Dust is obnoxious. Within a day of wiping down your furniture and electronics, you’ll see those nasty specks completely covering the surfaces again. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to make your home less dusty.
Stop Dirt and Dust at the Door
It would be hard to prove, but it is commonly held that approximately half of the dirt and dust in your home gets inside on your shoes and boots. Keep mats at each exterior door, one outside and one inside to be extra careful. Shake them out away from open windows and wash or hose them down regularly.
Add Humidity
If you allow the air in your home to get too dry, you’re asking for more dust. Skin, fabrics, plants—everything will dry out and produce more dust when it’s dry. You can add moisture with a plug-in humidifier or a whole-house unit on your forced-air furnace. Also, running water in the tub or shower, boiling water in a teakettle and air-drying clothes adds moisture to the air. Experts suggest you aim for an indoor humidity level of 30% to 50%.
Eliminate Thick Carpet and Rugs
You don’t want to know how much dust lurks in carpeting and rugs. Even if you vacuum and shake out rugs frequently, dust gets trapped in there until someone walks or rolls around on them, and then that dust becomes airborne. Some will resettle in the carpet while some will end up on your horizontal surfaces. If you must buy an area rug, be warned that wool rugs shed like crazy.
Clean Dusty Vent Grilles
Exhaust vent grilles, especially those in bathrooms, collect lots of dust. One slick way to clean them, if they pop out easily, is to place them on the top rack and run them through your dishwasher or use a homemade dusting spray. If you can’t easily remove that dusty grille, use a damp cloth and cotton-tipped swaps to clean off the dust. Vacuuming works, too, but be sure your vacuum isn’t spewing the dirt right back into the air.
