You’re returning home from a trip – and you expect to walk into your neat and clean home – after all, you did a major home cleaning right before you left. And when you enter, you see a thin film of dust everywhere!

So how did this happen?

What Causes Dust?

Dust is a collection of tiny particles of dirt, bacteria, exhaust, the climate, lifestyle of the house’s inhabitants, etc. These particles are so small and light that they filter into your home, even when all doors are closed. 

So, before getting rid of the dust in your home, it’s important to understand what dust is usually made up of. 

Pollen

Pollen is a common allergen. It is brought into a home by sticking onto shoes, clothing, bags etc.

If you have a green thumb and many indoor houseplants and flowers, you can rest assured that the pollen in your home originates both indoors and outdoors. 

Dead Skin

Okay, yes, this one is quite gross to think of, but dead skin cells are a component of the dust in your home. We shed tens of thousands of skin cells every day, and these flakes that fall off are a magnet for bacteria and even dust mites. 

Dirt Particles

Dirt particles come into your home from the outside world. They then settle into small spaces and crevices and build up slowly over time. It can be from your shoes, pets, or even a gust of wind that blows dirt into your home.

How To Get Rid Of Dust

Here are a few ways to control the amount of dust entering and accumulating in your home.

Dust From Top To Bottom

Begin with the tallest pieces of furniture in your home and start dusting from the top. This includes dusting blinds and curtains too.

All the dust falls from the top to the floor, allowing you to vacuum and mop the clean it all up.

Ensure you use the right tools to dust and clean up when dusting. In our professional opinion, microfibre cloths collect dust effectively. If there is a lot of dust buildup, one way to clean it up quickly is to use a damp cloth. 

Remember, dust settles on everything, so once in a while, pay attention to plant leaves, coffee table books, decorative items and any other object that usually stays in one place. 

Clean Carpets And Upholstery Regularly

The fibres of carpets and upholstered furniture collect dust quickly. These furnishings need at least a weekly vacuuming to ensure they remain dust-free. 

Ensure that you empty your vacuum cleaner dust bags regularly – and always do so outside! 

Usually, regular vacuuming helps reduce the amount of dirt and dust present in a carpet and upholstery. However, sometimes dust settles deep inside the fibres, making it hard to remove through vacuuming. 

We suggest hiring a professional carpet cleaning service to help eliminate the toughest stains and grime. 

One of the most effective and safe carpet cleaning methods is steam cleaning. This method uses plain steam and a specialised machine to loosen dirt and stains and remove them. 

This method also helps kill harmful bacteria and tiny insects through the use of heat!

Change Your Bedding Weekly

It sounds excessive to change all your sheets each week, but hear us out. 

We spend hours at a time asleep or relaxing on our beds. All the skin cells we shed daily, plus dirt and even dust mites, collect as we do so. Plus, the fabric absorbs sweat while you sleep – and if you like snacking in bed, crumbs as well!

So provide yourself with a nice clean environment to relax in after a long day, and make a weekly bedding wash-up part of your routine. 

Your pillows and mattresses need attention from time to time too. Since these items are hard to clean, a time-effective option is to hire a cleaning service to give your mattress a deep clean yearly. 

Try A Regular Cleaning Service

To keep up the maintenance of your home, it’s essential to either follow a rigorous cleaning schedule daily or routinely. 

If you don’t have the time or inclination to do so, you can always take help from a professional cleaning service. 

Most home cleaning services offer plenty of options to suit all needs. For example, at NexDo, we provide standard home cleanings, deep cleaning, carpet cleaning and even specialised couch cleaning services!

How To Prevent Dust Buildup

Now that you’ve controlled the amount of dust entering your home, it’s time to stop the rapid buildup.

No Outside Shoes In!

This one is pretty simple, really – with many cultures worldwide practising this rule, even for guests! 

Ask your family and other visitors to deposit their shoes outside before entering your home. This helps minimise the risk of getting dirt and grime from the outside in to your house. 

Try An Air Purifier

Not only will air purifiers reduce the amount of dust in your home, but they will also help to collect pollen and other allergens so that they don’t circulate all over your home!

This will provide your family with clean, safe air to breathe indoors. We recommend placing purifiers near windows, doors, or areas where wind and dust can enter your home.  

Declutter!

Having piles of bills on countertops or a lot of small decorative items around your home are places where dust settles in quite nicely. 

By minimising the amount of surface area for dust to settle on, you effectively minimise the amount of dust that goes unnoticed in your home. 

Plus, the less clutter around your home makes your home look neater and reduces the amount of daily cleaning required, a real win-win!

Groom Pets

Pet fur tends to stick to everything. When pets go out to play and come in, they can track dirt and dust over furniture and around the house. 

One way to curb the amount of dirt brought in is to groom them regularly. This helps reduce the amount of shedding too!