I tried three skirting board cleaning tools to see which would *actually* leave them dust-free – and no, it wasn’t a regular duster
They didn't all get into the nooks and crannies
Most of us have skirting boards in our homes. While these decorative additions protect walls, cover gaps around flooring, prevent draughts, and generally finish a room, they’re a nightmare to clean. And when they have a curved, ridged or beaded profile, they’re a magnet for dust.
That’s why cleaning my skirting boards is one of the cleaning tasks I hate the most - especially in my higgledy-piggledy 1980s house, where each room has a different skirting board design. Try as I might with a regular duster, there are just too many nooks and crannies for the dust to get caught. It also seems to just fling the dust back into the room, making it impossible to get rid of the dust completely.
But in an effort to properly remove the dust from my skirting boards and streamline my cleaning schedule, I decided to go on the hunt for regular duster alternatives that would leave them dust-free once and for all - and I definitely found it. Two, in fact.
The test products
This cleaning sponge is simple to use. Simply dampen it before use and allow the ridged design to capture and remove dust from any surface. You can then wash the dust down the drain and rinse it clean before allowing it to dry and using it time and time again.
You can use a full-size vacuum in handheld mode or one of the best handheld vacuums to clean skirting boards, as long as it has a dusting tool that reaches right up to the wood without scratching or damaging it. I primarily use this auto-empty vacuum at home, so I used it for this test.
With a reusable handle and separate duster heads with thousands of fluffy fibres to trap and lock in dust, these dusters are a modern iteration of the traditional feather duster. You just need to fluff up the fibres before use to get the most out of them.
Testing the vacuum dusting tool
Although it’s my job to test the best cleaning products and tools, I try to keep my own cleaning caddy as streamlined as possible. After all, it's easy to get sucked in by new, exciting products when you already have something that does the job at home.
This is true of the best vacuum cleaners, which often come with dusting tool attachments that can be used in handheld form. These are designed specifically for smaller dusting tasks, and it just so happens that the vacuum I use at home - the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum - comes with one of these. So, I decided to test this first.
I popped Shark’s ‘20cm duster crevice tool’ onto the handheld portion of the vacuum and used it on the skirting board in my living room first, which is a simple curved design. I could tell that the soft bristles would protect the wood from any scuffs or scratches, and I hoped that the suction power from the vacuum would suck up the dust that settles on them.
Visually, they definitely looked less dusty, and the tool was incredibly quick and easy to use - especially as the longer tool meant that I didn’t have to bend down too far. But when I tried to repeat the same success on the skirting boards in my bedroom (which have a much more detailed, intricate design), the results weren’t as impressive.
Sure, I did appreciate that this was a very faff-free option. I didn’t vacuum enough dust to have to empty the dust bin, and I could move from room to room without interruption. However, it was difficult to get the bristles into the deeper crevices and gaps, and I could still see a lot of dust settled in these ridges when I had finished.
So, while I’d definitely grab my vacuum and its dusting tool for a quick once-over on skirting boards with simple designs, I was confident that I could still find better.
Testing the Flash Dust Magnet
Old-school cleaning products definitely still have their place in everyday cleaning routines, and I’ve been cleaning with a feather duster ever since my nan introduced me to them.
The Flash Dust Magnet is a modern take on this old-school tool, and I’ve heard great things about it. So, I decided to order a starter kit and try dusting my skirting boards with it. And I must admit that I was very impressed.
I quickly realised why Flash called it a Dust Magnet: it really did attract dust like a magnet, and the state of the fibres afterwards proved my skirting boards were dirtier than they looked to the naked eye.
With so many individual fibres, the Dust Magnet also reached all the different skirting board designs in my home, getting into every nook and cranny to pick up dust. Plus, I felt confident that I was removing the dust from my house entirely when I threw the dusting head away. This is ideal for maintaining a dust-free home year-round.
But while I can’t complain about the Flash Dust Magnet's dusting power, having to throw each head in the bin after use (and sometimes after each room if they were particularly dusty) is a major niggle for me. It’s very wasteful - and expensive - and from what I can see online, there’s no way to recycle them.
In an age where we’re becoming more eco-conscious, this seems like a massive oversight and something I’m not sure I’d want to continue to do - even if its ability to dust my skirting boards is hard to beat. So, let’s hope that Flash finds a way for us to recycle them in the future.
Testing the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster
Last on my testing lineup was the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster, which I’m already very familiar with, as it also won the shutter-cleaning test I ran last year. It’s also a huge fan favourite across the Ideal Home team, with many of us using this clever cleaning tool regularly.
This affordable product is based on the idea that damp dusting is always better than dry dusting, as moisture helps the dust cling to the tool, making it easier to dispose of. When you dust with something dry (like a regular microfibre duster), it tends to wipe dust around and keep it in the home.
As I knew it works well on flat surfaces, I went into this testing process with high hopes… and I wasn’t disappointed. With one wipe, the moist cleaning sponge picked up all the visible dust on my skirting boards, and the ribbed design let me move it around and press it into the intricate ridges of my fancier skirting.
In fact, the Damp Duster was always absolutely filthy after each swipe, which shows that hidden dust can linger even when you can’t see it.
This method was slightly more time-consuming, though, as I had to make my way to a sink to rinse the Damp Duster every few minutes. While slightly irritating, it was also very satisfying as I could quite literally watch the dust drain down the plughole. So, this is a sacrifice I’d make for dust-free skirting boards.
The final verdict
What this test showed me is that 1) I need to dust my skirting boards more often, 2) there’s always more dust than it seems, and 3) sometimes two products can offer similar results while still having a few negative quirks.
And while I wouldn’t be against using my vacuum’s dusting tool to clean my skirting boards quickly (especially if I didn't fancy bending down all the time), it’s definitely not my top choice for a deeper, more detailed dust.
The Flash Dust Magnet and the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster were by far the better dusters, especially on skirting boards of different shapes, sizes and designs.
In terms of cleaning power, they both offer the ability to capture and remove the dust - either by throwing it in the bin or flushing it down the sink - which is a great way to ensure you’re not simply wiping the dust around or forcing it into the air to float back down later. During testing, I found they produced very similar visible results, too.
They both have their downsides, though. The Flash Dust Magnet is wasteful and expensive to buy upfront and to replace the dust heads, and the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster takes a bit longer to use because you have to go to and from the sink every few minutes.
Personally, though, the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster is my winner as I always prefer the eco-friendly option - and at just £3 I think it’s a bargain cleaning tool that gets the job done well time and time again.
Do you have any skirting board dusting hacks you swear by?