Dust can be a dangerous health hazard. It is hard to avoid dust entirely, but if we do not manage dust properly it could cause irritation to eyes and nose and can lead to more serious illnesses. The less dust we can encounter is the better and healthy our environment will be.
Everyone breathes better in a home that isn’t so dusty because even for those without allergies dust acts as an irritant to your eyes, nose, and lungs.
What is dust made of?
Dust has a mixture of tiny particles of dirt, dust mites, animal hair, dead skins, feces, and body parts of insects; rodents, and humans, fibers of cloth, pieces of metals, fine wood particles, pieces of plastics, and all other types of man-made materials. But when we think that it might stop there, it does not- dust contains lots and lots of micro-organisms some of which cause harm every now and then. Simply put, …..Dust = eewww!!!
Wherever there is air passing through dust will be present, just think about it. If you were to leave your home for an extended period of time when you return the amount of dust piled up all over the house might shock you. This is just the way how nature works and it is also the result of the many activities mankind and insects have embarked on for the modernization or advancement of this era.
We might not be able to fully eliminate dust from our homes but we certainly can reduce the amount of dust that accumulates on flat surfaces, floors, and in fabrics and fibers. Consider these more than fifteen ways to reduce dust and have a more healthy breathing experience while you enjoy the shiny sparkle that a dust-free environment portrays.
So here’s how to get rid of dust in your home
Keep Outside Shoes At Bay
When a chicken (broiler chicks) farmer is entering the chicken coop, he has to step into a liquid sanitizer solution to sterilize the shoes so that he does not carry any harmful bacteria to the chickens.
Our shoes are good at picking up all sorts of dirt from all over and we sometimes walk into the house with all that accumulated dust on the shoes. We can reduce dust in the house by either keeping outside shoes in an outside designated area (until we clean them off) or keeping a neat small box at the door with a bag neatly wrapped in it.
As soon as we reach home and are ready to get inside, take out that bag and place the dirty shoes in, tie the bag, and put it away until you are ready to clean the shoe. Or you could rest it on a piece of cardboard on the outside to air out for a while first. Then bag it, box it, or clean it well enough to come on in, that means all the dust is removed from it.
Keep Insects Out
One of the most common intruders that bring dust into our homes are those small insects such as spiders ants and so on. They have their own lives to live and they take them to our homes along with their families, friends, and loved ones.
They do their droppings, shed their skins, have babies, make nests, and create a whole new world for you in your own home. Frankly, they are here to take over so there is an endless war between us and them. Use special cleaning agents that they will shun immediately. Essential oils are good for this purpose.
Ensure that certain cracks are sealed in your house to prevent entry or lodging.
Eradicate Insects On Sight
Whenever we see small insects in our homes, sometimes we ignore them and take one or two for granted. This my dear reader is a big mistake.
One means many and many starts from one in the insect world. So when an ant is passing and it finds a small sugar grain he runs and makes the announcement! Then a few moments pass and you have an army of ants in your home- told you it was war.
And then you have to call in the big guns “the pest control company”. And your pocket burns! So have no mercy on these your enemies, get rid of them by whatever means you choose asap.
Vacuum Regularly
One of the best things you can do in your home to reduce dust is to vacuum regularly. Ensure that your vacuum cleaners have a good filter in them. Vacuums swallow up the dust so you can actually remove it from the house.
But if it does not have proper seals and high-efficiency air filters it could spread the dust all around the house instead. Vacuum all that you can; curtains, sofas and other upholstery, carpets mats, and more.
Things with fibers tend to hold dust more than those without. The dust will then build up without looking obvious, especially on carpets. Nothing holds dust as much as carpets.
If you were to take advice from a doctor he would tell you to get rid of all carpets completely- if you have bad dust allergies that is how serious it gets with carpets. So vacuum as often as possible. You will eliminate more dust if you vacuum hardwood floors instead of mopping.
Dust Often – Correctly- No feather dusters!
By this, we mean you should apply certain methods such as starting from the top sections of the house and working your way down. So the vacuum cleaner has its place and time.
When dusting otherwise, do not use feather dusters and things of this sort that only toss the dust around. Instead, use a damped cloth. This will collect the dust and you can properly get it out of the house.
Change Air Filters Regularly
The air filter works with your (HVAC) system, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Change this filter very often as dust gets packed up in it easily. You will see that it is doing its job when you see all those piles of dust in it.
So do your part and dispose of all those piled-up clouds of dust. A word of advice- do not get the cheapest air filters, it will cost you more.
Refresh your inside air
Ventilation is really necessary. Open windows and let in some fresh air to keep your home breathing nicely. It is important to have mesh screens at windows so that not everything that comes with the wind will get inside your home.
However, you want to get out the stale air and all that comes with it and introduce some good refreshing breeze to cheer you on.
Grooming And Your Pets
Take good care of your pets so that they do not contribute to the accumulation of dust. Bathe them as necessary, and brush hair properly to reduce the amount that will fall inside the house. If it’s a dog, wash their feet after walking them, they pick up a lot of dirt.
Grab Your Lint Roller
Use your lint roller to help you capture some of the dust on certain furniture such as chairs with leather or fabric on it.
Your sofa could do with some help from this as well. The lint roller works well both with microfiber and leather-covered sofas.
Lint Roller For The Window Screens
This is a nice tip I adopted from Pinterest! Use the lint roller to trap the dust from your window screens.
Lint Roll The Painting As Well!
This is a painting made from canvas. It also holds a moderate amount of dust. I use the lint roller for both the back and front.
Remember Your Bulbs
The bulb and its socket do accumulate dust over time and need to be cleaned. Sometimes some little insects land on it and die if the bulb is heated. Grab your microfiber cloth and dusting spray for this one.
If you can reach it where it is, give it a few spritzes from your dusting spray to soften the dust because sometimes the dust on the bulb gets hardened as a result of the heating of the bulb.
If you cannot reach it easily, you may wrap your microfiber cloth or rag cloth on a broom and dampen it with the dusting spray, then use it to reach for that dust.
Dust Decorative Pieces
This nice lantern is kept for any time hurricanes may pass through and electricity may be lost for a while. However, it adds to the decor of my home as well so I always keep it shiny.
Get Between The Door Frame
The cloth on the broom comes in handy to quickly remove the dust between where those door hinges swing. Once it is damped with your dusting spray, just run it up and down the groves.
Dust The Light Switches
Dust and sanitize the light switches. If children are around, they might touch the light switch with greasy hands which will cause dust to build upon that area. If the switch is not used often it will accumulate dust as the same.
A Toothbrush Can Help To Dust
I use a toothbrush to remove the dust from the keyboard on my laptop.
Was this information of any help? Comment below and let us know. And if you have any other suggestions that can be added to the list let us know.
16 Effective Ways To Reduce Dust In Your Home
Keep your home as dust-free as possible and you will better enjoy a more healthy surrounding.
Remember, it is better to wipe dust and wash it down the drain.
