Dust is everywhere. It is impossible to avoid. You
may dust your furniture one day and the next day there is another layer of it staring you down. Because dust can trigger allergies, I try very hard to stay on top of it as much as possible.
A buildup of dust is often a
result of poor airflow and/or not-frequent-enough cleaning.
Certain things in the home are also a haven for dust. Curtains, fabric upholstery, and carpet are natural dust collectors and
need to be cleaned frequently in order to keep dust at bay.
Also, if you have a pet in your family, you will also have pet dander to deal with...which also adds to the
problem.
So what can you do to help get rid of it?
1. Check your vacuum. Is the collection chamber empty or is it full? Are the filters clean or could they use some attention? Keeping your vacuum clean will in turn help to keep your home clean as well.
By the way, a vacuum with a HEPA filter will actually trap dust and other allergens inside the machine. Keep this in mind when you're ready to invest in a new vacuum.
Also consider investing in
a robotic vacuum if you haven’t already done so. Robotic vacs can be programmed to run even when you are not at home so they really do help with the work. These also go underneath furniture and beds where dust tends to collect and where we often can’t reach easily with an upright vacuum and, therefore, we tend to ignore more often than not.
2. Mop hard floors instead of vacuuming them. You'll be amazed at how much dust and grime a damp mop will pick up.
3. Check the filters in your HVAC system. Because these filters are out of sight, it is very easy to forget to replace them. Air gets circulated in your home through these filters, so having a dirty one really can add to the dust floating around your home. Make sure you are replacing them on a regular basis.
4. Think about investing in an air purifier. Air purifiers help to eliminate dust particles from the air and thus prevent them from settling on surfaces in your home. This will result not only in cleaner air for breathing, but also less dusting time for you later on.
5. Change your bedding weekly. Your sheets and pillow cases are a big source of dust (skin particles and dust mites.) Launder them weekly.
6. Don't bring dust inside with you. If all family members remove their shoes when they get home from being out, all of that dust won't be walked through your entire home. Also, keep windows shut on windy days.
Finally, no matter what you do, even if you are on top of all of the above and can prevent some of it, you are still going to need to dust often.
Use microfiber products so you're actually picking up the dust and not just moving it around. If you have dryer sheets, those also can be used in a pinch.
Finally, to make dusting as easy as possible, decluttering is the name of the game! The less you have on display, the less you'll have to clean. And the areas you do have to clean will be clear and easy to dust off...no need to move or dust around anything.
