Ways you can breathe new life into old woodwork

Before you decide on paint or wallpaper, consider a thorough washing instead. The results could be better than you think, and save you the headache of a new project.

• To start, clean mouldings with the dusting brush attachment of your vacuum to remove surface grime.
• After brushing, you can wash the mouldings using a spray bottle filled with all-purpose cleaning solution.
• If the moulding is fancy millwork with narrow grooves, squirt the cleaner into the indentations and scrub with an old toothbrush.
• Wipe the moulding with a sponge, and dry thoroughly with a terrycloth towel.
• Be careful not to spray or drip the cleaning solution onto other surfaces. The liquid could lift seams, cause discolouration, or do permanent damage.
• Protect adjacent surfaces with a painter's guard as you wash.

After you wash a wall, dry it from floor to ceiling with a clean towel to prevent streaking. Use terry towels with a high cotton content for maximum absorption.

• After cleaning and drying, you might want to reconsider painting or re-papering.
• High-quality gloss and semi-gloss paints hold up well and look almost new again after washing. This is, incidentally, a good reason to use higher quality paints.
• Avoid flat paints. Whatever the quality, once flat paints are soiled, they don't tolerate washing very well.

Washing, removing stains and completing small repairs are the first steps in shaping up surfaces past their prime. But it's painting and wallpapering that will take you to the finish line in style.