Reducing the amount of dust in your home is by far the most effective remedy for controlling allergies and there are several things you can do to decrease the amount of dust in your home even though you’ll never be able to eliminate it completely.
Get the Vacuum Out!
The vacuum cleaner is the most common thought of device when we consider how to remove dust from our homes. The problem is that we are able to see the larger ‘bits’ that it is picking up and, if we have a bagless machine, we can often see the cylinder filling up quite rapidly. Therefore we think it’s doing a good job. However, people can hold on to using the same vacuum cleaner for many years. In that time, seals will wear out and the suction may diminish so, though it may still function, is it really picking up everything? A good way to tell is to vacuum a small area in direct sunlight then stop, turn the machine off and look at it. The sunlight will demonstrate just how much dust is coming from the vacuum so, if you need to replace it, opt for one which specialises in trapping microscopic particles.
If you have wooden floors, you will accumulate far less dust than with wall-to-wall carpeting. However, if you don’t want to compromise on cosiness, how about wooden or laminate flooring with a few rugs strategically placed? The rugs can then also be taken outside and beaten, therefore getting rid of more dust. However, wall-to-wall carpeting is not a great idea if there is someone living in the house who has a dust allergy.
Dusting the Furniture
Dusting the furniture is no-one’s idea of fun but you should try to do it at least once a week and build it into a set cleaning regime. If you have people living in the house who suffer from dust allergies, you may have to do it more than once. You can use a feather duster, a soft cloth and there are even dust mitts which you can do the job with. When buying new home furnishings, leather and vinyl might not be to your tastes but they both attract less dust than synthetic materials and any dust they do attract is easier to spot and, therefore, to get rid of.
Have a Regular Clear Out
It’s amazing how much clutter we can gather in a short space of time. Old boxes containing items we’ve bought, unplayed CDs, unread books and a whole host of other things can often lie around for months with the result that they attract dust. If you put your clutter away or get rid out of it on a regular basis, not only will there be less items lying around for dust to cling to, you’ll also find there’s more space to move around so you’ll inevitably get into more nooks and crannies when you’re doing your regular weekly dusting session.
Pets
Pets can have an incredible impact upon the amount of dust, dander and dust mites that come into your home. If you absolutely can’t bear the thought of making them live outside, then try to keep their movements around the house restricted. Don’t let them go upstairs to spread more dust around the bedrooms and keep them groomed and bathed regularly.
Bedding
The warm confines of your bed must be like sleeping in a palace for dust mites so ensure that you wash all of your bedding in a washing machine once a week. And wipe or vacuum the mattress down before remaking the bed.
Specialist Equipment
Air filters and air purifiers can also reduce dust in the home and range in price depending on what type you’re looking for (see article on air purification systems) and reducing the humidity in your home can significantly reduce dust and other allergens. Therefore, you might also consider buying a dehumidifier.
However, keeping dust under control begins with effective and regular cleaning habits and this is especially important if you or someone else living with you suffers with their health due to the effects of dust.
Leave A Comment