The Surprising Reason Your Home Always Feels Dusty
It might be time to check the HVAC system.
It’s perfectly normal for homes to accumulate some dust. But if you feel like you’re constantly wiping down surfaces, cleaning pros say you can make a few simple tweaks to your routine for a less dusty home. But first, you need to figure out why your house gets dusty.
According to home experts, things like an improperly maintained HVAC system, a drafty window, or lots of dust-catching decor items can make your home especially dusty. You may also be vacuuming too infrequently, using the wrong cleaning supplies (pros recommend a microfiber cloth rather than a feather duster), or accidentally bringing dust and debris into the home with your footwear. And we love our pets, but they can also make the home a little dustier.
Luckily, many of these problems are easily remedied. Maintaining your home’s systems, fixing a leaky door or window, and adjusting your cleaning routine can all help reduce the amount of dust you’re cleaning up.
Ahead, experts explain the most common reasons homes can feel dusty. For more tips to help you optimize your cleaning routine, read up on the spots most people miss when they’re cleaning their home and the common cleaning habits that make experts cringe.
You don't maintain your HVAC system
Caring for your AC and heating vents not only helps mitigate dust but also keeps your HVAC system running at peak performance. For regular maintenance, remove dust from ceiling or floor vents with a soft brush vacuum attachment, electrostatic mop or a long-handled microfiber duster. Then, dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe the surface.
For long-term care, remember to change the filters in your home’s furnaces, air conditioners and air handlers. The filters should be replaced when dirty, clogged or past the recommended replacement date. However, seasonally — or every 90 days — is a good benchmark.
You're not vacuuming or dusting enough
Sure, it might sound obvious, but if you let the days — or weeks — slip by, you'll have a lot of extra work on your hands. To stay on top of things, vacuum carpets and dust your furniture once per week, said Carolyn Forté, former executive director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab. Do a deeper dust — think light fixtures and blinds — once per month. Every three to six months, you'll also want to clean under and behind furniture, vacuum mattresses and wash pillows and comforters.
Another helpful pointer? When cleaning, trade the feather duster (it just moves dust around) for a soft microfiber cloth lightly dampened with water, or a furniture dusting spray and a microfiber duster that uses static electricity to pick up more dust particles, she said.
Your windows and doors are drafty
Drafty windows and doors will do more than decrease your home's energy efficiency and increase your bill — they can also welcome all kinds of tiny dirt and debris into your home, contributing to significant dust buildup. There are a few techniques to check the doors and windows in your home for leaks, but the easiest is to shine a flashlight on door and window frames at night. If the person on the other side sees light, you may have a leak.
Small cracks less than 1/4 inch can generally be fixed with caulk, while larger cracks between 1/4 inch and 3 inches may require spray foam or even professional attention to address insulation issues. Weighted draft stoppers can block air and dust from entering and exiting through gaps at the bottoms of your doors.
You wear shoes in the house
The soles of your shoes harbor a lot of grime and even bacteria. Just think about everything they can track inside: particles of dirt, grass and leaves, not to mention the grosser stuff, like the remnants from the floor of your office, car, or any number of other public places you wandered into. Leave it all at the door, minimizing excess dust in your home, by slipping your shoes off before stepping inside.
You have pets
Your cat or dog may be part of your family but their hair and dander — microscopic flakes of skin — contribute to excess dust. To help keep things under control, groom and bathe your pets regularly. It's also wise to invest in a HEPA vacuum specifically made with pet hair in mind to help keep all of those tiny particles out of the air.
Use the vacuum to regularly clean your pet's bed as well. First, clean and deodorize their sleeping spot by sprinkling the surface with baking soda, then let it sit for 15 minutes before vacuuming it up.
Your home has poor air quality
Dust builds up more rapidly in a house with poor air circulation. Ceiling fans (make sure blades are dusted!) can help keep things moving, while a top-rated air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter can help capture some of the dust mites and pet dander you may have missed when cleaning. And, when the weather permits, you can always open the windows to let fresh air in.
You have lots of dust-catching decor
Clutter — even the attractive kind like vases, candles or books on a shelf — creates more surfaces where dust can settle. Not to mention, the more stuff you have out, the more nooks and crannies there are to keep up with, which can make it harder to clean thoroughly, leading to even more buildup over time. An excess of stuff can also interfere with air circulation, causing dust particles to get trapped in between objects.
To remove dust from these tiny nooks and crannies, use an electrostatic duster or even a clean natural-bristle paint or makeup brush before wiping with a microfiber cloth.
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
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