11 things you can do to make your home less dusty

Dust is obnoxious. Within a day of wiping down your furniture and electronics, you’ll see those nasty specks completely covering the surfaces again. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to make your home less dusty.

It would be hard to prove, but it is commonly held that approximately half of the dirt and dust in your home gets inside on your shoes and boots. Keep mats at each exterior door, one outside and one inside to be extra careful. Shake them out away from open windows and wash or hose them down regularly.

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If you allow the air in your home to get too dry, you’re asking for more dust. Skin, fabrics, plants – everything will dry out and produce more dust when it’s dry. You can add moisture with a plug-in humidifier or a whole-house unit on your forced-air furnace. Also, running water in the tub or shower, boiling water in a kettle and air-drying clothes adds moisture to the air. Experts suggest you aim for an indoor humidity level of 30% to 50%.

Discover how to improve the airflow in your home. 

You don’t want to know how much dust lurks in carpeting and rugs. Even if you vacuum and shake out rugs frequently, dust gets trapped in there until someone walks or rolls around on them, and then that dust becomes airborne. Some will resettle in the carpet while some will end up on your horizontal surfaces. If you must buy an area rug, be warned that wool rugs shed like crazy.

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Exhaust vent grilles, especially those in bathrooms, collect lots of dust. One slick way to clean them, if they pop out easily, is to place them on the top rack and run them through your dishwasher. If you can’t easily remove that dusty grille, use a damp cloth and cotton-tipped swaps to clean off the dust. Vacuuming works, too, but be sure your vacuum isn’t spewing the dirt right back into the air.

Here are more things you’ll be surprised that you can clean in the dishwasher.

You know how much you love your cosy bed? Sadly, dust mites love it just as much. Without getting too gross, our bedrooms get so dusty because that’s where we shed a lot of dead skin (dust) and that’s why dust mites live there (more dust). Bed linens, including pillows and blankets, need to be cleaned often to keep the dust from piling up.

You can vacuum all you want, but if your machine is spewing that dust right back in to the air or not sucking up the dust, you won’t ever get ahead. If your vacuum has a bag, be sure to change it when it fills up. If you vacuum is bagless, empty out the dirt cup after every use. Clean or replace filters often and if your vacuum has a belt, check to make sure it’s in good shape. If not, replace it.

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If you have a forced-air HVAC system, put changing the filter on your monthly to-do list. It’s easy and takes very little time, but it will help greatly with dust control.

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All window blinds, shades and curtains trap lots of dust. Why? It’s all that surface area! You can dust the blinds one blade at a time or remove them from their mounting hardware and wash them or have them professionally cleaned. Dusty shades can usually be wiped down with a damp cloth. And, curtains can be washed or professionally cleaned depending on what they’re made of.

We love our pets, but they do contribute to indoor dustiness. When your pet’s fur needs brushing, it’s best to take them outside and make sure the windows downwind are closed.

Check out these 14 clever cleaning tips and tricks for pet owners.