Since spring is the season of new beginnings, it makes sense to clean your house thoroughly. When should you spring clean your house? Cleaning before the weather gets too hot means you can open your windows to enjoy some fresh air. Also, you won’t have to crank up the air conditioner to stay cool while you work. What do you tackle first when spring cleaning? How do you thoroughly spring clean your home? It’s important to know the right dusting tips. You want to eliminate dust instead of scattering it. Also, it helps to know some useful spring-cleaning tips to promote better health. Get answers to these questions, learn how to get rid of dust, and learn some prevention tips.
Why Is It Important to Get Rid of Dust During Spring Cleaning?
Dust is mostly dead skin cells, dust mite droppings, and the remains of dust mite bodies. There may also be outdoor dirt on surfaces if you open the windows often. Since dust contributes to poorer indoor air quality, getting rid of it is important. Research shows that most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors. If you spend most of your time indoors, dusting is especially critical.
Top 4 Dusting Tips
Is there a simple trick to eliminate dust in your house? While there is no one trick that works for all surfaces, there are some efficient solutions. Dusting is an important task to place at the top of your spring-cleaning checklist. These are some tips for effectively removing dust.
1. Use Good Dusting Products
Those old feather dusters your grandparents used are your enemies in the battle against dust. They mostly send dust flying to the floor or onto other surfaces. If you cannot see the dust clinging to the product you use to remove it, avoid it. A good material to look for is microfiber. Dust clings to it, and you can wash it out and reuse it. You can find microfiber sweeping cloths, dusters, and rags in many places. Also, you can use a damp cloth. Make sure to use the right dusting cloths and tools to avoid scratching surfaces.
2. Start at the Top
What do you clean first when spring cleaning? Start with dusting, and start at the highest point. Although microfiber does a great job of picking up dust, a little may still escape or fall. If you dust a table and then the shelves above it, you may notice a little extra dirt on the table. As you clean, work your way downward with the floors being the last place you dust. This is a list of examples of common places you should dust:
- Overhead or ceiling vents
- Crown molding or trim below the ceiling
- Ceiling fans and lights
- Tops of cabinets and appliances
- Picture frames and tops of doorways
- Window blinds and tops of windows
- Bookshelves and dressers
- Tables, desks, and furniture
- Baseboards
- Floors
When people dust, there are some common places they may overlook. Be sure to remove the dust under beds, in closets, behind the toilet, and in other low-traffic areas.
3. Use Vacuum Attachments
For cleaning blinds or other hard-to-clean surfaces with dust, always use vacuum attachments if you have a vacuum. However, using a high-quality vacuum on other surfaces can be a great way to remove dust. Vacuums with a HEPA filter can effectively trap dust. An ideal vacuum will have a washable filter and multiple attachments. With a floor attachment, brush attachment, and long hose, you can clean most surfaces.
4. Address Dust Mite Sources
In addition to the previous steps, make sure you consider all the dust mite sources in your home. These microscopic pests hide in carpets, pillows, furniture, bedding, and other places where people spend their time. They feed on dead skin cells, multiply, and can worsen dust problems. While you may be unable to get rid of them all, you can minimize them. Here are some ways to get rid of dust mites:
- If you don’t wash your pillows, put them in the dryer on high for 10 minutes.
- Wash bedding in water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat thick rugs, and thoroughly vacuum all carpets or smaller rugs.
- Vacuum all cloth furniture surfaces with a brush attachment.
- If possible, wash kids’ stuffed animals or cloth toys.
Other Important Spring-Cleaning Tips
Some surfaces still need to be cleaned after they are dusted. These are some helpful tips for after the dusting is done:
- Wash curtains, or shake them outdoors.
- Clean blinds with a rag and soapy water.
- Wipe down wood desks, bookshelves, and other furniture with wood polish.
- Clean and disinfect countertops with a vinegar and water mixture or a natural solution.
- Wipe down and disinfect the insides of cabinets and drawers.
- Clean out the refrigerator and freezer.
- If possible, clean behind appliances.
- Clean out the oven.
- Throw away or donate unused items.
Those are just a few examples of cleaning tasks. You can find plenty of other spring cleaning tips for decluttering and organizing. Perhaps you want to remove rust from metal surfaces, polish silver, or do something else. Make your own list of tasks you want to accomplish.
How to Prevent Dust Buildup
Although some dust is inevitable, you can minimize it with prevention. Since you know that the main cause is dust mites, minimizing them is one clever way to reduce dust. Health experts recommend that people with dust mite allergies use special bedding covers. Pillows are some other common places where mites thrive. Wash and dry all pillows at least three times each year. You can also find pillow covers for dust mite allergies. Choose bedding that you can wash weekly in hot water. Buy washable stuffed toys for kids. Also, minimize dust by following these tips:
- Clean behind furniture, beds, and similar places frequently.
- Dust and mop hard floors weekly.
- Vacuum carpets and rugs every week with a device that has a HEPA filter.
- Implement a “no shoes on the carpet” rule.
- Change HVAC filters regularly.
- Wipe interior surfaces regularly with a wet or oiled cloth.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some common spring cleaning and dusting questions people ask.
How do you do a thorough spring cleaning?
Think about all the surfaces in the home, and try to clean as many as possible. Use the right methods to remove dirt and dust first.
What do you clean first when spring cleaning?
First, remove the dust, starting with the highest surfaces and working downward.
How do you spring clean without getting overwhelmed?
Try breaking up tasks for different days of the week. Do not try to clean the entire house in one day and exhaust yourself. Also, listening to music you like may help.
When should you spring clean your house?
Many home improvement experts recommend starting in March or April. However, the ideal time can vary based on where you live. Try to do it before summer starts and when the weather is nice.
Whether you have plenty of time or just a little time to clean, be sure to dust properly. Removing dust can help promote a healthier indoor environment for your household. Find all the cleaning and dust prevention products you need at your nearest True Value store.
