You’ve got your kitchen and bathroom cleaning routine down, a system for managing clutter, and you never leave dishes sitting in the sink overnight. Heck, you may even wash, fold, and put away laundry all in one day! Yet no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to keep that layer of dust from settling on your surfaces for more than a minute at a time. And household dust is not only annoying, it can also cause respiratory issues for allergy and asthma suffers.
Minimizing the amount of dust in your home can make a significant difference in air quality, and prolong the life of furniture, appliances, and household electronics. Here are some simple suggestions for banishing dust once and for all and improving your quality of life.
Replace Furnace Filters
One of the easiest ways to minimize dust buildup while improving indoor air quality is to change your furnace filter every 8 weeks or so or as recommended by the manufacturer. Plus, this simple task helps your HVAC system run more effectively and efficiently, reducing wear and tear and adding years to the life of parts and components.
Take Your Shoes Of
All sorts of dirt, chemicals, and debris hitch a ride on the soles of our shoes. Avoid bringing them into your home by removing your shoes at the door and asking all visitors to do the same.
Dust Fabrics and Upholstery
If you’re only vacuuming your floors, you’re ignoring all the dust and dirt that settles into curtains, sofas, lampshades, and other fabric and upholstered items. Whether you choose steam cleaning or the upholstery attachment on your vacuum, regular cleaning is a must to help minimize dust.
Dust Window Blinds
Swapping fabric window coverings for blinds helps, but it doesn’t quite eliminate the dust dilemma. Hard surfaces such as blinds and shades attract a fair amount of dust so be sure to give them a thorough, regular cleaning.
Vacuum Frequently and Properly
A good vacuum cleaner is your best weapon against everyday dust. Choose a bag-less model with a built-in HEPA filter to trap small particles of dirt and dust and help freshen the air. Thoroughly vacuum all floors at least once a week or more often if you have pets that shed.
Declutter Clothing and Bedding
Stray polyester and cotton fibers from clothing, bedding, pillows, and other fabric items can be a major source of dust. Declutter closets and keep only what you need for the season. Toss or donate what you don’t use, and place the rest in vacuum-sealed bags. This not only minimizes dust but frees up closet space – a win-win!
Clear the Clutter
Speaking of clutter, resist the urge to display too many books, knick-knacks, and other items on mantles, shelves, and inside display cabinets. No matter how stylish or interesting, they need to be dusted regularly to help prevent dust build-up.
Change Bedding Weekly
As mentioned above, bedding and linen fibers can create a significant amount of dust. But bedding also captures dead skin particles from your body while you sleep. Pretty gross, right? Sheets and pillowcases should be washed once a week while comforters, blankets, and mattress pads should be washed every one to two months to keep bedding fresh and reduce the amount of dust that accumulates in bedrooms.
Dust Houseplants
Believe it or not, houseplants (real or fake) are a major collector of dust. Use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe off dust, then polish larger leaves to make them shine.
Install an Air Purifier
From whole-house to small single-room models, air purifiers do a fantastic job of trapping dirt, dust, and other pollutants while circulating cleaner, fresher air throughout your home. And at Zach Heating & Cooling, we offer a variety of air filtration solutions, so you’re sure to find one just right for your household’s air quality needs. Installed inside your home’s existing ductwork, a whole-house air purifier can remove over 99% of airborne pollutants while delivering more efficient heating and cooling. For more information or to schedule a free in-home air quality analysis, contact Zach Heating & Cooling today.