How to reduce dust in your home: 15 expert cleaning tips

Trying to reduce dust in your home can seem like a never-ending battle. You spend all day cleaning and the next morning, a thin layer of gray puff is back on the table. You might be wondering where it all comes from. Dust is a mixture of many things, including dead skin cells, hair, clothing fibers, pet dander, and dirt from outside. In fact, the average home can collect about 40 pounds of dust in just one year!

As someone with both a dust mites allergy and asthma, I put most of my cleaning effort into dealing with dust build-up. Not only does it keep my house beautiful, but it also helps keep my allergies under control! So read my best tips to deal with dust and apply them in your home.

Stop the dust at the front door

The best way to prevent dust is to not get it in the first place. About 60% to 80% of household dust comes from outside on the bottom of shoes.

• Start a “no shoes” policy: Have everyone take off their shoes when they come in. Keep a basket of clean slippers, socks, or slippers by the door so guests can stay comfortable.
• Use heavy-duty mats: Place sturdy door mats both inside and outside each entrance. Shake them out or vacuum them every few days to keep them working well.
• Seal your home: Dust blows through the gaps around the doors and windows. Use caulking and caulking to seal these cracks to minimize windblown dust.

Prevent airborne dust

Even if you don’t have asthma, airborne dust particles and debris can scratch your throat, itch your eyes, or cause breathing problems. Fortunately, you can reduce dust in your home by paying close attention to your home’s air system.

• Change filters more often: Most people change their air filter every three months, but doing so every 30 days is better for reducing dust and improving indoor air quality.
• Clear the airways: Remove the covers from the floor trays and vacuum as far as you can reach the ducts. (Here’s how I do it.)
• Repair your HVAC: An annual maintenance check identifies problems that prevent the HVAC unit from working properly. They will also clean out dirt and dust build-up in the condenser casing, which can reduce the amount of dust you see inside and improve energy efficiency.
• Try an air purifier: A portable air purifier with a True HEPA filter can trap 99.97% of tiny particles, helping you minimize the dust you can’t even see.
• Check the humidity: If your air is too dry, the skin and paint peels off more easily, creating more dust. Using a humidifier can help control dust during the cold months.

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Develop better cleaning habits

Using the right tools makes a huge difference in how you reduce dust in your home.

• Remove the fender duster: These often just move the dust or let it fall back to the floor. Dry dusting cloths aren’t much better. Instead, use a damp microfiber cloth and wipe over hard surfaces such as shelves, countertops, and blinds. The moisture traps the powder so you can actually wash it off.
• Declutter: Knives and piles of magazines give dust a place to hide. By keeping your surfaces clean, cleaning is much easier.
• Regular vacuum cleaner: Vacuum every room once a week and go to high traffic areas every other day. Move the vacuum slowly in overlapping lines to make sure it has time to soak up the dirt. If you have carpets, vacuum the room in one direction, then turn and vacuum at a right angle for the most dust removal.
• Don’t skip the soft surfaces: Vacuum your upholstery and curtains and wash your carpets at least once a month.
• Wash bed linen weekly: Beds are big magnets for dust mites because they collect skin cells and hair while you sleep. Wash your sheets and pillowcases once a week in hot water. (Here’s why.)
• Groom Pets Out: Brushing your dog or cat outdoors prevents pet hair and dander from settling on your furniture.

Two easy tricks to reduce dust in your home

• The dryer sheet trick: Wipe hard surfaces such as televisions or wooden tables with a used dryer. The anti-static coating helps repel dust so it doesn’t stick as easily. (Here it is more cool things you can do with dryer sheets.)
• Use the “fan” trick: When cleaning, turn your system fan to the “on” position. Keep it running for 15 minutes after you’re done to help the filter catch the powder you mixed up.

Although your home can never be completely dust-free (unless you go outside and seal the whole thing with plastic), regular cleaning and care can help keep it under control.