Home Remedy to Clean Dust on the Carpet Under a Baseboard

Regular Vacuum Cleaning

• According to "Simplify Your Household" author Tara Aronson, a quick once-over with a vacuum cleaner doesn't do much to clean carpet. To really clean carpeting, spend 20 seconds vacuuming each section of the rug. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends vacuuming high-traffic areas every day and medium-traffic areas twice each week. Replace a vacuum cleaner's bag or empty its canister when it is half full to ensure maximum vacuum efficiency. Vacuum cleaners lose suction power as the bag or canister fills.

Attachments

• Once each week, break out the vacuum cleaner attachments and use them to clean the edges of carpets, including along baseboards. Even though people don't walk on those areas regularly, dust accumulates on them and if not removed eventually leaves a dark border around the edges of baseboards. Also use the attachments to clean along the edges of stairs, under doorways and any other spaces that your vacuum cleaner misses during regular vacuuming.

Dust Buildup

• If dust accumulates along and/or under baseboards, then the carpet requires some special attention. Running the vacuum cleaner along the baseboards using the crevice tool attachment is the first part of the process. Going over each section multiple times removes as much dust as possible from the carpet. Cleaning the baseboards with a solution of 1 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of water removes more of the dust. Repeat the procedure as needed.

  Rubbing a solution of 2 tbsp. of salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of white vinegar works well on stains the dust caused.. Allow the solution to dry, and then vacuum clean the area.

Filtration Soil

• If vacuuming and cleaning with a vinegar solution does not remove dust on the carpet under baseboards, then the problem may be filtration soil. As air travels over carpet, it deposits fine particles on carpet fibers. Filtration soil stains can occur on any type and quality of carpeting. It can develop quickly or build up over several years. Home cleaning measures are unlikely to remedy filtration soil; consult a professional for assistance.