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Top 10 Tips on dusting everything from window blinds and potted plants to bookshelves
Top 10 Tips on dusting everything from window blinds and potted plants to bookshelves
by Amy Sardone
on Mar 25, 2024
Some people love to dust and others absolutely hate it. We’re going to share some tips to help you tackle the dust in your home and make you work as efficiently as possible. From bookshelves to mini blinds and everything in between, we’ll show you how to dust like a pro. If you’re still building out your cleaning kit, check out our recommendations for dusters.
1. Start in one place and work your way through the rooms without backtracking. Chart out your planned route ahead of time so you know exactly where you’re going next.
2. Work from high to low — let gravity be on your side! The dust is going to fall down when you brush it, so start at the top of a room (think: ceiling fans and tops of bookshelves) and work your way down. Train yourself to look up to the molding of a room and to the light fixtures first to dust away any cobwebs.
3. What if you come across a sticky spot while you’re dusting? Put your feather duster away and quickly spray the area with Red Juice and wipe off the mess, then resume dusting.
4. Spray and wipe your way around a room, carrying a drier cleaning cloth over your shoulder for easy access. When that cloth is too damp, swap it out with a dry one and use the damp cloth for wetter cleaning jobs like fingerprints and windowsills.
5. Wield your feather duster like a pro— keep the duster in one hand and the other hand free so you can quickly shift to a heavier-duty cleaning method as needed. Move the dust quickly from wherever it is to the floor where you’ll vacuum it away. At the end of a dusting motion, bring your duster to a complete stop. Don’t let the feathers flip up into the air at the end of a stroke because you’ll be tossing all that dust back into the air. Tap the duster firmly against your ankle, close to the floor, when you’ve accumulated dust on the feathers.
6. Dealing with tables full of objects can be tricky. Continue to work from top to bottom, and feather dust lamps or objects before using a cleaning cloth on things that need more work, then use a polishing cloth on the table itself. Be careful with the small items and pay attention to what’s in front of you. Lift items instead of sliding them across the table to prevent scratches.
7. Should you dust potted plants as well? Yes! Continue on from top to bottom and left to right. You can clean the plant with a feather duster and pick off dead leaves with your other hand.
8. Bookshelves are another spot where dust likes to nestle in. Dust the top of the books and the exposed edges of the shelves with long wiping motions with the feather duster.
9. Mini blinds are usually another area that needs attention with your duster. Lower the blinds to the full length and turn the slats closed so the blinds curve away from you. Slowly dust with long downward strokes and remember to stop your duster after each stroke, tapping away the dust to the floor. Next, turn the slats forward so the blind curves towards you and slowly dust wtih long downward motions.
10. Don’t be a distracted duster! Here are the top things overlooked when dusting:
- Windowsills and molding on windowpanes
- Baseboards Chandelier chains
- Hanging light fixtures and their bulbs
- Table lamp bulbs
- Backs of chairs
- Curved feet of tables and chairs
- Heater and exhaust vents
- Tops of drawers and drawer pulls
- Bottom shelves, especially on end tables and coffee tables
- Top of drapes
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