Dust is a prevalent issue for apartment owners, but finding effective ways to keep the dust out of an apartment can be challenging. Here are 10 methods for reducing and eliminating dust from your apartment.
- Take your shoes off
- Wash your sheets weekly
- Clean with a wet cloth
- Spot clean often
- Get an air purifier
- Vacuum weekly
- Mop your floors
- Change out your air filters
- Keep the windows closed
- Groom your pets
There are lots of good ways to keep your apartment clean and dust-free, and the rest of this article will walk you through each of these tips to discuss how they can help you remove dust from your apartment.
Take your shoes off
If you’re anything like me, then you were scolded a lot as a kid for coming in the house with your shoes on. Turns out, mother really does know best on this one.
Not only can you bring in dirt and mud when you walk into the apartment with your shoes, but you also bring in dust that can get trapped and spread to other surfaces.
If you want to keep your shoes on, a doormat can help you reduce the amount of dirt, both visible and invisible, that you’re bringing into the apartment. In general, it’s best to keep the shoes off when inside the apartment.
Wash your sheets weekly
One of the best hiding spots for those pesky dust mites in your apartment is bedding, sheets, towels, and mats. The more dust you have in your sheets, the more you’ll start to notice it on other surfaces.
As such, one effective method to reducing dust in your apartment is to wash your bedding and towels weekly. It’s also a good idea not to forget about your bathmat when you’re doing a load of laundry.
Area rugs are also good hiding spots for dust, so be sure to give them a good shake-out outside the apartment every once in a while to get rid of the dust buildup.
Clean with a wet cloth
As cute and dainty as those stock images of a feather duster can be, all it really does is move dust around the apartment.
The best way to actually pick up dust when you’re cleaning is to use a wet cloth or microfiber towel. This will prevent the dust from simply migrating to another surface in your apartment and reduce the total amount of dust. Just be sure to wash your towel after use.
For wood furniture, furniture polish is a great option to make your cabinets and coffee tables shine. Most polishes also have the added benefit of keeping the wood healthy and scratch resistant.
Spot clean often
Spot cleaning regularly in areas that you know build up dust quickly can help reduce dust in the apartment if you have guests coming.
While this tip won’t remove the underlying cause of dust in your apartment, it can help keep your visible surfaces looking a little neater than if they were covered with dust.
Get an air purifier
Air purifiers are another useful tool in the war on dust. They trap dust, odors, pollen, and other common allergens in the filter.
As such, an air purifier can help reduce the amount of airborne dust in your apartment. One crucial detail you need to keep in mind is that an air purifier can’t do anything about dust that has already settled, only dust floating in the air.
With that being said, every time you clean, you’re effectively launching some dust mites in the air only for them to resettle on another surface. Adding an air purifier can help trap dislodged dust and reduce the amount of dust floating around to resettle.
Vacuum weekly
This is one of those adulting things that probably gets neglected too often. Dust will settle anywhere, but couches and carpets are two popular tourist destinations for dust mites.
Vacuuming often, particularly if you have a carpet, will yield a lot of hidden dust you didn’t even know you had. Getting a handheld vacuum (or one with an adjustable nozzle) is a good idea so that you can clean your couch.
Get in between the cushions and down the sides of the couch or sofa to remove dust from hard-to-reach places and empty your vacuum cleaner regularly.
A clogged-up vacuum isn’t going to pick up much of anything. Do several runovers of your apartment with the vacuum to get the best results.
Mop your floors
In a similar vein, you should mop your tile or hardwood floors often to reduce the amount of dust buildup. There are lots of good mops out there, but for the best results, you should invest in one that has a microfiber pad.
Change out your air filters
The air filter, composed of fibrous materials, helps to trap particulate matter before it enters your apartment through your air vents.
Over time, the filter media becomes clogged and can no longer reduce pollutants, dust, and odors from entering your apartment. It also means that your HVAC system has to work harder to circulate air through the apartment.
Changing out your air filters is a good way to reduce the amount of dust entering your apartment in the first place.
Keep your windows closed
As frustrating as it may be to have to close up shop more often, keeping your windows open is an invitation for dust to enter your apartment, especially on a day with a slight breeze.
People often think that opening up the windows is a way of letting fresh air into the apartment, but in reality, opening up your space to the outside world allows pollutants and dust to enter your apartment more easily. It is, quite simply, how dust gets into your apartment in the first place.
Alternatives to closing your windows
While the best way to reduce dust through your windows is to keep them closed entirely, there are some other options if you want to enjoy the outside view and still keep dust out.
First, you should keep your windows and windowsill nice and clean. If you think about it, dust that’s settled on your windowsill is going to waft right into your apartment as soon as you open the window.
Another alternative is to install a dust screen or reduce the amount the window is opened. Either of these methods will significantly reduce the amount of dust entering your apartment so that you can still benefit from the beautiful weather outside.
Groom your pets
As it turns out, dogs and cats can contribute to the amount of dust in your apartment in several ways. First, they produce dander and hair, both of which can have a dusty or unappealing appearance on furniture, sofas, or cushions.
Unfortunately, dander also serves as food for dust mites, which can cause their numbers to increase exponentially.
Dander and hair can be reduced by regular grooming, however. Brush off your dog or cat regularly to remove excess fluff and dander and give them the occasional bath as well.
That way, you’ll be reducing the amount of dander they’re producing and discouraging the growth of the dust mite population in your apartment.
Image source: “Go away dust (28/365)” by LifeSupercharger is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
