Spring Cleaning

Take 20 Minutes Today and Focus on Erasing Home Blemishes

Written by

Taryn Williford
Taryn Williford
Taryn is a writer, editor, content strategist, and homebody from Atlanta. I might have helped you declutter your apartment through the magic of a well-paced email newsletter. Or maybe you know me from The Pickle Factory Loft on Instagram.
updated May 3, 2019
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(Image credit: Anna Spaller)

There is a reason great artists spend so much time preparing their canvases: a clean, smooth slate allows all their creativity to shine. It’s true, also, for you and your home. You care for your space and take pride in decorating it, so why let tiny blemishes scar the surface?

Today’s assignment in our spring cleaning journey is a little different than what we’ve done so far: Instead of focusing on a few tasks in a single area, we’re going to do one easy thing all over the house.

TODAY’S 20-MINUTE TASK


It’s Scuff Day!

Today, we’re using our spring cleaning time to treat the scuffs and other signs of wear on our walls.

First, prepare a small tool kit that you can carry from room to room. A damp cloth or sponge will carry the load for most wall marks, but some tough scuffs might need a bigger arsenal. I swear by the sorcery of a Magic Eraser, but they can be too harsh on certain wall finishes and paint colors, so if you aren’t a fan of them, here are some other things to try: a tennis ball, baking soda or just a tiny bit of good old dish soap.

Once you’ve got your kit in hand, plan a system for working your way around your space without missing any spots. The follow the wall method works great here: Start at the entryway door and keep a hand on the wall as you walk down in one direction, weaving in and out of rooms. Scan up and down the wall looking for scuff marks (pay extra attention in high-traffic spots and areas like entryways, hallways and kids’ rooms), treating each scuff with your tools as you spot them.

Voila! You quite literally have a spotless home. Let us know how it went, and if you have any smart home remedies for tackling scuff marks.

Join the Slow Spring Clean Movement!

This spring cleaning season, Apartment Therapy is giving you a plan for getting your home refreshed the fast and easy way—in just 20 minutes for 20 days—and we’re just getting started. Sign up now and get your spring cleaning done the simple way.