Must-Know Dusting Advice

Dusting Tips

Is dusting just about your favorite pastime? Yeah, we didn’t think so. Here at SpongeOutlet, we’re not crazy about it either, but our years of perfecting cleaning methods and products have taught us a thing or two about the right way to clean your home. And, while you may think dusting is as simple as wiping your furniture with a microfiber cloth, we’re here to tell you that you’re skipping a few steps.

Read on to learn about how to dust the most effective way, in our must-know dusting lesson.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Make a Plan

Start out by making a plan, or map of what you’ll need to dust: if you prefer lists, that works too. The reason we suggest making a plan is that dust is everywhere, and many people skip very dusty spots simply because they get distracted by other dusty spots when they get started.

  • A good rule of thumb is to dust one room at a time, and don’t just think about the surface: your bathroom, for example, may need to have its walls dusted. Moist air from your shower can cause dust to stick to the walls and baseboards with a little more sticking power than in other rooms.

Start at the top and work your way down. If you have a ceiling fan, dust that first. If you have crown molding, dust that second. Then, tackle the walls, then the furniture, and finally give the floors a good sweep. Dusting your room will upset the layers of dust on your floors and furniture, so starting up high ensures that you’re not leaving any misplaced dust behind. A strong finish with a vacuum cleaner is the best.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Remove Everything

The first thing to do when dusting a room is to remove all of the items on the surfaces of your tables. You’ll be able to easily dust all surfaces and hard to reach areas, but remember: before you bring your stuff back into the room, make sure you give it a thorough dusting. It would be a shame to spend an hour dusting, only to re-deposit a pile of dust on your perfectly clean tabletops!

Microfiber Dusting WandsMust-Know Dusting Advice: Choose your Tools

We already mentioned a vacuum cleaner: utilize the extension tools that came with it, and don’t forget to change the settings for when you switch from carpet to hardwood. It might seem silly, but it actually makes a difference in how much stuff you pick up.

Microfiber dusting wands are a great alternative to chemical dust sprays, but those can be effective if used properly, especially on that expensive antique furniture in your living room.

  • Pro tip: if you’re not sure how best to clean a particular item of furniture, ask your local hardware store or furniture store for advice. There are different rules for different woods, as well as laminate surfaces.

For dust that’s a bit out of hand, use a damp microfiber cloth, like the ones available from SpongeOutlet.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Get Preventative

According to HGTV, one of the best ways to “dust” your home is to prevent the dust from accumulating in the first place. You can do this by investing in new air filters for your air conditioner and heating systems.

  • If you’re really anti-dust, you can get rid of your carpeting and opt instead for washable throw rugs. Carpet tends to trap dust, and even when it’s been properly vacuumed, it often has a bit left behind.

Decluttering your surfaces is another great way to make dusting easier: without all of those pesky nooks and crannies to tend to, dusting will be easier and more efficient, costing you less time on your weekly chore list.

Must-Know Dusting Advice: Dry to Wet

If you have hardwood or tile floors, you may be inclined to mop them regularly, but it’s important to dust them first. Use a dry mop or broom to sweep away any dust that’s on your floors, because once you turn on the water, the dust will clump and become more difficult to remove.

  • So, a good rule of thumb: always start with a dry mop, and then switch to a wet one. The same applies when you’re dusting vanities or sinks in your kitchen and bathroom.

Importance of Frequent Cleaning Must-Know Dusting Advice: Frequent Repeats

Now that you have a plan of action, the key to keeping a dust free home is to dust it frequently. You don’t have to make it an everyday chore, but at least once a week is a good rule of thumb. For households with a lot of pets and people, you may need to double or triple up.

For more cleaning tips, check out our blog, and learn about all of our products here. Happy dusting!

Cleaning Your New Home

If you have ever moved, you likely remember the stress of finding a house, the process of bidding on that house, the panic when you won that bid, and the chaos that ensued when you started to prepare for the move.

Moving into a home is a process and your first step should be to clean your new house.

Clean Where People Touch

The house you purchased was likely lived in by another family, in which case people often touched every surface of it.

Make sure you are disinfecting and wiping down everything and pay special attention to the items that might have been touched frequently by other people.

  • Make sure you clean the buttons on the appliances, the door handles, the light switches, and railings for example.

Get an anti-bacterial spray to make sure that these surfaces are free of germs and leftover grime from the family before you.

Clean Where You Normally Wouldn’t

An empty house is an opportunity to clean where you normally wouldn’t.

You should wipe down walls, clean out dirt and grime behind your appliances, disinfect the cupboards, and clean out the attic.

Although we all eventually mean to complete these projects, we rarely do once we are settled.

Clean those hard to reach places when nothing is in your way and your home is empty.

Focus on Your Floors

Floors that appear clean and fresh can make your home feel much more put together overall. Make sure you clean your floors thoroughly before putting your furniture inside.

Floors are also walked on constantly and are much dirtier than we want to believe, after all, they are being used constantly.

  • If you have a ceramic tile floor in your kitchen, you should consider using our Melamine Floor Pads in your home to get them looking brand new and ready to host.

Start From the Very Top

Microfiber Dusting Wand When you start cleaning your new home, you are going to be cleaning virtually every inch of it.

When you start cleaning, start with your ceiling fans and light fixtures and work your way down each room.

When you are cleaning ceilings and light fixtures, dirt and dust is going to fall down below you.

You don’t want to clean the floors first and have them soiled by the rest of your cleaning.

Start cleaning from the top of the room so you can get to the end and finish with cleaning the floors.

If you follow these suggestions, cleaning your new home should be simple. The sooner it is cleaned, the sooner you can get settled. For more cleaning advice, visit Spongeoutlet’s blog.