Our best advice: Get the family involved to make this task go faster. So how often should you tackle this task? It really depends on your needs. Homes with lots of fur and hair should consider giving the baseboards a swipe once a week, but if you live solo and keep everything else pretty clean you might be able to get away with doing it once or twice a month.

1. The Magic Eraser Method

Grab a stack of Magic Erasers (or whichever brand you prefer), a bucket of warm, soapy water (or vinegar and water) and simply swipe. Wring the sponge out well before you wipe so you don’t leave too-damp boards to dry. If you don’t have painted baseboards, substitute wood cleaner.

2. The Cleaning Wipes Method

Grab a box of cleaning wipes, and, well, wipe. This is particularly good if you have a small home or not a lot of time. The downside is, any method that uses disposable products is more wasteful than employing reusables.

3. The Dryer Sheet Method

Grab a box of Fabric softener sheets plus a Swiffer and take a swipe of your baseboards. The dryer sheets help coat your baseboards with some dust repelling properties.

4. The Broom Method

If you actually don’t have too terribly grimy baseboards, you might just need a dusting. Make it easier on yourself by using the right tools for the job. Use a mini handheld broom, or, if you don’t have one of those, a clean paint brush (those for edging would work great). If you sweep your baseboards this way, you might want to do it before you vacuum your floors to pick up any hair and dust that gets swept off. And if you’ve got a small enough sweeper attachment with bristles for your vacuum, use that to de-dust your boards.

5. The Sock Method

Step 1: Grab an old sock. Step 2: Place a disposable toilet wand into sock. Step 3: Spray sock with your cleaning liquid of choice (gentle soap, vinegar and water or wood cleaner), and swipe. You’ll probably look a little crazy doing it, but darn if it don’t sound easy (and dare we say fun?) to do.

6. The Most Thorough Method

We spotted this super thorough baseboard cleaning tutorial on Imperfect Homemaking (and even then it’s still easy to do). If you haven’t cleaned your baseboards in awhile (or ever) you might want to start here, and graduate to some of the easier maintaining methods above in the future. Simply dry brush the dust off, follow up with a warm washcloth (or sponge, or sock) and soap, and then grab some cotton swabs to use in those hard-to-clean corners.

By Cody Calamaio

Return to Sender

This faux Roman shade, which was inspired by a mailing envelope, is made from a canvas drop cloth. The graphics were printed onto T-shirt transfer paper, ironed onto the drop cloth, and then distressed to create the vintage appearance. Because the designer didn’t need the shade to move up and down, the canvas was folded into pleats that were stitched in place.

Return to Sender

A scrap piece of barn siding served as inspiration for this window treatment, which juxtaposes the roughness of wood with the airy quality of linen. After attaching vintage hooks to the wood, the designer cut slits in some spare sheets so they could hang from the hooks. Bows made from strips of fabric that were tied onto the hooks add a whimsical finishing detail.

Let the Sun Shine In

Not all window treatments need to be able to cover the entire window. For a place like the kitchen, where privacy isn’t a primary concern, a simple piece of wood can serve as a shade to block the rays of the setting sun while still letting in a lot of light. Add your own design or stencil a favorite quote onto the wood to complete the look.

Connect the Dots

If you are looking for drapes with graphic impact but can’t find the perfect pattern or color combination, consider painting them yourself. These confetti-inspired curtains were made by using the bottom of a cup dipped in paint to create the large-scale polka dots.

Out of the Box

Window cornices are a great introduction to basic woodworking. To make one, all you need to do is screw together three pieces of plywood to form three sides of a box. Then use a staple gun to secure upholstery fabric to the form. For a more advanced version, you can cut a decorative detail into the front of the cornice using a jigsaw.

Bulk Solution

Large decorative curtain panels can be really expensive, especially if you need enough fabric to cover multiple windows in a room. These classic striped curtain panels were made from 96-inch-long pieces of plain white fabric with large brown stripes painted on to amp up the style. Be sure to measure to ensure that the stripes are properly spaced, and use painter’s tape for clean edges.

“Ruffed” Up

Ruffles are a great way to add texture and volume to drapery. To keep the look from seeming too froofy, create a more rustic appearance by making the drapes out of rough burlap. Cut strips that are six inches wide and three times longer than the length of the curtains. Fold the strips into pleats, sew the center of the pleated length to the curtain, and then fluff up the ruffles.

Tension Relief

A lot of DIY projects can be stressful, but not this breezy DIY Roman shade. Four tension rods and a fabric panel are all it takes to make this dynamic window treatment, which can be adjusted or removed without causing any damage to the window. To create the three-tiered, pleated look, the fabric was simply looped over the middle tension rods.

Creative Curtain Rods

An easy way to update your window decor is to update your curtain rods with a surprising material. This design uses a tree branch that is just slightly longer than the window. The branch has been painted white to blend in with the brackets and window frame. Tie-top curtains work great with this unusual rod.

All Aflutter

This project is a knock-off version of a luxurious store-bought curtain. To achieve this romantic, ethereal look, you’ll need to be handy with a needle and thread, and have lots of patience. The fluttery effect is created by hundreds of small, circular pieces of white and off-white fabric that have been folded in half, then in half again, and then sewn onto curtain panels in long strips to look like flower petals.

Screened In

If soft curtains are not your thing, consider choosing a weightier window treatment. These large trifold faux gate screens make the perfect statement in this living room. They were constructed out of lengths of wood panel wainscoting that was shaped into an arc at the top with a jigsaw. Gate hardware complements the look and adds style.