My husband is allergic to dust. I, on the other hand, am allergic to dusting.
Ok, I'm not really allergic to dusting.
But here is the truth: I have two kids, two dogs, and a bunch of chickens to keep alive. I have a business to run and a book to finish writing and dusting the house all the time is, well, it's just not my priority.
Also? Have you ever noticed that sometimes you "dust" and what you really did was just make all the dust that was resting on your things airborne? Yeah. That's not a helpful thing (ahem, dust allergy).
That's where these life hacks come in. I cannot promise all your dust will magically disappear. But I can tell you that half the dust battle is keeping dust from accumulating in the first place - or at least keeping it from accumulating so fast - and these hacks will help!
Stop it at the door
One of the big ways we keep dust from accumulating in our house is by keeping it out of the house in the first place. We have doormats at both the front and back doors (on the inside and on the outside of the door) to help get dust and dirt off our shoes before we come inside. But then we also take our shoes off.
Keeping shoes by the door keeps us from spreading the outside dirt and dust around the house. When you bring home less dust, you have less dust to clean up.
Suck it off the floor
I told you guys in my last Farmhouse Living Room Update that we removed the carpet and put in hard floors in all the common areas (bedrooms still have carpet). A lot of people might find sweeping to be the best way to clean hard floors, but I prefer to vacuum with my Oreck Elevate Conquer because it sucks up the dust and traps it inside - instead of flicking it up or spreading it around like a broom.
Unlike a lot of other vacuums, the filtration technology in the Conquer has five layers of HEPA media so it traps 99.97% of even the tiniest particles - including pollen, dust, mold spores and other allergens. It also has a "SaniSeal" system that automatically closes the vacuum bags to trap the dust and dirt inside when it's removed (versus a dirt cup, which can spill and make some of the dust you just sucked up go airborne again when you dump it in the trash).
The Conquer switches super easily between hard floor and carpet mode so I can use the same tool to clean the hard floors and then head right into the bedrooms to vacuum there as well. Easy.
Change your filter
The filter that goes to your house's entire heating/cooling/circulation system needs to be changed on a regular basis. I'm absolutely guilty of not doing this as often as I should have in the past so I've started setting calendar reminders in my phone.
We change our filters once every other month (except during peak allergy season in late spring/summer where we do it once a month). Check the filters you bought for more info on how long they should last and don't be afraid to detour from that recommendation if needed. A lot of factors affect how long you can go between filter changes such as how many people live in your house, if you have pets, etc., so start with the filter manufacturer's suggestion and do it more often if you notice your filter getting dirty.
When you dust: trap it
When it is time to dust in your home, don't use a feather duster or other "dust flinging device" to remove dust - it just spreads it around! Instead, use a vacuum like the Oreck Ultimate Handheld with a dust-trapping HEPA filter to suck up dust and trap it in the vacuum bag. It comes with a variety of attachments including a "dusting brush" which is perfect for getting into crevices on lamps, lampshades and more. It's also really lightweight, so it's easy to bring with you around the house and to reach up high (like to your air intake vent you just changed the filter on!).
For flat surfaces like bookshelves, where it is impractical to vacuum, be sure to use a damp dusting method to collect and trap dirt instead of just fling it off the surface and into the air.
Stick with Designer Pets
You don't have to say no to the dog little Suzie wants just because you're worried about shedding. Some dogs, such as poodles and poodle mixes, have fur that is more like human hair than dog fur and doesn't shed. In fact, I'm pretty sure I shed more than my two poodle-mix dogs combined. If dogs aren't your jam, you could always get a fun house turtle or gold fish - both of whom will still have a much smaller impact on the dust in your home than a furry friend!
About the Author:
Carissa is a green lifestyle expert and mom of two boys. The owner and lead writer for Creative Green Living, she is also the author of two e-books including the best-selling beverage cookbook, Infused: Recipes for Herb & Fruit Infused Water, Tea and More. You can also find her recipes featured in The Non-GMO Cookbook as well as in periodicals like Urban Farm Magazine. Her goal is to empower families to make healthier choices that are easy, taste great and are fun!
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Sponsored post disclosure: This post was sponsored by Oreck via Markerly for the #elevateyourclean #cleanandhealthyhome and #oreckelevate campaign. All opinions expressed are 100% mine and reflect my authentic experience with this brand. I only recommend products I personally enjoy and think my readers will as well. For more information, see my full sponsored post and review policy.
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