How to properly kill all dust bunnies invading your home
You would think that scrubbing grime from toilets would be a cleaner’s least favourite job. But, I’m here to tell you that in reality, it’s dusting.
Dust - our sworn enemy. Our never-ending foe. Every time we think we’re finished, there’s always more. It’s so seemingly simple to remove...but the truth is giving a quick wipe down does not, in fact, provide a quality dust nor clean. Now that you’ve got me started on this topic, we’re going to dive even further into the hidden world of dusting.
DUST: YOUR HOUSEHOLD PET “BUNNY”...OR ENEMY?
Be aware - knowing what is dust, is not for the faint of heart. Yes, dust is dirt. But, it is also a mixture of sloughed-off human skin cells (and animals if those are in your home), hair, bacteria, dust mites and their feces, teeny bits of dead bugs, soil particles, pollen, clothing fibre, and even microscopic specks of plastic.
It gets worse. All of these organic items attract a number of the pollutants and chemicals we use in our homes. So, in addition to the soil from our shoes, we also have a concoction of pollutants, metals, chemicals and more...all adorably called a “dust bunny.”
Calling it a bunny does not make it any cuter, nor something to keep as a pet. The only way to get rid of the microscopic grub is to grab your microfiber cloth and vacuum and dust.
HOW TO ACTUALLY DUST YOUR HOME
As much as they accompany the Halloween “maid” costume, feather dusters do not work. They merely stir up the dust, allowing all those microscopic organisms to settle back onto furniture and other objects in the room.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s continue, shall we?
1. Dust top to bottom
Start at the top and work your way down. First, dust your ceiling fans and vents, working your way down to furniture tops, bookshelves (including the items on these), and furnishings. Finally, end with the floor.
Top to bottom dusting tip: if you have a lot of dust and pet hair already on the floor, I recommend doing a quick vacuum to start.
2. Dusting standing furniture
Use a damp cloth soaked in water with a bit of dish soap. This will remove any contaminants over and above the dust. For Clean Club Calgary’s dusting protocol, we make sure to remove all trinkets from the furniture prior to starting. We then wipe both the shelf and the individual items separately. After everything is free of dust, we put them back right where they belong!
Furniture dusting tip: do not forget to dust the top of cabinets and other shelving units. Dust LOVES to hide up there.
3. Dusting upholstered furniture
Beneath every soft, cushiony surface lies those dust mites and lint collectors. While it is recommended to have your upholstery cleaned once or twice a year, the easiest way to maintain a dust-free couch is by washing it with a damp microfiber cloth. This is for either fabric or leather furniture. However, with leather furniture, be sure to apply a specific leather protector solution a couple of times of a year to keep it from drying out.
Upholstery dusting tip: use the furniture tool that came with your vacuum to get in the nooks and crannies of the sofa and other seating surfaces.
4. Dusting electrical appliances
I know - you wipe the dust off your screen and it’s almost as though it never happened. So frustrating!
To have a slightly longer dust-free screen - from your television to your laptop - wipe your screen with a good quality, slightly damp microfiber cloth. Afterwards, wipe down with a dry microfiber cloth to polish the surface up. Check out our own personal favourite cloth for polishing up screens, mirrors, and glass surfaces.
For items such as keyboards, you can remove dust by using a can of compressed air. The same can be done for remote controls (including game controllers) where itty pieces of dust particles get stuck within the keys.
Electrical dusting tip: tell your professional cleaners what should not be unplugged. It is our job to ensure we always dust 100% and part of this is unplugging all items to clean around them. If you have modems, alarms, or other crucial items that must remain plugged in, always include this direction for your cleaners.
5. Dusting houseplants
Dust traps. Extremely large dust traps. That is what houseplants are. And, they are inefficient to dust.
For live plants, the most effective way to dust them is to put them in the tub and bathe them, gently removing dust and grime from their leaves. In the summertime, take them outside and wash them down.
If you have fake plants - these are even worse dust collectors. The best way to remove the dust? Take them down once a year and soak them in warm water with a bit of dish soap. When done, lay them down on old towels to dry.
Houseplant dusting tip: If you choose to wipe the leaves of your plants, DO NOT use a cloth containing a chemical cleaner when wiping down live plants. This will kill them.
6. Dusting the floor
Last, but not least, we come to dusting the floor. This is best completed by vacuuming. If able, pull beds, cabinets, and other furniture away from the wall so you can access the hair and other dust clumps hiding underneath. For uncarpeted floors, once vacuumed, wash the floor. The type of product to use depends on the floor material itself. However, when in doubt, use warm water with a small amount of gentle dish soap.
Floor dusting tip: Every three months sprinkle your carpet with baking soda. Let it stand for 2 hours, and then vacuum. This helps to kill dust mites hiding in the carpet threads.
DUSTING IS A HEALTH MATTER
Knowing what is in dust, it’s no wonder why it makes us sneeze, cough, have our eyes water, and so much more. This is why dusting is crucial to every single cleaning job.
Dusting is a key element for ensuring a true quality clean.
Frequency matters
Not all homes need to dust the same amount. That said, a good rule of thumb is to dust once a week. However, if you have allergies, live with pets, tend to track a lot of outdoors inside, and so on, you may need to up your frequency.
Vacuum type
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: a central vacuum is the best vacuum AND the most effective way to remove dust. The suction power on a central vac is typically 70 - 100% higher than that of handhelds, ensuring that it removes dust mites and feces responsible for allergies. Of course, not all homes come with central vacuums. To learn how to vacuum so it doesn’t have to suck, visit our blog on vacuuming.
Dust cloth material
As I said above - DO NOT use a feather duster. Rather, the best type of material to dust with is either a microfiber dusting cloth OR a non-synthetic dusting cloth. If using the non-synthetic cloth, you may have to soak this in water with a dab of dish soap and then ring it out prior to using it.
The thing about dusting is that, no matter what, it will always be a cleaning chore to be done. The best we can do today is know how to properly dust in a way that minimizes its impact on our individual health and make peace with our “house bunnies.” After all, they’ll be removed once a week!
Want some help staying on top of your dusting? Contact us for a quote today!