Dust can be a severe problem, especially in older homes. Not only is dust a major hassle to clean, but it can also pose a hazard to the health of your family. As such, it is important to keep your home as free of dust as possible.
We live in a farm house that was built in the late 1800s and had an addition in the mid 1900s. We moved from a new construction home, and I wasn't prepared for the dust.
I feel like I can vacuum three times a day and dust daily and still not catch up. We also have two dogs and two cats in the house, so my vacuum definitely gets a workout!
The main contributors of dust in the home are fabrics and dead skin. Much of your cleaning should be focused on places where these particles congregate, such as bedrooms and living areas.
Here are some tips to reduce dust in your home, as well as eliminate before it becomes a problem.
How to Reduce Dust in Your Home
Enact a No Shoes Policy
The majority of dust in the home actually comes from shoes bringing in dirt from outside. Enacting a no shoes policy within the home can severely decrease the amount of dust you have to deal with, before it ever enters the home.
You may consider purchasing cheap slippers for guests to wear when in your home. This allows guests to be comfortable and not have their feet touching cold, hard floors.
I made a sign that hangs inside the door asking guests to take off their shoes. It avoids any awkward requests, and most people will comply. You can find some really cute signs on Etsy like this one from WoodSignStudio.
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| Sign from WoodSignStudio |
Additionally, purchasing sturdy mats for inside and outside the home to wipe shoes off on can greatly impact the amount of dust and dirt that enters the home.
Another good rule in general is to keep windows and doors shut as much as possible to reduce the amount of dust coming through them.
Change Air Filters Regularly
Be sure to change the air filters in your heating and air systems regularly (at least once a month) to drastically eliminate the amount of dust resonating from them.
Control the Humidity of your Home
Dust mites thrive in humid environments, so it is crucial to control and maintain the humidity in your home. Consider purchasing a dehumidifier if your home is too humid.
Create Cleaning Schedules
Dusting and cleaning in general is especially effective when done consistently. Developing a cleaning schedule can help you stay on top of dust before it becomes a problem.
When developing a cleaning schedule, focus on whats most effective. Vacuuming is essential to reducing dust in the home, so be sure to vacuum high traffic areas of the house several times a week.
Additionally, clutter in the house can attract and hold onto dust, so be sure to declutter often to reduce the amount of dust in the home.
Be sure to factor less frequent jobs into your cleaning schedule, such as dusting window blinds.
If your someone who hates cleaning, be sure to check out my 7 tips for people who hate cleaning for useful tips to make cleaning less stressful.
Be Effective in Your Cleaning
No amount of cleaning will make an impact if not done properly. There is, in fact, a proper way to clean, particularly when it comes to dusting. For example, make sure that when cleaning, you clean from top to bottom for maximum effectiveness.
Additionally, making sure you use the proper tools and resources is crucial to the cleaning process. Make sure to use microfiber cloths
for dusting as they will trap dust rather than spread it around.Use a dusting spray to clean surfaces and knick knacks in your home. I use this DIY dusting spray recipe and love it.
Using lint rollers
on curtains and tapestries can also be effective at eliminating dust that collects on them. I've also been known to use the vacuum on my drapes and blinds. I also wash my curtains twice a year to eliminate dust.Clean your Floors Often
It simply cannot be overstated how important it is to regularly clean your floors. Be sure to vacuum and sweep regularly.
In addition, invest in high quality vacuums and brooms in order to maximize your effectiveness. The O-Cedar Anglar Broom is great for getting into small spaces. I think it gets more out from under furniture and under the cabinets than other brooms.
As for my vacuum, I love my Dyson vacuums. I like the yellow Dyson Ball Multifloor vacuum because I use it on carpet and hard wood with the beaters off.
I sweep the floor or vacuum daily or every other day to get rid of dust and pet hair. I turn off the beater bar and vacuum my hardwood floors, too. I mop them once a month to really get them clean. (Learn more about how to clean hardwood floors with vinegar).
Organize Your Closets
Clothing stored in closets not only collects dust over time, but it also sheds fiber that add to the amount of dust in the home. To eliminate this problem, consider packing clothes that aren't worn often into closet bags, and keep loose items stored in boxes and bins.
Additionally, organizing dressers and storing children's toys in a toy box can cut down the amount of dust that collects off of loose clothes and toys.
Clean Bedding Weekly
Beds can be primary collectors of dust and skin particles. Additionally, sleeping in dusty beds can be incredibly hazardous to your health. Therefore, it is important to wash bed-sheets and pillow cases in warm water weekly.
Additionally, washing pillows, mattress covers, and other fabric items regularly is important to eliminate the dust that collects on these surfaces.
I've been adding Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to my bedding and towels when I wash them. It helps kill germs without using bleach.
Groom Pets in the Proper Places
For those with pets, grooming them inside the house can spread a lot of dust around. Consider grooming your pets outside or in a smaller, easily cleanable space, particularly one with tiled floor, such as the bathroom.
Our German shepherd and rottweiler mix sheds like crazy. We use a shedding brush on him, and it helps a lot.
Clean Furniture Weekly
Similar to bed-sheets, furniture can also collect and hold dust. Cleaning furniture is simple, just be sure to take the cushions off your furniture and vacuum as part of your cleaning schedule.
In addition, take couch cushions and other larger fiber objects outside and beat them to get the dust out.
Purchase an Air Purifier
If the dust in your home is too much to handle, you may consider purchasing an air purifier. Air purifiers can work wonders in the household, and drastically reduce the amount of dust particles floating around.
Unfortunately, air purifiers only work when used in each room, especially in larger homes. Therefore, it is important to get a good deal on that air purifiers
you purchase.We use them in the bedrooms and in the living room because that's where we spend the most time. To save money, buy a smaller unit for bedrooms because they tend to be less expensive.
Eliminate Carpeting
While somewhat of an extreme option, eliminating carpeting in your home can drastically reduce the amount of dust. Carpeting traps dust particles, and can only be cleaned properly with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter.
Dust is not only a chore to clean, but it also presents adverse health effects in the home. While it is impossible to have a completely dust free home, with these tips you can drastically reduce the amount of dust in your house.
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