Dial-a-Maid
The trim throughout your house, also known as molding, is decorative as well as practical, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service servicing Wilmette, Il. It hides gaps where floors, walls, and ceilings meet and protects walls from scuffs and wear and tear. It must be dusted, wiped, and touched up regularly to keep it looking good, says Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. Once a month, wipe the trim around doors, where it's most likely to become soiled from fingerprints, with a cloth dampened with warm water and an all-purpose cleaner.
Twice a year, wipe molding throughout the house, including crown moldings and window moldings, with a cloth dampened with warm water and an all-purpose cleaner or mild dishwashing liquid.
Vacuum baseboards once a month using the dust-brush attachment. Rather then doing the whole house at once, you may want to do a different room every week during your regular vacuuming routine. Depending on how big your house, this should be enough.
Twice a year, after vacuuming well, wipe baseboards with a cloth dampened with warm water and an all purpose cleaner or mild dishwashing liquid. Because baseboards are usually painted with glossy paint or sealed with a protective finish, they can be gently scrubbed. Use a light-duty nylon pad to remove scuff marks. Baseboards in the kitchen and bath, which are subject to moisture and spills, may need to be wiped monthly to keep them looking their best.
Keeping all your moldings, crown and baseboards, clean and dust free, will alleviate the need to paint needlessly, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service servicing the North Shore of Chicago.
