Dusting: Tips, Tools & Prevention

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Now that the weather is nice, windows and doors are kept wide open so we can enjoy all the lovely fresh air that we’ve been missing over the past winter–the downside to this is that with so many openings into the home, dust and dirt accumulate throughout the house quicker than ever.

Dusting Table With Cloth

Dust buildup is one area of household cleaning that you can’t cheat on or hide: it’s there, it’s noticeable and it stays put (and grows!) until you do something about it. It can also affect the health of family members who have allergies and respiratory issues (such as asthma).

The good news is that although dusting needs to be done frequently, it isn’t a difficult task and you can take steps to prevent it from building up as quickly. Here are a few tips on how to do it effectively, various tools you can use, how to reduce the amount and a few hot spots to watch for.

Quick Tips

• Clean like a maid, start at the top and work your way down.
• Choose tools that capture dust rather than push it around.
• If surface is thick with dust, do a dry wipe first then use a feather duster or wipe down well with either a damp cloth or a pre-treated duster.
• Vacuum the room thoroughly after dusting, this will pick up any that wasn’t captured by the cloth.

Tools:

• Feather Dusters: Invest in a good quality one made with ostrich feathers since they seem to do the best job of holding dust (rather than pushing it around or releasing it in the air). These can clean both large surfaces and tight corners with ease.
• Variety of Brushes: Use for detail cleaning in tight & tiny spaces, no expensive brushes required! Some ideas: Pastry Brush; Paint Brushes (both large and smaller artist brushes); Makeup Brushes; Toothbrush (soft and clean); Shaving Brush (the old fashioned kind); Mascara Wand (cleaned); Aquarium Brushes. These were originally published on their own page January 2, 2007, and moved here for better organization.
• Vacuum: Use soft bristle brush attachments to vacuum upholstery, drapes and furniture. Vacuum floors and carpets thoroughly to grab dirt before it makes its way throughout the rest of the house.
• Dust Mops & Swiffers: A quick daily mop keeps the dirt level controlled and reduces the amount tracked through the house. Keeping floors clean really is a timesaver when it comes to dusting. You can make your own swiffer cloths to save money and reduce waste (see Homemade Swiffer Cloth Patterns).
• Dusting Cloths: Try pre-treated dusting clothes (to make them yourself: mix 1 cup hot water and 2 TBS lemon oil, dip squares of cheesecloth, flannel or regular rags, wring out and hang to air dry) or a soft terry cloth lightly flicked with water (just wet your fingers underneath a tap then flick a few drops of water from your fingers onto the cloth). These trap and hold dust effortlessly. You can also use old socks (clean of course), slip them over your hands or cut open. Commercial microfiber cloths work nicely too. Used dryer sheets are another recommended tool since they do a good job of holding dust as you wipe. Recipe for pre-treated cloths was first published December 18, 2006, and moved to this page for better organization.

Tips To Reduce Buildup:

• Entrance Mats: Place mats at all entrances into the home to capture dirt on footwear.
• Remove Footwear: Keep outdoor shoes and footwear at the door instead of wearing them around the house, prevents dirt from being trekked through the home.
• Floor Vent Filters: You can pick up filters at the local hardware store that will fit inside your floor vents, this helps trap dust and prevent it from flowing through the home when the air conditioner is running (or heat).
• Furnace Filters: Change regularly so the filters can do an optimal job of trapping dirt.
• Clean Furnace & Vents: Have your home’s furnace and ducts cleaned professionally at least once a year.

Hot Spots:

• Drapes & Curtains: If these aren’t cleaned regularly, they can hold a lot of dust (that gets released into the room as they’re brushed against or touched). If you don’t have the time to wash them regularly (or get them cleaned), shaking them outside helps remove a lot of the buildup too.
• Rugs & Mats: Regularly shake out and wash floor mats, reduces the amount trekked throughout the home.
• Upholstered Furniture: Regularly vacuum or shake outside sofa cushions, footstools and other fabric covered items.
• Pets: Keep them well groomed, helps reduce hair and pet dander.
• Walls & Ceilings: If you don’t regularly wipe them down, walls & ceilings can hold an amazing amount of dust. Use dry mops for easy cleaning, long handled ostrich feather dusters also so a good job of getting into high corners.
• Refrigerator & Appliances: Regularly clean the coils on the back of the refrigerator and pull out appliances–it’s amazing the amount of hairballs, dirt & dust bunnies that accumulate back there.
• Electronics: Have you looked behind your tv lately? Or your computer? Electronics attract dust like crazy, make sure to pull out electronics and vacuum behind them frequently.
• Carpets: Vacuum regularly to lift up and remove dirt.
• Bedding: Lots of mites and dust get trapped in bedding (see Dust Mite Busters). Launder regularly and vacuum mattresses frequently.

Dust knows no boundaries, it will grow and accumulate everywhere it possibly can. If you keep on top of it regularly, your home will be nice and fresh as your reward .