6 ways to reduce dust in your home

We can’t avoid dust in our homes and it’s a painful job to keep on top of! But it’s unavoidable and does need our attention from time to time. Dust accumulates on flat surfaces, floors, our beds, on ledges and even mirrors. My sister-in-law recently had an allergy test and was told she was allergic to dust so she set about cleaning her house from top to bottom and vowed to keep on top of it.

For many people dust isn’t a problem, but considering it’s made up of skin cells, animal hair, dust mites, even fecal matter, it’s worth some attention! You know when you see dust flying around in the sunlight, or on the dash of your car when the sun hits it? My kids call these ninky-binkies (no idea why!) and cover their faces like they are being attacked. I know it’s time for a good dust removal session when this happens… haha.

You can’t avoid dust, but you can try to keep it at bay. Here are 6 ways you can do that…

Vacuum regularly

Vacuuming removes more dust than any other method. Simply because it physically eliminates the dust from your home. Sweeping simply pushes dirt and dust around. If you have a good vacuum it will literally change your life! Use the attachments to also vacuum skirting boards, flat surfaces up high, and don’t forget to vacuum carpets more regularly than you think. They hide dust very well. Vacuum your couches and even blinds. Anything with a surface will hold dust.

Dust correctly

Don’t use a feather-duster or similar. They might claim to capture dust, but really they just flick it around. The best method is to use a slightly damp cloth and wipe surfaces. I am a big fan of the SPIK SPONGES. My Mum got me on to them. They are thick and have cellulose fibres which makes everything streak free. If the sponge is clean and only has a slight amount of water I use them to clean mirrors and glass too. It’s better to remove the dust completely from your home rather than just moving it around. Sometimes I even vacuum the surface first, followed by a wipe with the damp sponge. Also, if you have less surfaces in your home, there will be less to dust (so if dust annoys you, maybe it’s time to get rid of excess furniture??). Microfibre products are good too. They attract and hold dust with an electrostatic charge. I have a good ENJO cloth which does the job.

Wash the bedding

We all know we shed skin and our beds can become a haven for dust, mites and other gross things. We’re rubbing our skin all over our sheets and beneath us lies a multitude of particles. Bedding needs to be washed regularly and mattresses vacuumed, flipped and our beds pulled out and away from the wall for a good clean up. I moved mine last week and almost had a vomit with the dust sitting behind there!

Open the windows

Good ventilation is much better for our homes than sealing it tight. Clean up the dust first, open the windows and let the fresh air come in. Fresh is better than stale. Although in a storm or on a windy day you’ll want to keep the house shut tight! If you don’t want to open your windows/doors often because you may live in an area where dust just finds you, then air purifiers can also do the trick. An effective air cleaner removes large and small particles from the air in a single room.

Take it outside

Grab your floor rugs, throw cushions, blankets and get them outside for a good beating. I’ve thrown a rug over a swing set before and given it a blast with the high pressure hose to clean and air it out. Bash your cushions, flick your throw rugs around and leave them in some fresh air for a few hours.

Leave the shoes outside

Shoes are a transferable surface so leave them outside altogether. They bring in bacteria, dust and particles. I keep a few of my good shoes in my closet, but every other single shoe my family owns stays in the garage. I have a shelving system in there where we stack them all.

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Guess what I’m doing today?? You too? 😉

♥ KC.