How do I stop my house being so dusty?

Household dust is mostly fabric fibres, skin, soil brought in on shoes and outdoor particles. Reducing the sources cuts the amount, and capturing rather than dispersing it is what makes cleaning actually work.

What you'll need

• Microfibre cloths
• Vacuum with a good filter
• Doormats (optional)

Step by step

1. Work from the top of the room down.Shelves, tops of frames and doors, then furniture, then floors. Dusting downwards means you only vacuum the floor once.
2. Use a damp or electrostatic cloth, not a dry duster.Dry dusting launches particles into the air, and they resettle within a few hours. A slightly damp microfibre cloth captures them.
3. Vacuum with a HEPA or well-sealed filter.A vacuum with a poor filter blows fine dust straight back into the room, which is why some houses feel dustier after vacuuming.
4. Wash bedding weekly.Bedding is a major dust source — fabric fibres plus skin. Weekly washing at 60°C makes a noticeable difference to bedroom dust.
5. Deal with shoes at the door.A large amount of household dust is soil tracked in. A good doormat inside and out, and taking shoes off, cuts it substantially.
6. Reduce fabric and clutter where you can.Soft furnishings shed fibres and every surface collects dust. Fewer open shelves of ornaments means less dusting.
7. Change heating and vacuum filters on schedule.A clogged filter stops trapping and starts circulating. This applies to vacuums, extractors and any air filtration.
8. Do not forget the hidden places.Under and behind furniture, tops of wardrobes, curtain rails, radiator fins, and light fittings. These are where dust accumulates and then redistributes.

Tips

• Radiators push dust into the air convectively. Cleaning behind and inside them at the start of the heating season makes a real difference.
• Keep windows closed on high pollen or dusty days if outdoor dust is the main source. Ventilate at other times.
• An air purifier with a HEPA filter helps in one room, particularly a bedroom, though it is no substitute for cleaning.

Common mistakes

• Dry dusting with a feather duster — It disperses dust into the air rather than removing it. It resettles within hours and nothing has actually been cleaned.
• Vacuuming before dusting — Dusting drops particles onto the floor. Top down means vacuuming last, and only once.
• Using a vacuum with a poor or clogged filter — Fine dust passes straight through and is blown back into the room, sometimes making the problem worse.

Questions people ask