5 Tips to Reduce Dust in the Home

Dust is unavoidable. However much you clean and use the vacuum cleaner, dust is going to accumulate as we go about our daily lives. As well as being unsightly, dust can affect your health too, especially for those who are prone to allergies or suffer from asthma. We might not be able to cut out dust completely, but there are several things which can be done to reduce the amount of dust in your home, none of which are particularly expensive.

Organise your Wardrobes

Dust and fibres from your clothes can quickly build up in your wardrobe, and it’s not easy to get the hoover out and get rid of dust in awkward corners. Think about how best to organise your clothes inside your wardrobe and consider things like buying clear plastic boxes or tubs to store t-shirts or underwear rather than having them loose on shelves. Having everything in plastic boxes also makes dusting very simple as all you have to do is wipe down the boxes with a damp cloth. Keep the floor of your wardrobes clear to make it easier to get in with the hoover, so invest in some wire shoe racks.

Think about Flooring

Carpets and rugs collect far more dust than solid floors, so if you are thinking about replacing flooring in the home anyway, choose something like solid wood, laminate or tiles which are easy to keep dust-free with the vacuum cleaner or mop instead of a carpet. If someone in the house suffers with dust mite allergy, consider replacing the flooring in the main living rooms and bedroom right away. If you are stuck with carpet or rugs, clean them regularly and take rugs outside to be beaten free of dust whenever possible.

Soft Toys

If you have a child who is sensitive to dust or who has a dust mite allergy, yet their room is stuffed with soft toys, it is time to have a clear out. Soft toys are notorious for hoarding dust, and are often difficult to keep clean as they cannot be washed in the machine. Cut down the number of soft toys you have in the house to the absolute minimum, and try to choose cloth teddies rather than plush ones. Many modern toys can be washed, so look for the care labels when buying something new. 

If your child has a teddy or other soft toy which they are particularly attached to, you can kill off the dust mites by putting it in the freezer. This won't damage the toy, but it is best to put it in a plastic bag before popping it into the freezer and leave it there for at least 24 hours. Scientific studies have shown that freezing soft toys is a much more efficient way of killing off dust mites than washing.

Ventilation

Image by glasseyes view on Flickr

It's easy to see how dust can build up during the cooler months when we keep the windows and doors closed, and have the heating on full blast all of the time. It is very important to keep the house ventilated as not only will this introduce fresh air into the house, it will make breeding conditions for dust mites less favourable too. You don't have to keep windows open all of the time, but make a point of opening them in the morning for 30 minutes or so.

Keep duvet covers pulled back as you air the room to allow the fresh air to circulate around your sheets and mattress, and try to keep the temperature in the bedroom down too.

Buy a New Vacuum Cleaner

A good vacuum cleaner is our main weapon against dust and dirt, and it really is worth investing in a new one if you have had yours for several years. Ask for advice in the showroom or research online to find the model which is most appropriate for your needs, and have your machine serviced regularly too. Most modern cleaners have removable filters which trap the dust, so get into the habit of removing the filters and cleaning them on a regular basis as this will help your machine work efficiently. 

When cleaning, don't be tempted to skip the bit of floor under the sofa or behind the television, as this is where dust is most likely to build up.