Next, use caulk to fill in the cracks along the edge of the moulding and to cover the staple ... but it will make the baseboards a statement piece. Wooden baseboards not your style?

If you don’t like the look of baseboards at all, though, you may be able to cover them up. Many suppliers sell metal or even wooden covers that sit on top of the entire baseboard unit.

Avoid steel wool, though; if shards get caught in the wood, they will just make the stains worse ... any crown molding and the baseboard, and remove any outlet covers. Then find one of the ...