How to dust your home properly
A dust-free home is more pleasant to live in, especially for those with allergies, but there’s more to dusting than just flicking a cloth around.
In fact, a poor dusting technique or the wrong equipment could actually sabotage your efforts to clear it. Read on for general dusting advice and expert tips, and enjoy a dust-free home for longer.
Top, down is best
Work from the top down: Tackle the ceiling, picture frames and high shelves first, then work toward the floor. A vacuum cleaner with a long hose and multiple attachments is the most efficient tool, as it will suck up the dust before it can settle on the furniture below.
For really high spots, be prepared to get out the stepladder once in a while. Rather than dangerously balance a vacuum cleaner on it, track down a nifty flexible-wand duster with a good reach. This will get to awkward and small spaces, trapping the dust on its high-pile sleeve.
If your vacuum cleaners nozzle doesn’t fit in narrow spaces, such as sliding door tracks, try sliding on a cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels. You can crush, fold and mold it to handle tricky spaces.
Get functional tools
It’s important to use the right form of duster. A feather design will only move dust particles around, sending them into the air to land again right after you’ve finished cleaning.
You want to trap your dust, not simply relocate it! So, get hold of a microfiber or electrostatic duster, which will hold on to the particles. Make sure you wash or replace it once dirty.
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Bit of wetness helps
In addition to using a suitable cloth, avoid dusting dry. When dust is dry, it can easily become airborne, making it harder to trap.
Spritz dusters and cloths with a dusting spray or polish, or even a fine mist of water, for more efficient cleaning and better results. Use sparingly to avoid smear marks.
If you’re using furniture polish, always spray it onto the duster as well, rather than directly onto the furniture, which can lead to thick and unevenly distributed build-ups of polish that are hard to wipe away.
Replace Your Vacuum Filters
The filter on your vacuum cleaner is designed to capture the fine dust and particles the machine sucks up. Filters that are clogged may fail to trap this dust and could even blast it back into the air. So, aim to replace or wash any filters as often as your model’s manufacturer recommends.
Your ornaments and china
Displays of beautiful objects really enhance a room, but each individual piece will collect dust. From time to time, take the objects off their shelves, dust the shelf with a microfiber cloth and carefully wipe down each piece.
To get at dust trapped in tiny nooks and intricate corners, use a clean natural-bristle paintbrush or makeup brush, then wipe.
Sort Out Soft Toys
Some teddy bears and soft toys are machine-washable, but you can also put those that aren’t too big into a big plastic bag with a cup of baking soda. Secure the top, then take it outside and shake well. The baking soda and static will draw out the dust.
Take out each soft toy one by one. Shake it thoroughly so any baking soda clumps fall off, then vacuum any large soft toys that are not at risk of being sucked up the nozzle. Small toys might benefit from a brush with a medium-stiff brush.
Double Up on Blinds
Removing dust from the individual slats on a blind is a laborious task. Make it a little easier by using kitchen tongs. Fix a microfiber duster to each tip with rubber bands, then close the tongs, gripping a slat, and simply pull across. This way, both sides of the slat get cleaned thoroughly.
For an even more low-tech version, use an old sports sock as a kind of sock-puppet cleaning mitt, making sure you rinse it in a detergent solution as you go.
Cleaning your pleasure hub
TVs, Wi-Fi routers, Xbox, printers and computers are real dust magnets, but keeping them dust-free is crucial for them to run well.
Unplug the equipment before cleaning and then wipe down gently with a microfiber cloth. Next, be sure to vacuum dust and pet hair from around cords and vents, because it can clog machines.
Vents and fans
Air conditioning ventilation and bathroom fans can easily get dusty too. Avoid this by using a paintbrush to clean the vents. You might need to do a deeper clean if your fan has become noisy, as there could be dust inside the motor.
After disconnecting the fan from the power supply, you can take off the cover and use cotton swabs to remove deep-seated dust. If the dust has begun to turn to greasy grime, use a damp cloth and an all-purpose or window cleaner to wipe the blades, then wash the cover well in soapy water.
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This article via Houzz does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.