There are three ways to dust your home with varying degrees of success. Generally, the quicker you dust your home, the less dust you pick up.
* Using a feather duster, fluffy duster or electrostatic duster is the least effective way to pick up dust. Yes, it takes just a couple of minutes to flick the duster around even a large home. The dusty surfaces might look a little better but you've just moved the dust from a surface to the air. Then it will either fall to the floor or reappear on the surface again as the air gets stirred up when people move around.
* Microfibre cloth dusters. I picked up one recently at a Daiso store for just under $3. It comes with a plastic handle that a microfiber cloth slips over. Recently I was in a hurry to get lots of dusting done with little time to spare. I found it quite easy to wipe over window sills, around tvs and over flat surfaces. The dry duster picked up quite a bit of dust which I brushed off outside. The cloth was then washed in the washing machine, dried and reused.
* Wet dusting with a microfiber cloth. This is the method I've been using since microfibre cloths became available in the discount stores. Wetting the cloth picks up and traps more dust and dirt than any other method I've used. The only drawback is time. It takes more time to rinse out the cloth over and over again to keep a clean cloth. This is my preferred method of dusting and is especially effective if there are hayfever, asthma or allergy sufferers in the house.
When I let the dust get too thick...which is often (ahem) I put the small soft brush head on the end of the vacuum cleaner, and vacuum it up room by room as I'm doing my floors. In an effort to dust a little more often these days, I'm using a dry microfibre cloth, because it is quick and easy, but you are right damp dusting is the most effective method.
ReplyDeleteI don't. It is my youngest daughters chore. She enjoys doing it while I find it tedious. She uses a damp cloth for most of it.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteI too used to use microfibre cloths for dusting and cleaning and found them to be great. HOWEVER, I am blessed with a marine biologist son and now we learn that every time we wash microfibre or polar fleece, microscopic plastic fibres are released into the water and then eventually find their way into the ocean, killing fish and marine life. So all my microfibre cloths have now gone into landfill and I am back to using old cotton cloths for cleaning. The old ways are best!
Thank you so much for replying to my question.
ReplyDeleteI recently have tried the electrostatic duster but have found the dust returns quickly. So now I have gone back to a quick dust with the static duster one week and microfiber cloth the next - however I've been doing a dry dust which was ok but I think I will try wet dusting again it seems to stay dust free for longer. I have a son who has an allergy to dust mites so I have to dust ever week but didn't realize the duster was just spreading the dust around.
Thanks again for answering my question. And keep up the good work.
Love the blog and congratulations on your daughters engagement.
Oh boy - wet dusting .... an old memory returned when reading that line. I now clearly recall my Nan sprinkling wet tea leaves out of the teapot all over the polished wooden floor before sweeping. "It settles the dust dear" was her explanation.
ReplyDeletePlease heed the information above. So many of our clothing items are partially microfiber and all of these items shed micro particles at each wash. I have discarded my collection too and attempt to use natural fibre when possible. If you use an ostrich feather duster regularly you will never see dust again, they can be shaken outside and also washed in shampoo or mild detergent and do attract the dust particles without just moving them around. Also wonderful for people with allergies. I can testify to this.
ReplyDeleteHeather