When you were growing up, you were most likely shown the proper way to wash dishes, do your laundry, and boil water. But did your parents teach you the best dust removal technique? Dusting is one of the most overlooked yet highly needed aspects of house cleaning, and many people still don’t know the proper way to clean their dusty houses.
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What is Dust?
Contrary to what many people believe, dust is not wayward dirt from outside, suddenly found inside your dusty house. Certainly, some of the dust components are dirt, but it comprises many particles. Along with dirt, it is also made up of dead skin, hair, pet dander, pollen, dead bugs, dust mite droppings, and other contributors. Yuck!
What are the Dangers of a Dusty House?
Having a dusty house is a problem that goes beyond aesthetics. A dusty home is a health risk. You may not have a house cleaner scheduled to come out every week, but you may want to find your best dust removal technique after reading these.
Here are the top 4 risks if you allow dust to go unchecked in your home:
1. Dust can Cause Allergic Reactions
Many people who sneeze when faced with their dusty houses are reacting to a dust mite allergy. For over 20 million Americans, when faced with dust mites, they will react with itchy, red, watery eyes, sneezing, and a runny, stuffy, itchy nose. While some allergy medications can assist with these symptoms, you are better off finding a plan for the best dust removal and then relaxing in a clean home.
2. Dusty Homes can Lead to Respiratory Diseases
If you are one of the more than 25 million people in the United States with asthma, you may already know that dust mites can trigger an asthma attack. You can also be susceptible to having bacteria by-products found in dust exacerbating your asthma. The more you are exposed to a dusty house, the greater your chances of an asthma attack.
3. Some Skin Conditions can be Due to Dust
For some people, inhaling dust might be all that is needed to cause a flare-up of skin conditions like atopic dermatitis or eczema. It is vital that you make sure to have the best dust removal possible done to clear up this danger.
4. Did You Know It’s Possible for Dust to Interfere with Brain Formation?
If home dust happens to contain Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are chemical compounds developed to reduce the flammability of common items found in the house, like furniture, carpet padding, and other textiles, it could possibly lead to toxicity and disruption of developing hormone systems and the brain. Indoor dust is known to be one of the primary sources of people being exposed to PBDEs.
Why is my Home so Dusty?
Now that you know about the dangers of a dusty home, you may be wondering what else is causing all that dust. The truth is, there are several things that can contribute to the dust build-up in your house. If you’re looking to make some changes to your home, here are some of the biggest dust culprits:
- Fabric furniture
- Curtains
- Rugs
- Carpet
- Blinds
- Electronics
- Cabinets
Air Filtration Systems Help Minimize Dust
While we understand you can’t get rid of all the above items in your home to live a dust-free life, we recommend investing in an air filtration system. This helps maintain the dust in your home if you can’t dust and clean every night. Some of our client favorites include the Nuwave Smart Air Purifier and the Blueair Advanced Air Purifier. These machines will have you noticing a difference in no time!
Best Tools for Dusting: Traditional vs. Green Cleaning
When deciding which are the best dust removal tools for your dusty house, you will have to decide which works best for you between two main cleaning styles: traditional and green.
Traditional Dusting
If you are looking for traditional dusting tools, like feather dusters, you can easily find them in most supermarkets or big-box stores. These are fine if you just want to remove dust from an item so it looks clean, but they don’t do much in the way of clearing dust from your home. They’re known to kick dust into the air rather than trap it for complete dust removal.
Green Cleaning for Dust Removal
If you’re looking for the best dust removal tools that actually trap and clear dust from your home while also making the most negligible impact on the environment, you’ll want to stick with green cleaning.
Green cleaning tools for your dusty house might be microfiber cloths instead of feather dusters. Microfiber cloths pick up dust particles rather than pushing them around, and they can be washed and reused, which leaves less of an impact on the environment.
Another green cleaning tool would be to have a vacuum cleaner specifically fitted with a HEPA filter to ensure that even the smallest dirt and dust particles will be pulled out of the air and captured by the vacuum.
How-To Guide: Dusting Your Home
There are many ways to clean your dusty house, but, like everything, you can work harder or smarter. Here are some of our best dust removal tips to guide you as you conquer the dust bunnies:
1. Dust Your House from the Top Down
Get out your ladder and dust the ceiling, making sure to hit those corners where dust and cobwebs love to hide. To ensure you are doing your best dust removal, wipe down the light fixtures and the blades of the ceiling fans. Starting at the top ensures you don’t inadvertently drop dust down on previously cleaned areas.
2. Don’t Forget to Dust Walls and Décor
While this may feel time-consuming, the best dust removal is to start at one end of the wall, hit everything on it, and not stop until you reach the other end. Everything hanging on the wall needs to be wiped down. Don’t forget to include:
- Door frames
- Wall art
- Trim
- Doorknobs
- Windowsills
3. Removing Dust from Your Furniture
Before dusting your furniture, move everything off of it, from throw pillows to coffee table knickknacks, décor, books, and whatever else you may have out. Utilize a microfiber cloth to wipe down all hard surfaces.
For soft items like couches, run a vacuum with a HEPA filter and upholstery attachment over all cushions and fabric to remove dust. (Don’t forget to vacuum under the cushions!) Before returning all your décor items to their place, make sure you wipe and vacuum each piece.
Pro tip: If dusting electronics, a can of compressed air or a handheld vacuum can help to make the job easier.
4. Wash Your Textiles for Thorough Dusting
To practice your best dust removal techniques, take all your tablecloths, blankets, and pillows and either launder them, vacuum them, or shake them out well outside your home. If you are laundering them, be sure to wash them in hot water to kill any dust mites that might be hiding within their threads.
Don’t neglect your bed pillows, a common mistake that can leave your dusty house allergen filled. Make sure to wash your pillows every few months and go ahead and replace them at least once every two years.
5. Finish Your Dusting with the Floors
Your final job in cleaning your dusty house is figuring out how to do your best dust removal on the floor. When conquering the dust in your area rugs or carpet, a vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA filter is your best bet. You can use the same for your wood and tile floors since brooms do more with pushing dust around than removing it from the home. If possible, the best dust removal plan is to vacuum regularly, especially if you can do it once daily.
6. Change Your Air Purifier Filter Frequently to Keep Dust at Bay
Air purifiers are one of the best dust removal tools, as they catch dust and dirt that’s floating in the air. And they’re simple, too! Just turn them on, and they do the hard work for you.
However, if you’ve noticed that you’re getting a dusty house seemingly hours after dusting, your air purifier dust may be the issue. Think of changing the filter every three months to ensure that air purifier dust isn’t adding to your overall dusty house rather than cleaning it.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your dusty house, start off on the right foot and partner with Pure House Cleaning for the best dust removal. After a professional deep cleaning, it will be much easier to keep up with the task. Whether you are looking for a one-time cleaning or need someone to come in regularly, Pure House Cleaning serves the communities in the greater Seattle area and is happy to help you clear the air in your dusty house.