Dust is sneaky, but it’s also predictable. Here’s where it likes to hide
Dust is many things. At its most elemental, dust is a blend of dead skin, hair, fibers from clothing and other textiles, soil, pollen, dander, insect corpses, dust mites. Dust can be a health hazard, especially for those with respiratory or skin conditions that are irritated by the presence of all those fine particulates. Dust is also gross (again, dead skin and insect corpses). And then there is this: Dust is sneaky.
Dust is sneaky in that it creeps up on you. We almost never notice a small amount of dust forming, and then one day you look down, or up, or at something you don’t typically pay a lot of attention to, and yep, there it is. Dust is also sneaky in that it comes from some curious sources, like books or that cozy blanket you like to curl up with when it’s reading time.
Despite its sneakiness, dust is predictable. This is a good thing for diligent housekeepers because once you know where dust likes to dwell, keeping it at bay is easy.
The best tools for dusting
When we think of dusting, an image of ostrich feathers may spring to mind — think Yvette from “Clue.” But with apologies to Yvette, a feather duster is actually a pretty terrible tool for dusting. The feathers tend to push dust around, sending it airborne only for it to later settle right back on the surfaces whence it came, rather than pick the stuff up.
Instead, try cloths, telescoping tools and specialty dusters made of microfiber; the microfibers grab on to dust, making them more effective at picking up tiny particles than cotton. Vacuums, too, are essential weapons in the war against dust. Finally, canned air and electric dusters, as well as cleaning gel — that fun goo (technical term) that picks up dust and other debris from hard surfaces — are specialty cleaners that are excellent and can be a lot of fun to use. In addition to identifying sneaky sources of dust, this guide offers suggestions on the best tools to use for different dusty jobs.
10 sneaky sources of dust
Electronics: Thanks to static electricity, electronics like TVs, gaming equipment, computers, keyboards, tablets and phones are magnets for dust. They are also prone to scratching, so dusting them the right way is critical. Use a dry microfiber cloth to gently wipe dust off flat surfaces, including screens. Canned air, or an electric air duster, is helpful for eliminating the dust that gathers in small and hard-to-reach spaces, like the space in between keys and control buttons.
Books and lampshades: Books, and their loyal companions lamps, are highly prone to attracting dust (static electricity is also to blame for that). Books and lamps also provide flat, infrequently disturbed surfaces, making them attractive nesting spots for dust, dirt, hair and other environmental soils. To keep dust at bay, or to remove it when it builds up, use a dry cloth or a vacuum fitted with a soft dusting attachment to dust books and lampshades.
Houseplants: Like books and lampshades, our houseplants are hanging around innocently collecting dust. This is bad for the plants — dust buildup can clog their pores, impeding growth — and for the air quality and appearance of your home. To keep plants from getting dusty, mist leaves with water, if they can tolerate it. To eliminate dust buildup on plants, use one of these methods: Place them in the sink or shower and spray them with water; dunk them in water; wipe the leaves with a soft cloth or duster; or use a clean, dry paintbrush to dust the leaves.
Knickknacks: Although feather dusters aren’t the best tool for most dusting jobs, there is one place where they really shine, and that place is knickknacks. These small items, including collectibles and souvenirs, framed photos, candles, vases, and other objets d’art, displayed in your home offer inviting surfaces for dust. Giving them a once-over on a weekly or monthly basis helps to prevent dust buildup, which can cause irreversible damage in some cases. Of course, deeper cleaning — removing all the objects to clean them and the space under and around them — will still be needed from time to time.
Window treatments: Many of the dustiest items in our homes are the things that are just hanging around, and that is most literally true of window treatments. Curtains, sheers, blinds, blackout shades — no matter the style, any type of window treatment harbors a lot of dust. Fabric window treatments can be vacuumed regularly, while blinds and shades can be wiped with a dry microfiber cloth, a flat-head dusting tool, a clean paintbrush or one of those specialty dusters with the “fingers” that slide in between slats.
Upholstered furniture: One of the tricky things about fabric is how good it is at obscuring dust. But like window treatments, upholstered furniture attracts and harbors a lot of the stuff — and the arms, legs and struts do, too. Use a vacuum or a sticky roller to quickly pick up dust from soft surfaces and a dry cloth or dusting tool on hard surfaces like arms and support beams.
Ledges and edges — especially up high and down low: Dust doesn’t have high standards — it prefers to settle! (Sorry.) If there’s an edge or ledge or flat surface, dust will settle on it. Baseboards, moldings, windowsills and window frames are prone to dust buildup, and this is especially true of the ones that fall outside of our sight line, like the tops of cabinets and doorframes. Smaller ledges, like thermostat casings and light switch covers, are other easy-to-overlook dust hot spots. Try a telescoping duster with long, adjustable handles for reaching high-up or down-low spots; a vacuum fitted with a dusting attachment; or microfiber cloths.
Vents, fans and other slat-y things: An enormous amount of dust can build up on air registers, vent covers, box fans, ceiling fans, window air conditioning units — anything with slats, blades or fins, really. Dust buildup compromises the air quality in your home, impedes air flow and can put strain on your HVAC system. Regular vacuuming with a soft brush attachment and/or crevice tool can help to keep these spaces dust-free; canned air is another helpful tool for blasting dust off hard-to-reach areas like box fan blades.
You, your people and your pets: I once referred to dust as “dandruff for your home,” and I regret that because the reaction was so swift and so severe. But it’s true that you, the other people in your home and your pets are a constant source of dust. To keep hair, dander, dead skin and other body soils from shrouding your home in dust, stay on top of bathing, moisturizing, changing the bed linens and grooming your pets. Humidifiers will maintain comfortable humidity levels in the home, preventing dry skin and hair and reducing shedding (both human and animal). Vacuum hard and soft surfaces, including furniture and mattresses, regularly as well.
Shed-y fabrics: On a slightly less revolting note, it’s also fair to point out that fabrics — especially shed-y ones like terry cloth and chenille — create dust in the home. (Yes, fabrics both attract and create dust!) Choosing low-shed fabrics, vacuuming and laundering items regularly can all help to keep fabrics from shedding tiny fibers that turn into even tinier dust particles.