5 Proven Ways to Minimize Dust in Home

Dust: Can you think of anything more boring? It might coat every surface of your home, making it seem like a part of daily life. And to an extent, it is. However, dust is still dangerous, negatively affecting the quality of the air and thus, your health. In fact, your home might be collecting as much as 40 pounds of dust a year. So, what can you do about it? Let’s go through a few simple ways to keep dust out of your home.


5 Practical Ways to Reduce Dust in Your Home


Where does dust come from, anyway? A common belief is that it’s mostly dead skin. One this is one component of dust, there are many others. This includes fibers from your clothing and carpet, soil, dust mites, pet fur/dander, pollen, soot, and even microscopic pieces of plastic. Sound nasty? It is. Poor air quality in your home can adversely affect your lung health. And if you have a pre-existing condition, like asthma, it can be even worse.


How can you prevent dust in the home without turning into a total clean freak? Try these five things!


1. Use the Right Cleaning Tools


Taking a feather duster or dry rag to the dust in your home isn’t doing much. As opposed to trapping dust, they simply move it around. Instead, opt for microfiber cloths. These attract and hold dust using an electrostatic charge. Plus, they’re machine-washable, meaning you can reuse them and save money you would’ve spent on endless rolls of paper towels.


When you throw them in the washing machine, avoid using bleach or fabric softener. This can damage the quality of the fibers over time. Plus, fabric softener leaves a wax coating on materials, which makes it harder for your microfiber cloths to do their job. Be sure that after washing them, you let them air-dry. This keeps them soft.


2. Use a Vacuum with a HEPA Filter


Vacuuming is one of those daily habits that keep your house clean. But don’t settle for any old vacuum cleaner. If a vacuum uses a less-than-optimal filtration system, it might be recirculating dust right back into the air. Do your due diligence and ensure that your device uses a HEPA filter. This ensures that the vacuum traps and holds onto dust, as opposed to spitting it back out.


And speaking of HEPA filters…


3. Keep an Air Purifier Running


Air purifiers are another way to filter the air you breathe without having to do any additional work. And the right purifier can easily trap the dust in your home. But what should you look out for in this technology?


First, consider that the air in your home is carrying all sorts of nasty germs, bacteria, and particles. Pet fur and dander, dust, mold, viruses, smoke — none of which you can see, and all of which are impacting your health. To be able to trap particles of different kinds and sizes, an air purifier needs multiple layers of protection.


For example, Sans uses a three-layer filtration system. It starts with the pre-filter, then the medical-grade HEPA 13 filter (more on this in a moment), and finally the activated carbon filter. Lastly, Sans features an internal UV-C light for an added level of protection.


Similar to the filter in your vacuum, you want to ensure that your air purifier uses a medical-grade HEPA 13 filter. This means that it’s capable of picking up even the most threatening of particles. Sans’ filter captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in size and 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns in size. For reference, a human hair is a whopping 90 microns thick!


While you can’t do a whole lot to control the air that you breathe outside, what happens inside your home is much easier to navigate.


4. Clean from the Top Down


The order in which you clean things in your home matters! If you start with mopping and vacuuming and then move to wipe down surfaces, all of that dust will end up on your clean floors. Always clean from the top down.


If it helps, make a list of all of your chores and then order them accordingly. It might look like this:


  1. Wipe down cabinets and appliances.
  2. Sanitize countertops, sinks, and toilets.
  3. Take rugs outside to beat.
  4. Vacuum carpets and rugs.
  5. Mop floors.

5. Reduce Clutter


A good rule of thumb? Don’t put it down — put it away. Clutter only increases the amount of dust in your home. It makes it harder to clean, too.


Check out the surfaces in your home right now. Is there laundry that needs to be put away? Toys that aren’t in the right spot? Keys and other personal items lying around? Have the dishes been stacked in the cupboard? Are shoes in their appropriate storage?


We know that after a long day, the last thing you want to do is put stuff away. But remember that putting it away now means less cleaning and dusting later.


6. Have a Designated Spot for Pet Grooming


If you comb/de-shed your dog regularly, then you’re helping to cut down on the fur and dander they leave around the house. However, your strategy still matters. Have a designated room — like the bathroom — for these responsibilities. That’ll help to contain the particles and also make it easier to clean up afterward.


Dust is inevitable, and you’ll never be able to get rid of it completely. However, keeping it under control is important for your health. Ready to take the next step toward better wellness? Shop Sans today and breathe easy.