Keeping your home clean is essential for a healthy living environment. This includes ensuring the home is free from dust and other allergens. But how should you tackle dust in your home? Should you dust or vacuum first?
The short answer is dust first, vacuum after.
Now, you must be thinking, ‘Doesn’t a vacuum cleaner remove the dust?’. Well, yes. However, a vacuum cleaner can only remove the dust from the floor or any other flat surface you're vacuuming, allowing dust to build up on your not-so-vacuumable surfaces such as light fittings and curtains increasing the amount of dust in your home.
Dusting before vacuuming allows you to gather and remove loose dust from these hard-to-reach surfaces before they settle on the floor. Whilst dusting, particles will become airborne and naturally fall to the floor which can then be vacuumed up ensuring a more thorough and efficient cleaning process.
What is dust?
So, what is dust, and why is it all over our homes? Dust is made of fine, dry particles that include dead skin cells, soil, textile fibres, pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. These tiny particles can accumulate on surfaces and become airborne, potentially causing allergies and respiratory issues.
Regular cleaning, such as dusting and vacuuming, helps manage and reduce dust levels in the home.
How often should you dust and vacuum?
It is recommended that homes be dusted and vacuumed 1-2 times a week. The frequency of cleaning can differ depending on the presence of pets and the type of surface being vacuumed. For example, carpets and rugs in high-traffic areas may need to be vacuumed more frequently than harder surfaces. It’s also recommended that pet owners use vacuum cleaners specially designed to cope with pet hair or with pet attachments.
You may want to increase the frequency of cleaning during the summertime, especially if you or other family members are allergy-prone. Although having the windows open to let in the summer air, this is also an open invitation to pesky pollen too. Keeping a regular dusting schedule allows you to keep our home allergen-free and improve air quality during the summer.
Order to clean a dirty room
1. Remove clutter
Decluttering a room before dusting and vacuuming is important. It reveals hidden dust and dirt and allows cleaning equipment to reach all areas of the room. This is especially important when vacuuming, as it stops items from obstructing the vacuum's path. Make sure to check commonly missed spaces for dust including behind doors and on windowsills.
2. Dust Surfaces
Using a microfiber cloth or feather duster, begin to dust all surfaces from high to low including furniture, windowsills, shelves, mirrors, radiators and light fixtures. Focusing on the top first allows you to capture all the dust as it falls onto surfaces below, reducing the amount of dusting. Allow 1 hour after dusting to enable all particles to reach the floor; this will mean more dust is vacuumed in the long run.
3. Vacuuming Carpets
Begin vacuuming the floor, working in a grid pattern, making sure to vacuum under furniture and in corners of the room. Vacuum brush attachments can be used to vacuum in hard-to-reach areas of the room such as corners and skirting boards. A vacuum cleaner with a long hose is excellent for collecting dust along skirting boards. If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, vacuuming twice can ensure that the most dust is collected.
4. Hard Surfaces
For hard flooring such as tiles, wood, or vinyl, a damp mop, microfibre cloth, or steam cleaner can be used to remove any remaining dust. A regular deep clean is also recommended for hard surfaces.
5. Windows & Mirrors
After dusting, windows and mirrors can be left with smudges from dust. Cleaning windows and mirrors with a microfibre cloth can ensure that smudges and streaks are removed.
6. Clean Fabrics
Bedding, cushion covers, sheets, duvets, and other fabrics can also accumulate dust. Make sure to clean fabrics regularly, placing them in hot water to remove dust particles or using a carpet and upholstery cleaner to give fabric furniture a deep clean.
7. Circulate Air
Open windows or use a fan, air filter or air purifier to circulate air in the room. Circulating air will help improve air quality and stop dust from settling, especially in seasons when the pollen count is high.
Top Tips For Cleaning Your Home
1. Start at the top
When tackling a dusty room, you should start dusting from the ceiling and work your way down. Starting on higher surfaces like ceiling fans, fitted TVs, and and light fittings will make it quicker and easier to gather dust on the floor, ready to vacuum.
2. Wash pets frequently
Pets often bring in pet hair, dirt, and mud. Washing pets frequently means hair and dirt are less likely to build up on carpets and furniture. Brushing pets regularly can also ensure that malting pets are not leaving pet hairs around the house. For more tips on how to keep your home free from pet hair and messes, check out our blog post all about pet owner essentials for a cleaner home.
3. Introduce a ‘no-shoes’ rule
Frequent foot traffic in a home can increase the amount of dust and dirt that is brought into the house. Introducing a no-shoes rule will reduce the amount of outdoor particles entering.
4. Choosing a good-quality vacuum cleaner
Ensuring that you have the right tools for the job is important for getting the most out of your cleaning routine. Make sure to clean your vacuum regularly to ensure optimal function and long-term functionality. When choosing a vacuum, you should consider the following factors depending on your needs:
- Vacuum strength
- Filtration system
- Cord or cordless vacuum cleaners
- Ease of use - handheld vacuum cleaners
- Noise levels
- Capacity
- Storage
- Attachments
Essentials for a dust-free home
Vax U85-AS-BE Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner Air Stretch Silver and Orange
RRP: £179.99 Our Price: £64.99 (Save £115)
- Longest reach over 17 m, with powerful 70 mph airflow
- No loss of suction - The Vax Air Stretch U85-AS-Be has powerful multi-cyclonic technology for no loss of suction across both carpets and hard floors.
- Lightweight - weighs only 5 kg
- The extra-long 3.6m hose is great for stair cleaning and reaching up high. The extra-long 13m cord also means less frequent unplugging.
Hoover HF122GH H-Free 100 Cordless Upright Stick Vacuum Cleaner 3in1 22V
RRP: £129.99 Our Price: £59.99 (Save £70)
- Multifunctional - 3 different ways to use: floors, handheld or high reach
- Cordless Power - 22 Volt Lithium battery pack runs for up to 25 minutes non-stop, with no annoying cables getting in the way
- Easy to use - just switch on & start cleaning, no need to change any settings
- Tools on-board - crevice tool & dusting brush are stored on the handheld unit, convenient & ready to use in an instant
- Large capacity - 0. 9L bin means you won't have to stop and empty as often
Vytronix PET01 Bagless Cylinder Pet Vacuum Cleaner 3L Powerful Cyclonic HEPA
Our Price: £64.99
- With powerful suction you can be sure that you’re picking up even the most invisible dust and dirt particles
- The Included pet hair attachment is ideal for removing unwanted pet hair from your stairs and upholstery
- Portable, flexible and equipped with an 80cm telescopic extension tube alongside a 1.5 metre hose and 6 metre extra reach power cord
- easy to use on/off pedal which can be conveniently reached with your foot
By implementing the correct cleaning strategy (dusting, then vacuuming), you can ensure your home is thoroughly cleaned. At Direct Vacuums, we are passionate about finding the right vacuum for your home, needs, and budget. Make sure to look at our extensive range of new and refurbished vacuum cleaners. We have top brands, including VAX, Hoover, Numatic, and Russell Hobbs—all providing excellent performance and reliability.