works for me.
posted by donajo at 7:53 AM on July 15, 2010

Tooth brush, wet or dry depending on the stickiness of the dust. You have to be on your hands and knees, but it works very well and is quick.
posted by narcissus_and_ambrosia at 8:05 AM on July 15, 2010

Microfiber towels work well for this; they somehow attract dirt and the physical characteristics of the cloth work well for getting in all but the smallest nooks and crannies.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 8:05 AM on July 15, 2010

I've tried most of the suggestions above in my own house and my baseboards still never get clean enough for my satisfaction. I've resigned myself to re-painting them once or twice a year. I enjoy painting a heck of a lot more than scrubbing. (You still should give the area a half-assed cleaning though first, just to remove the top layer of gunk.)
posted by LuckySeven~ at 8:32 AM on July 15, 2010

Nthing Magic Eraser or the store brand equivalent. Hint: cut it into smaller pieces, then dampen a piece and rub the area to clean until you're left with a tiny, filthy morsel and clean baseboards. Throw it away. Repeat. You get full use of the pad and don't get a manky mess left over to store in your cleaning cabinet.

(Magic Eraser also works brilliantly on shower doors/sliding bathtub doors. I find that squeegeeing off the droplets after every shower minimizes the residue, then attacking the glass with the eraser periodically really gets it clean without corrosive, smelly and expensive chemicals.)
posted by maudlin at 8:59 AM on July 15, 2010

I'd start with a Swiffer cloth to get as much loose gunk as possible, then some kind of liquid cleaner with a rag. If it's still stuck on, then sick Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on it.
posted by radioamy at 9:59 AM on July 15, 2010

I'd start with a Swiffer cloth to get as much loose gunk as possible, then some kind of liquid cleaner with a rag. If it's still stuck on, then sick Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on it.

Yeah but . . . why do all that when you could just start with Magic Eraser? :-) Then you'd be done in 30 seconds without any stinky chemicals.
posted by lblair at 10:40 AM on July 15, 2010

We have baseboards like this and the same issues. Plus a slobby dog. First, vacuum, using the brush attachment. Then, a good wash - using two pans of water, one soapy and one not, and lots of sponges or rags. Wiping in one direction with one cloth and the soapy water, then again with another clean cloth and the fresh water. From that point, a bristle brush such as comes with a dust pan is great for a quick dusting during your normal cleaning, and gets in the grooves and also around wires (and in our case, the quarter-round further down).
posted by peagood at 9:21 PM on July 15, 2010