Skirting boards are often a forgotten part of household cleaning, easily overlooked in the daily sweep. They’re where dust and damage hide in plain sight.

But if you neglect your skirting boards, you’re courting more than just unsightly dust bunnies – dirt, pet hair, scuffs, and cobwebs love to loiter there too. Acting as unintentional shields, skirting boards take on the brunt of muck from floors and floating debris from walls and air above.

To combat this grubby area and bid goodbye to the dust for an extraordinary stretch, Mrs Hinch fans have spilled their secret weapons after Stef Thomas reached out with her plea: “Sticky dust above the skirting board, how to get rid please?” The question made its way to the heart of the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tips Facebook page.

While some whispered of dryer sheets’ magic, the top tip turned out to be something we all have in our laundry cupboards – fabric softener.

This hack not only halts dust dead but also leaves homes smelling fresh. Gemma Rees, said: “Fabric softener, stops the dust settling again really quick and makes the house smell nice at the same time.”

Tina Archer proposed her mix-and-mingle solution, they said: “Fabric softener in bowl of hot water and wash them down.”

Meanwhile, Rhona Marshall added: “My friend told me to wipe down skirting with fabric conditioner, but nothing sticks. I tried it, and it definitely works. Nothing works better to keep the dust away for months like this.

“I just wet a cloth with warm water and put it on straight from the conditioner bottle and just kept rinsing the cloth. My kitchen smelled lush after as well.”

This trick works because fabric softener can help break down dirt and dust, and it leaves a subtle yet fresh scent behind. Plus, the product leaves behind an invisible wax coating that stops dust particles from clinging to and accumulating on the boards.

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