Dust bunny infestation? These tips help!

Kayla Gulec Kayla Gulec
CASA RR8, Grupo Arsciniest Grupo Arsciniest Salas de estar modernas
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Day in and day out, we strive to make our homes the physical representation of our inner selves. We shop for hours on end searching for the perfect furniture, the perfect wall colour, and perfect accessories to create our havens. And once that is all complete, we strive even harder to maintain our homes' appearance. So is it any wonder why so many of us get so frustrated when we see dust bunnies rolling around on the floor? And when we think even harder about what dust really is – a less than desirable mixture of tiny particles of paper, hair, pet dander, skin cells, dirt, and more – it's even easier to understand why we'd want to get rid of them once and for all. 

Not only is it an aesthetic hinderance in your home, but letting dust build up can also lead to allergies and other health problems. So if you have a dust bunny problem, then look no further! This Ideabook was created especially for you!

Lower humidity

Dust bunnies accumulate in the strangest conditions. You may have never even considered that the humidity level in your home could contribute to dust and mite growth, but it in fact does. Most people prefer or keep their home at a humidity level somewhere between 30 percent and 60 percent, but go above that into the 60 to 90 percent range, and you have the perfect breeding ground for dust mites.

A high humidity environment encourages dust to collect in hard to reach areas. The moisture in the air aids the dust and other particles into settling on all surfaces in your home, so avoiding this high humidity situation is a good way to keep the dust bunnies at bay.

Air out your space

Airing out your home is another way to combat dust. Opening up those windows will allow the fresh air to come in and sweep those dust bunnies away. Another thing you could do is invest in an air purifier. These machines clean the air inside your home by trapping dust particles, and they're perfect for high-dust homes or for family members with dust allergies. The only downside to these machines is that they only purify the air in the room they are in, so you would need one in each room if you had a severe dust or allergy problem.  

If you have a central heating or cooling system installed in the home, be sure to clean or replace those air filters, too. Changing the filter can be used as a means of dust control. Dust will continue to build up in the home, but a quality filter will drastically reduce the rate of accumulation. We recommend that you use high quality disposable paper or pleated fabric filters and replace them every one to three months.

Plants in the home

We have always known and promoted that living plants play an essential role in adding oxygen to the air we breathe while also removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and filtering out harmful airborne chemicals. This is true even of the air inside our homes. Air quality indoors can be far worse than the air outside, and having plants indoors not only improves air quality, but they are also an effective way to tackle a dust problem! 

Plants have a lot of surface area, which helps them to filter the dust out of the air and improve air quality. Some of the most effective indoor plants are the rubber plant, English and Devil's ivy, and the spider plant, just to name a few.

If this tidbit interests you, make sure you check out this Ideabook about indoor plants that help you breathe!

Get rid of dust catchers

Knick-knacks are notorious dust catchers, so your best bet to help keep dust bunnies away is to minimize the amount of knick-knacks and accessories you have in your home. If every room in your home has a lot of decorative items sitting around, it will be a lot harder to go through your dusting and cleaning routine. We suggest going through your home and doing a sweep for knick-knacks that you don't really need, as this will leave your surfaces much easier to clean. 

For the things you really want to keep, consider moving some of them to a room that isn't used as frequently. That way, the main rooms in your house won't be as likely to accumulate dust. Removing piles of unwanted magazines or books will also help with dust control. These things degrade over time and produce a lot of dust themselves, so having piles of them around the house is a sure-fire way to promote a dust bunny infestation. Put your books and magazines on bookshelves and regularly recycle other paper items you have hanging around.

Dust

It may sound obvious, but one way – and one of the best ways – to keep the dust bunnies at bay is to dust regularly! We recommend dusting with microfiber cloths, as not all dusting cloths are made alike. Microfiber fabric is designed to trap dust and hold onto it. Using an old t-shirt or towel tends to simply move the dust around rather than actually picking it up and getting rid of it. And the same thing goes for feather dusters – these just move the dust from the armchair to the air. So use microfiber cloths to dust the surfaces where dust tends to accumulate, such as your desk, side tables, pictures, and so on. 

Wet cloths tend to collect dust better than dry cloths, so when you're dusting furniture that isn't made of wood, try wetting the cloth first. It's also important to wash your microfiber cloths immediately after dusting so that you can get rid of everything it has collected. 

Vacuum regularly

Last but not least, you want to make sure to vacuum regularly. When we say regularly, we mean once to twice a week – but once at the very minimum. Using a vacuum equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air filter will undoubtedly make sure that you're sucking up as much dust as possible. Vacuum every inch of carpeting in your home, focusing especially on the areas that are walked on the most. 

Of course, don't forget to vacuum other types of flooring, as well. Hard wood floors are just as good at collecting dust as carpeting.  Be mindful that you change your vacuum's filter frequently, as well. You'll notice when your vacuum isn't picking up as much as it used to, and that is due to the heavy dust load in the filter. You also want to be sure your vacuum is in proper working order – a broken one will only spit the dust back into the air, making your problem worse.

For more tips on how to have a squeaky-clean home, check out these six ways to deep clean your house!

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