It’s no wonder that keeping ahead of household dust is an ongoing battle, since about 40 pounds collect in the average home on a yearly basis. If it gets out of control, dust can degrade your indoor air quality and worsen allergies and asthma. These tips can help you reduce household dust so everyone in the family breathes easier.
- Declutter regularly. Organize your closets, put off-season clothing in garment bags and install wall-mounted storage to keep shoes and other items up off the floor where dust collects. Throughout the house, keep furniture, counters and other surfaces clear of dust magnets such as knickknacks, books and general clutter.
- Use effective cleaning tools. Always use a slightly damp cloth or electrostatic dusting tool to trap dust instead of just moving it around. For cleaning floors, use a vacuum with HEPA filtration to help keep what’s collected inside the machine. On carpets, use your power agitator attachment to suction up deep-down dirt and dust.
- Keep dust out of upholstery, bedding and soft goods. Launder sheets, pillowcases and blankets weekly in hot water. Once a week, take non-washable items such as area rugs, throw cushions, bedspreads and comforters outdoors, hang them up and give them a good beating. Invest in washable covers to control dust accumulations in your upholstered furniture, mattresses and pillows.
- Run the HVAC fan when cleaning. Cleaning sends up swirls of dust that takes hours to settle afterward. To filter out more of these particles while they’re floating in the air, set your thermostat to “fan only” before you begin. Leave the fan running for about two hours after you’ve finished cleaning, but don’t forget to put it back on “auto.”
- Upgrade HVAC filtration. To remove dust more efficiently, switch to an HVAC filter with the highest possible MERV rating that’s within your equipment manufacturer’s guidelines. If your home is excessively dusty, talk to your HVAC contractor about installing a electrostatic air cleaner in your ductwork.
Contact the pros at Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning to learn other effective ways to reduce household dust in your Lorain home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about household dust and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “lanych/Shutterstock”
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area