How to Keep Your White Spaces Looking Great

White spaces can be light, bright and beautiful — but how do you keep them that way? If you’ve been wondering how to get the scuffs off your white floors, freshen your floaty curtains or lift jammy handprints from your lovely white sofa, we’ve got you covered.

White walls:
Vacuuming walls every few weeks will help keep dust from accumulating; dust can make white walls look dingy.
For a spot on the wall, first try gently wiping it with a damp soft cloth. If that doesn’t work, make a thick paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the spot, then wipe clean. If the spot still won’t come off, try a Magic Eraser.Keep a labeled container of wall paint easily accessible. Pour a tiny bit into a plastic cup and touch up discolored spots with a small brush.


White upholstery:
The easiest thing to do is invest in removable, washable slipcovers. Slipcovers can be tailored to closely resemble upholstery but (hallelujah!) can be washed and bleached. Put a slipcover back on your furniture while it’s still slightly damp for the best fit.
Use a stain-repelling spray to protect upholstery fabric. Be sure to check that it is meant for the type of fabric your piece is upholstered with, and test it on an inconspicuous spot first.Vacuum upholstered furniture regularly to help prevent dust and dirt from building up.A steam cleaner is the best way to get white upholstery really clean — renting or buying a machine can be far more cost effective than having large pieces of furniture professionally cleaned.Spot clean with an upholstery cleaner designed for the type of fabric you have.



White bedding:
When you choose white bedding, check the label to make sure no special care is required — you really shouldn’t have to baby your sheets.Launder white sheets in hot water with your regular detergent. Add bleach as needed to keep them looking fresh.Do not launder white bedding with any colorful items unless you are 100 percent sure they are colorfast.Quilts are delicate by nature and should never be washed in the machine. Most can safely be washed by hand in the bathtub and line dried.



White floors:
Avoid wearing shoes in the house. Keep a shoe rack or boot tray near the door, along with a basket of spare slippers for guests.Put doormats inside and outside every entrance.
Vacuum regularly — dirt that gets ground in will wreck your floor’s finish.Be careful about putting down colorful rugs without a backing, as some may transfer color onto your white floor.Use felt glides on all furniture feet to prevent scratches.Clean with a barely dampened mop and a small amount of gentle cleanser.
To spot clean, use a cleaner designed for the type of finish on your floor.


White sinks and tubs:
Frequent, light cleaning is best, because it will prevent the buildup of soap scum and stains. Trying to remove old soap scum and discoloration can be a major headache, and the harsher cleaning products and tools needed to do the job can end up harming the finish.Avoid abrasive cleansers and scouring pads, which can cause damage.
If you have a vintage tub with lots of discoloration or scratches, consider having it reenameled. It’s not cheap, but it will make your charming claw-foot look like new.

White towels:
Like sheets, towels should be easy to care for. Launder them in hot water with your regular detergent. Add bleach as needed to keep your white towels white.Do not launder towels with anything that has a zipper — they can easily snag on soft towel fibers, causing rips.



White tile and grout:
Regularly wipe down white tile and grout with mild, soapy water, then rinse. Frequent cleaning is the best way to avoid major discoloration.
To clean dirty, discolored white grout, scrub it with a toothbrush dipped in a mixture of chlorine bleach and water.
Get Grout Magically Clean, Stains and All

White marble:
Wipe up spills — especially acidic ones (like vinegar and citrus) — immediately.Use coasters, trivets, cutting boards and trays to protect marble counters from marks and spills.If you didn’t get to a spill in time and it stains, you can try cleaning it with a little hydrogen peroxide. (This is recommended only for light-colored marble.) The Marble Institute of America has more information on treating stains.How to Keep Your White Kitchen White


White leather:
To keep your leather furniture conditioned, clean it occasionally (a few times each year is fine) with saddle soap or leather cleaner. When cleaning, use a barely damp rag or soft sponge and a very small amount of soap. Avoid sitting on your white leather upholstery when wearing brand-new dark denim jeans — the dye can transfer to the leather, causing discoloration.
Have a stubborn spot or stain? Check out this handy Houzz guide to common household cleansers for leather upholstery.



White rugs and carpeting:
As with white floors, it helps to prevent dirt from entering your home. Go shoeless in the house and use mats inside and outside all doors.Vacuum frequently to prevent dust and dirt from becoming deeply embedded in the fibers.
Treat spills immediately by soaking them up with a dry rag — blot, don’t rub. After blotting up as much as you can, dampen the area with a wet rag and continue to soak up the spill. Use a white cloth — when it starts coming up clean, you’ll know you’ve gotten most of the spill.For set-in stains, spot clean with rug cleaner or steam clean. Area rugs can be sent out for professional treatment.

White curtains:
Many hardware-free curtains can be laundered right along with your towels. If the care tag says they’re machine washable, toss them in on the gentle cycle once each season, with bleach if allowed. The same goes for shower curtains.
Drapery that is not easily removed for laundering can be vacuumed in place using an attachment.

Tell us: Are you a fan of white interiors? What is your biggest cleaning frustration when it comes to keeping your whites white?

More: House Rule: Off With Your Shoes

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