Dust – it is one of the most obnoxious routine cleaning issues and seems to have a habit of showing up very quickly after a good deep cleaning is done. After a lot of effort, the quick recurrence of dust can be frustrating and disheartening. Dust can be a challenge not only because it collects on just about every surface in the home, from ceiling fans to baseboards, but because it can aggravate allergies as well.
While we can’t offer a solution to rid the world of dust, especially in our dry desert climate, we can help to provide a few tips to keep it under control. Minimizing dust is all about taking a few preventative measures. We suggest the following to “dust proof” your home:
1. Dust & Vacuum Weekly
Dust contains pollen, dander and other allergens. More dust equates to more exposure to allergens so keep the surfaces in your home clean. Dust weekly to keep all surfaces in your home free of dust. Carpets and hard floors are a magnet for small particles and the most significant settling place for dust as they are the lowest point in the home. Be sure you are vacuuming all flooring surfaces weekly with a vacuum that has a good filtration system (to avoid putting allergens back into the air).
2. Invest in Good Matting
While some dust enters the home through open windows and poor weather sealing, most does so on the soles of our shoes and feet of our pets. The most effective way to control this is to purchase good matting and place it at each entry point to the home. Matting should be placed both inside and outside of the house. A good mat is made of fibers that pick up dirt from feet as they travel across them and is known as walk-off matting. Purchase high quality mats similar to those found to entrances of businesses and schools. Of course, the mats can only do their job if they are clean, so vacuum them regularly. Outdoor mats may be hosed off and scrubbed as needed as well.
3. Change Furnace Filters Monthly
A good furnace/air conditioning system filter is the first line of defense in keeping dust from circulating around your home. A dirty filter will not only blast all kinds of airborne particles throughout your house, it will also reduce the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Invest in a pleated type filter for your heating and cooling system and change the filter monthly to ensure that clean air is recirculated in your home.
4. Reduce Clutter
Clutter collects dust and is hard to keep clean. Keep clutter to a minimum to reduce the surface area in your home that dust has to collect on. It is one more reason to keep an organized home.
5. Keep Windows Closed
While it can be nice to have an outdoor breeze drifting through your home, with the breeze comes pollen and dust from outside. Keep your windows and doors closed and use your air conditioner and ceiling fans to circulate air in your home to reduce your exposure to outdoor allergens and keep dust to a minimum.
Of course, House Spouse can help to reduce dust in your home by providing routine cleaning services and deep cleaning of your carpeted floors. Visit HouseSpouse.com for an instant quote!
