5 places you're forgetting to dust
Dusting is one of those household cleaning chores which gets pushed down the to-do list after tidying, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom... only if there's time, and you've got the energy.
According to research by Beko, only half of us set aside time every week to clean. Of the people surveyed, only three in 10 find time for housework at the weekend, with 40% blaming a busy work life. Given how time-poor we are, it's unsurprising dusting might not be the first thing on our minds when we find time to clean.
Here are five places that could be suffering from a dust build-up and advice from the Good Housekeeping Institute experts on the best way to get the jobs done!
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Skirting boards
Most of us are pretty good about vacuuming our floors and carpets. But, not everybody has time for skirting boards as part of their regular routine, and it's quite likely they only get noticed once they're covered in a layer of dust. But clean skirting boards can make a real difference.
When vacuuming your floor, make sure to pay attention to skirting boards. Use the nozzle to run along the edges and get into all the corners.
If you’ve got time, wipe down with a dampened microfibre cloth. We like the e-cloth general purpose cloths. This, in particular, is a great job for small helpers willing to join in with the cleaning routine!
Lamp shades
It’s easy to forget about dusting your lamp shades – until someone knocks one and and a layer dust sprinkles down through the air! But, they all need cleaning once in a while, including the ones on the ceiling.
Brushing your lampshades with a lint roller, such as the Lakeland Bamboo Lint Roller, should do the trick. You could also try an old pair of tights cut off at the knee. Pop your arm into the foot and use it as a static-free dust grabber.
Blinds
Whether you have pleated, roller or Venetian blinds, cleaning them is nobody's favourite job but there is a trick to it.
To banish dust, use a slightly dampened microfibre cloth and run this over your blinds. Some people wear a pair of dampened cotton gloves as an alternative. For pleated blinds, wrap cloths around each arm of your kitchen tongs and secure them with elastic bands, then run over each slat. Lakeland also have a brilliant Microfibre Venetian Blind cleaner brush if you've got a lot of blinds in your home.
Alternatively, if you've got the handheld vacuum out, you can also use this to give the blinds a once over. The Vax H85-GA-P18 Gator Pet Cordless Vacuum scored an impressive 89/100 in GHI tests.
Carpets
With people and pets treading over carpets on a daily basis, they quickly gather dust and hair.
The obvious fix for this is to use a vacuum. The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute scored a nearly-perfect 99/100 in GHI tests, with testers remarking it picked up embedded pet hair in just one sweep!
If you can still see dust and hair on your carpet after running the vacuum over it, Hillarys Blinds recommend using a squeegee to pick up extra hair. It can also be used on fabric bed headboards. We like the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Squeegee.
Pictures
A dampened microfibre cloth is all you need to remove dust from picture frames. To get dust out of the corners, use a tooth pick or stiff-bristled paintbrush. Clean glass with your usual window cleaner or a solution of white vinegar and warm water with a dry cloth.
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