If you ask people what household cleaning job they hate the most, the details may vary — for some, it’s doing laundry, for others, emptying the dishwasher — but there’s a common thread. There’s always more laundry; the dishwasher exists in an endless cycle of loading and unloading. There is little satisfaction in doing these jobs because they are never truly done.
Add dusting to that list of much-reviled chores. The bad news: There’s no such thing as a dust-free existence. The good news, though, is that there are some simple ways to reduce the dust in your home. You will hate some of them. But others are relatively easy fixes that will leave you with cleaner indoor air and a cleaner home.
Know your dust magnets
Certain items in your home attract dust and require routine cleaning. Thanks to static electricity, TVs, gaming equipment, computers, keyboards, tablets, phones and other electronics are magnets for dust. That’s also true of lamps, so add lightbulbs and shades to your dusting regimen. Some other sneaky sources of dust include houseplants; books and knickknacks; and baseboards, moldings, window sills, frames and other ledges and edges.
Vacuum and dust more often
You will not like this, so let’s rip the Band-Aid off quickly: The best way to reduce dust in your home is to vacuum and dust frequently.
How frequently? Vacuum carpets and rugs at least once a week, which will keep loose fibers, dirt, dander, hair and other soils from turning into dust. Dust furniture, especially desks and consoles with electronics, weekly. Once a month, dust and/or vacuum things like lightbulbs and fixtures; blinds and other window treatments; and baseboards, moldings and other ledges and edges. Every three to six months, use a vacuum to deep clean under, behind and on top of furniture, as well as upholstered surfaces.
Also consider gravity’s effect on your work: Dust first, vacuum second.
Beware feather dusters
Feather dusters are the glamorous divas of the cleaning world, but while they look fantastic, they don’t do much to eliminate dust. Instead, they push it around, sending it airborne. They can be convenient for quickly tackling a collection of knickknacks or for getting into tight spaces, but generally speaking, it’s best to avoid the feathers in favor of electrostatic materials that grab onto and trap dust.
Make sure your HVAC system is on point
Your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) plays a crucial role in this war. When dust builds up in an HVAC system, it circulates throughout the home and settles on any and every available surface. To keep from air conditioning your home with dust, clean and/or replace HVAC filters every 90 days, or sooner if needed. When replacing the filters, dust or vacuum vents as well as the top and sides of the unit and any other accessible areas.
Ceiling and floor vents also harbor a lot of dust; keep them clean with routine vacuuming or a long-handled duster. In addition, dust ceiling, box and standing fan blades monthly.
Seal windows and doors
Gaps in window and doorframes allow tiny particles to come in from outside, depositing soils like dirt, pollen and construction debris around the house. Seal cracks with caulk or insulation foam, and use weighted draft stoppers on doors to block outdoor dirt from turning into indoor dust.
Leave your shoes with your troubles: At the door
Shoes track in anything they came in contact with when you were outside: dirt, grass, leaves, pet waste and other gross things that we will leave to your imagination. Removing shoes at the door will significantly improve your home’s overall cleanliness, including reducing dust. If you can’t commit to being a shoe-free household, place floor mats inside and outside each entrance to help collect some of that exterior dirt.
Groom pets to keep dander at bay
Your pets’ fur and dander contribute to dust, as does anything they track in from outside. Cat litter, which is typically made of clay or plant-based materials like wood pulp, is another source of dust. Keeping pets clean by brushing and bathing them regularly, and by wiping paws after outdoor jaunts, will help reduce the problem.
Also vacuum pet beds weekly to remove fur and dander. This will help control both dust and odors. Experts recommend using a HEPA vacuum designed for picking up fur.
Tend to your own dander
Tempting though it is to blame it all on the dog, the rather revolting truth of the matter is that you are also constantly shedding dander and fur (we call it skin and hair but, really, same diff). Your bed, in particular, is a hot spot for your personal dust, so change bedsheets every one to two weeks, and vacuum and/or dust the mattress and headboard when you do. Wash pillows, blankets, comforters and duvets every three to six months. (That goes for pillows and blankets on the couch, too.)
In the bathroom, eradicate dead skin at its source by using a washcloth, loofah, mitt or other type of scrubber when you bathe. Moisturize well! Use a dandruff shampoo to cut off flakes at the source, if dandruff is an issue. Launder towels every one to three uses, bath mats monthly and robes weekly to keep dead skin buildup at bay. Another prime contributor: your dry shampoo, which is everywhere (but you didn’t hear that from me).
Improve your air quality
Dust builds up more quickly in spaces with poor air circulation. Fans and open windows are an obvious solution, but an open window also invites outside soils to make their way inside. Using an air purifier with a HEPA filter can trap very small particles, like dust mites and pet dander, reducing dust.
Cut the clutter — especially paper clutter
Any surface gives dust a place to settle. The more clutter — even intentional clutter, like a display of travel souvenirs — you have, the more things you will need to dust. Curio collections, piles of random stuff and stacks of books quickly turn into dust colonies, trapping pollutants and lowering the air quality in your home. This is especially true of paper, which is one of those dust magnets I referenced above. Dispensers for toilet paper, paper towels and facial tissues also allow fine paper particles to build up, creating a layer of lint that once you see, you’ll never unsee.
Eliminate fabrics that shed
Fleece, terry cloth, wool and some synthetics tend to shed, producing small fibers that turn to dust. Generally speaking, loosely woven fabrics and textiles made of longer fibers shed more than tightly woven and shorter fibers, so keep that in mind when selecting throw blankets, hand towels and other items that you use frequently.
Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert and the author of the best-selling book “My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag … and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha.”
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