How to Reduce Dust in Your Home
Dust is unsightly, but it can also be unhealthy, particularly for allergy and asthma sufferers. While there’s no way to completely eliminate dust from your home, you can take steps to reduce it.
Swipe through to see 7 ways you can reduce dust in your home.
Change your HVAC filters regularly. Spend a little extra to get filters with a high MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values) rating, because they filter air much better. MERV 13 is considered the best filter for home use because it captures more particles than lower-rated filters, but it’s not so strong that it creates a strain on your HVAC system.
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Air purifiers pull air in and run it through filters to clean it. Be sure to get an air purifier with true HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters. Some units say they have HEPA-like filters, but they aren’t as good as true HEPA filters at removing particulate matter from the air.
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Use doormats at every entrance to your home to reduce the amount of dirt that gets tracked in. Don’t forget to encourage friends and family members to actually use the doormats!
Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, to clean hard floors at least once a week and carpet and rugs a couple of times a week. Be sure to keep your vacuum running in top condition—with clean filters—so it can do its job properly.
No matter how many preventative steps you take, you’ll inevitably still have some dust. Establish and maintain a daily routine to try to keep up with the dusting needs. Commit to wiping down the living room on Tuesdays, for example, and tackle the plants (yes, you need to dust your plants) on Thursdays.
When you dust, don’t use a feather duster, because they tend to just push the dust around. Use a clean microfiber cloth, perhaps slightly dampened, depending on what you’re dusting. Throw the cloth in the laundry after each use, and start with a fresh cloth next time you dust.
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Groom your pets regularly. Pet hair and dander is a big contributor to the buildup of dust in our homes, so take steps to keep Fido and Mittens tidy. Bathe dogs often, and between baths, brush their coats outdoors to get rid of loose hair. Comb your cats to the extent they will tolerate it!
