It has been a great dilemma for a lot of people if they should dust first or vacuum first while tidying up their house. If you’ve faced the same problem, read this article to finally find the answer to this troubling question.
What is Dust?
Before we talk about anything else, it’s important to know what exactly dust is. Dust is simply a mixture of tiny elements that generally compile in indoor settings. These tiny elements include a lot of things such as hair strands, cloth fibers, paper bits, plant pollen, etc.
If you skip your regular cleaning for even a few days, you will possibly get to see the accumulation of dust around your house. You may notice it on the floors, mirrors, carpets, couches, curtains, and other naked surfaces if any.
Why is it Important to Dust Regularly?
Dusting regularly will not only keep your house clean at all times but also ensure better health. It has been scientifically proven that dust can lead to breathing problems and make you feel congested.
If you’re someone who doesn’t realize the importance of Dusting regularly, you may need to do better. It can also help you get rid of the accumulated pollen or pet hair.
If not for your house, you should dust regularly for your health. Further, you will read about everything about dusting and vacuuming.
Should you Dust First or Vacuum First?
It’s time to address our primary question: Should you dust first or vacuum? The simple answer is dusting first should be your priority.
The explanation is no rocket science. While dusting, you’ll be noticing a lot of components just wiping away and you won’t be able to trap them. A lot of these components will either stick to your dusting cloth or go up in the air and settle down on the carpet, couch, bed, or floor.
If you go about vacuuming first, you’ll be missing out on a lot of elements here and there. Later if you will dust, these elements will fall on the newly vacuumed surfaces. This implies that you will have to take up your vacuum cleaner yet again which is an agony of its own. And if you skip it, the dust that settled down on the floor will continue to affect the health of the house members.
As you would show this recklessness in your cleaning, your house will also accumulate more dust particles in a shorter period (you can also use UV vacuums or HEPA vacuums for better cleaning).
Having said that, we hope you have got the answer to your question. Apart from this, let’s learn some basic dusting and vacuuming tips.
Dusting Tips
1. Dust Regularly
Everyone finds dusting to be a tedious task. However, if you wish to keep your home clean and your health in check, it is important that you perform this task regularly.
Now the next question that arises is how frequently do you need to dust? Let’s see:
- Light Dusting — You should commit to light dusting twice a month. You can also do it more frequently if your home gets dusty. During this process, you just have to cover the basics. Start by dusting the floor and other naked surfaces. This will barely take up your 30 minutes.
- Heavy Dusting — You must do the deep cleaning or ‘heavy dusting’ every couple of months. Try to clean all the hard-to-access spots that are not very exposed. During this time, you can clean the curtains, fans, etc.
2. Use Appropriate Dusting Products
It is essential to have appropriate dusting products if you wish to properly dust and clean your home. There are a variety of tools easily available in the market that you can choose from based on your requirements.
Spend a few bucks on good microfibre fabrics for dusting and cleaning properly.
3. Follow a Hierarchy
The ideal thing to do while dusting is beginning from the top and then coming down to the bottom. Although most of you would already know this, a lot of people continue to make the mistake and do it the other way round.
For instance, you can start with your closet that usually accumulates a lot of dust over them. Dust elements will scatter around in the atmosphere and settle down on the floor. And then, you can gradually go on to clean up that mess.
Vacuuming Tips
To master the art of cleaning and keeping your house neat at all times, you must know the importance of vacuuming. Vacuuming regularly will help your home to look nicer than ever.
After you’ve followed all of the dusting tips that we provided earlier, it’s time to move to the vacuuming part.
1. Clean the Filter Regularly
Many modern vacs either include a filter or a bag within them. The brand and the model of your vac play a significant role in determining how to go about cleaning them.
You must always take a good look at the user’s guide before taking any step that you are not confident about. Before you start with the vacuuming process, make sure to take a look at the vac filter and see if it’s adequately clean.
2. Be Careful of your Pet Hair
The vacuum cleaner can easily trap pet hair which is certainly a bonus. Pet hair acts like a hindrance that interrupts the functioning of the vacuum cleaner. Therefore, it becomes highly important to clean the machine regularly and get rid of pet hair.
Conclusion
We hope now you have a clear idea about the dilemma of vacuuming or dusting first. Both of these processes are generally independent of each other and to make the work easy and time-efficient for you, you must always dust first. That’s the only recommended way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will vacuuming shake the dust around the room?
Usually, you may be able to use the vacuum cleaner without shaking up a lot of dust particles. Nevertheless, if the vac’s mouth is clogged, dust may be seen here and there as you keep cleaning. In this situation, ensure that you first unclog the vac and only then continue with the rest of the process.
How frequently should I vacuum my house?
This entirely depends on the requirement of your house. If there are kids or pets at your home, you should consider vacuuming at least once a week. However, if your house generally keeps clean, you can just choose to vacuum twice a month. Just make sure to pick up the vacuum cleaner when you see a lot of dust accumulating in the house and the naked surfaces like carpets, mats, and floor.
What should I use to dust my home furniture?
As already mentioned above, microfibre fabric is extremely helpful while cleaning house furniture and decorative items. Spend some bucks on good cloth and you will notice considerable results right away! It is proven that these clothes help you to get rid of most of the dust particles including bacteria.
Can the vacuum cleaner be used for dusting?
If you’re in a hurry, you can mix up both processes. You can use a brush extension with the vac and clean all the dusty surfaces you wish to clean. It is advisable to lower down the suction power a bit while cleaning fabrics. You won’t be able to clean tiny things or decorative items and hence for these, you will need a cloth.
