Cleaning Advice From the Pros on Best Way to Dust Properly
There are some inevitabilities in life: death, taxes, and dusting. While dusting may not be high on your list of concerns, you should make time for it as part of your weekly cleaning checklist.
Dusting is easy to ignore – for a time. Eventually, you will start seeing layers of dust collecting on surfaces, and your air quality will suffer.
Luckily, the cleaning experts at Upstairs Downstairs are here to show you the best way to dust your home. Use these tips to make quick work of dust and keep your home looking fresh and free of allergens.
The Importance of Dusting
Dusting isn’t just another chore like making the bed. Diligent dusting can make your home look, feel, and smell fresh and clean.
For dust allergy and asthma sufferers, an effective dusting regimen can significantly reduce the number of allergens floating around your home. In addition to common suspects like pet dander and pollen, dust can also contain toxic chemicals from construction materials, dust mites, and skin cells, all of which can cause respiratory and other health issues.
In addition to making a good impression and improving air quality, excessive dust can even be a hazard. For example, electronics (especially those with fans like a desktop computer) are notorious dust magnets. A buildup of dust on electric equipment can cause overheating or shortcircuiting, which could even cause a fire! Don’t let excessive dust build up in your home.
Regular Dusting vs. Deep Clean Dusting
It may seem overwhelming to thoroughly dust every surface, shelf, and crevice in your home. Don’t worry, it doesn’t all need to be done at once or even that often. Having a plan for what needs to be dusted weekly and what can wait for special occasions or annual spring cleaning is important.
For regular cleaning, consider dusting and vacuuming high-traffic areas and spots that tend to collect dust. Factors like airflow and whether you have pets will also matter. Many people like sticking to a weekly cleaning routine.
Deep clean dusting will again depend on factors like pets and traffic. At a bare minimum, you will want to cover everything at least yearly during spring cleaning. Bi-annually is recommended so you can get things clean in the fall before holing up indoors for the winter. These deep cleans will include dusting everything from the ceiling to the floor, so your house or apartment is dust-free.
Before You Start
There are a few things to consider before you dive into a deep cleaning and dusting of your home. Take these precautions and first steps to save yourself time and effort.
Replace your HVAC Filters
Before you do your deep clean, replace your HVAC filter as a part of your furnace and central air system. The last thing you want to do is spend time removing all of the dust from your living space only to have the heat or air kick on and blast dust particles from your air vents back onto your clean surfaces. It is generally recommended you replace furnace filters quarterly, anyhow.
Declutter Your Home
Are you tired of dusting behind every piece of furniture, knick-knack, and tchotchke? One solution to streamline your dusting process is to simply have less stuff to dust! Those random trinkets on your mantle are just collecting dust, and those piles of cardboard Amazon boxes are probably covered in warehouse dust.
Clean the Areas Around Your Furniture
With the top-down approach to dusting, you also want to give attention to your furniture and the surrounding areas. Do your best to clean pet hair and other filth off your fabric furniture using a lint roller or vacuum cleaner upholstery attachment, and you’ll probably knock some dust off too. Then you can suck it all up together at the end.
Wash Your Linens
Linens offer a large surface for dust to settle, and some fabrics even tend to snag and hold dust. Before you begin dusting, consider removing blankets from beds and furniture and preparing other linens that need cleaning. This way, you aren’t tossing dust from those surfaces back onto your floor after you’ve just finished dusting.
Best Practices for Dusting
Dusting isn’t as fun or easy as in the movies, dancing around your living room with a duster and a flick of the wrist. The right tools and strategy can make a big difference when tackling this chore!
Use a Quality Duster
The right tools make any job easier. You might think it doesn’t matter for dusting, but if you’re trying to get by with old rags, paper towels, or a dollar store duster, you’re probably not having a great time. A well-designed duster or microfiber cloth will catch and hold dust so you can make quick work of cleaning surfaces. Go with a name brand like Swiffer.
Dust Regularly
If you really let dust build up, it might not all come off in one pass. To reduce frustration and make it an easy chore, keep up on a regular dusting schedule.
Target Heavy Dust Buildup
If you know certain spots tend to collect a lot of dust, hit them more often or use a separate cleaning tool. You don’t want to clog up your duster from a single corner or a dusty fan.
