Wiping down skirting boards can be one of the most tedious household chores, as they attract dust no matter how often you wipe them down or vacuum. However, dusty skirting boards can be very noticeable and need to be cleaned as they can make a home look really dirty even if the rest of the room is spotless.
Luckily, the experts at Intrim Mouldings have shared a very easy way to keep skirting boards clean for weeks: all you need are some dryer sheets. They said: “Once you have cleaned your skirting boards, run a dryer sheet along your boards. This will help repel dust, so you don’t have to dust them as frequently, while also making your rooms smell like fresh linen! A similar thing can be done with fabric softener sheets as well.”
How do dryer sheets keep dust away?
Skirting boards often become very dusty in summer because we constantly have our windows open, and dust particles will travel downwards to settle on the nearest surface.
Dry weather can also cause static electricity to build up in materials like plastic and wood, which are commonly used for skirting boards.
Not only will dust cling to skirting boards, but pet hair, cobwebs and any other debris will stick to the surface and make a room look grimy even if you are dusting regularly.
What makes dryer sheets so useful is that they are designed to remove all static electricity from clothes, preventing them from sticking to each other in a tumble dryer.
If you wipe down skirting boards with a dryer sheet, then it will get rid of any static buildup and also leave behind a light coating of fabric softener, which will repel dust.
This will keep skirting boards cleaner for a lot longer and also leave behind a subtle fresh scent that will keep your home smelling lovely and dust-free for the rest of summer.
How to use dryer sheets to clean skirting boards
To begin with, clean your skirting boards like you normally would to remove grime. Use disinfectant wipes or a bucket of soapy water and a cloth to wipe them down.
Then, give the room a vacuum to suck up any excess dust that is on the floor or floating around the room.
Now, take a fresh dryer sheet and gently wipe along the surface of a skirting board. Focus on the top edge, as this part tends to be dustiest. Also, get into areas often overlooked, like corners and edges.
Once you are done, your skirting should remain clean for up to a month, but how long it remains dust-free will depend on how often you have the windows open.