How to Dust

The majority of dust in a home is composed of human skin cells as well as pet dander. It is also made of dust mite excrement, fabric fibers, dirt, and other debris. It is no wonder, then, that it causes allergies to flare up. So how do you get the nasty stuff out of your life? What follow are some great ideas on how to keep dust at bay in your home.

First and foremost, always clean top to bottom. This way, all the dust you stir up at the top while you're cleaning will not matter so much because it will not fall on previously cleaned surfaces. Another tip is to get a mask to wear while you dust, especially if you have allergies. Your lungs will be much better off if they are not taking in the crud you will be removing from your home's surfaces.

If you are choosing to be cost-effective, it's prudent to use a wet cloth to dust rather than a dry one. It will keep the dust on the cloth rather than flipping it back into the air. I suggest using hot water and gloves, but cold water will do in this endeavor. Rinse the dusting cloth often so that you don't end up with a grungy cloth, making things dirtier and possibly scratching the surfaces of your furniture. To reduce the number of times you have to rinse, you can fold the dusting cloth over and use a new, cleaner area of it. Another option is wool, which is naturally full of static electricity and will attract dust.

Those of you who wish to use a more modern approach can use more high-tech developments, such as dryer sheets on statically charged television and computer screens. Feather dusters are often discouraged because they tend to only move dust around, but commercial ones may do the job just fine, as they are often made of chemically treated fabrics that draw in dust.

Most dusting is straightforward, but what do you do about the hard-to-reach areas, such as the back, sides, and bottom of the refrigerator? Well, in that case, simply find or make a long handle of some kind (you can use a hanger or just make do with a broom handle) and cover it in some old nylons. Use a rubber band to keep it on so it doesn't stick under the refrigerator and take advantage of the dust-attracting static within the hosiery while you clean underneath, around the sides, and around the back of the refrigerator.