Whenever you're dusting, you want to work with gravity. Start at the top of a surface and work your way to the bottom. If you dust something at waist height and then dust above it, it will defeat the whole purpose. Always dust from top to bottom.
Dust from Top to Bottom
Start dusting at the highest points in a room, such as ceiling fans and high shelves, and work your way down to lower surfaces. This approach ensures that dust falls onto surfaces you haven't yet cleaned, preventing you from having to redo areas.
I think we all know by now that cleaning with the wrong tools will get you nowhere. My #1 tool for dusting is a good quality general purpose microfiber cloth—but the real key here is using it DRY first!
Start from the top down. Dusting from the top down will not only prevent dust from falling on sections you have already cleaned but will also ensure that you don't miss any easy-to-forget areas. Begin dusting each room by first tackling cobwebs and hard to reach high-up dust before moving down to other areas.
Should you dust with a damp cloth? We at Castle Keepers find dusting with a plain, slightly damp microfiber cloth the best way to remove dust from the home, much superior to dusting with oils or sprays. “Damp dusting” is also much easier than dry dusting and more effective because it catches more dust.
Remove heavy dust from ceiling, floor or appliance vents with a soft-brush vacuum attachment or electrostatic mop, like the Swiffer Sweeper). (You can also use a long-handled microfiber duster.) Then, dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe the surface.
That said, microfiber is often your best bet when it comes to effectiveness. “Microfiber cloths trap dust without spreading it, feather dusters are great for delicate surfaces, and vacuum attachments can be your best friend when cleaning hard to reach places,” Cohoon says.
Yes you can hand wash them and then buy a can of original Endust in the red can. Spray it on the washed Swiffer dusters when ready to reuse. The red can Endust is made to spray on a cloth or dust mop to make it "static" and collect dust better. Only respray after next washing not at every use.
OXO Good Grips Microfiber Hand Duster
The phrase that came up when we tested was that it performed “like a dream.” Unlike the Swiffer Heavy Duty Duster Kit, the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Hand Duster is machine washable. So, if you want a duster that's a bit more sustainable, this is the perfect option.
Dust before vacuuming
We recommend dusting before vacuuming, this is because dust particles usually get moved around the room when you dust, meaning all your hard work will go to waste. A top tip is to wait at least 2 hours after dusting to get the vacuum out.
We recommend against using a brush tool of any kind for your dusting, because those tend to just spread the dust into the air rather than collect and remove the dust. A wet cloth (slightly damp) will gather the dust and keep it from being transferred into the air.
High-dusting is a specialized cleaning process designed to remove dust, dirt, and debris from elevated areas often overlooked during routine cleaning. These spaces include ceiling corners, ductwork, beams, light fixtures, pipes, and other hard-to-reach surfaces that require specialized tools and expertise.
Damp dusting is the removal of dirt and bacteria from hard, flat surfaces with a damp cloth or sponge. Unlike using a feather or yellow duster, damp dusting means the dust sticks to the cloth rather than floating in the air.
Dusting Frequency for Optimal Home Health
In order to keep your home's air quality top-notch, you should be dusting at least every other week, if not weekly. Choose a time each week, like after you pick the kids up from soccer practice, to dust your house, or dust a certain area each day.
Once you've got the correct type of sweeper, use this advice from Cassandra Aarssen, of the cleaning site ClutterBug. Sweep toward you, instead of away, to help control the pile of debris and limit the amount of dust that rises up into the air. Start in the corners and sweep toward you in short, smooth motions.
Both Pledge and Endust are both pretty good at dusting, but they're better at different things. Endust really shines when it comes to getting rid of dust - it breaks down dust particles and captures about 90% of them on the first pass. You won't see those annoying dust trails that sometimes happen with regular cloths.
Feather dusters largely stir dust into the air, but Swiffer Duster Heavy Duty excel at picking up and trapping dust and allergens* around the house. The thousands of dirt-locking fibers on Dusters ensure that dust isn't stirred around; it's picked up and locked in for truly exceptional dust capture and removal.
Make dust spray:
Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 2 cups warm water, and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil into a spray bottle. Shake until the ingredients are combined.
Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are the best for containing dust, and remember that sweeping isn't nearly as effective for removing dust. If you like, you can also use any multi-surface dust spray, and finally, water when mopping the floors or cleaning the windows.
Microfiber cloths
Microfiber is one of Molly Maid's favorite dusting tools! These cloths work well for surfaces you can easily reach like coffee tables, side tables, furniture, etc. Microfiber doesn't stir up dust and it traps it.
Removes dust, the allergens in dust and pet dander, from most hard surfaces*, while leaving those surfaces gleaming.
Open doors and windows can let dust creep indoors. The best solution is to seal windows and doors or other cracks and crevices that are possible dust entryways. Dust also hides in cloth and clutter. Regularly washing carpets, textiles, and stuffed animals, as well as cleaning garages and attics, can go a long way.
One of the best dusting tools is a damp microfiber towel. "Dust clings to it and, once the towel is covered, you can rinse it clean and start again," says Parnell.
Turn on your HVAC systems fan.
Kick up dust without lifting a finger. The fan gets the air in your house moving, until eventually it makes its way to the intake where your air filter can trap and store dust. (You don't actually get to call this “dusting”—it's more of an assist.)