Home Sweet Home

Dust is the bane of an otherwise-clean home.  Does it seem like the very second after you’ve observed clean, dust-free countertops, a thin layer has already appeared?

Home Sweet Home has 5 tips for you for making your home nearly dust-free (even days after we’ve visited!).

1. Change your bedding often
   In addition to how nice it feels to snuggle up in fresh, crisp sheets, it is also an effective way to reduce the amount of dust in your bedroom!

   The majority of visible dust in our homes is dust mites.  They subsist on skin cells (yuck!), and we shed a lot of skin cells in our sleep.  This collects on sheets and pillowcases, making them a prime source of dust mites!

   So how often should you change your bedding? Experts suggest weekly, particularly in winter when the air is drier.

   Home Sweet Home will gladly change your linens for you.  Simply leave a fresh set on your dresser (or on the bed), and we will know what to do! We can also run a load of laundry for you at a minimal cost.

2. Clear off the floor of your closets and include them in your vacuuming
   Closets are another hot spot for dust.  Contributing factors for the dust problem here are the fibers of the clothing (picture little tiny wool fibers), and also the way that opening and closing the closet doors forces air into the space quickly.

   To reduce the accumulation of clothing fibers in your closets, consider getting garment bags for clothing that you do not frequently wear.  In addition to containing shedding from these articles of clothing, this solution will also keep dust from gathering on top of the clothes!

   Avoid the temptation to use the closet floor as storage space; this creates many little crevices for dust to gather, and is very difficult to vacuum.

   If you would like us to begin vacuuming your closet floors as part of your service, just leave your closet doors open, or ask us to include this step.  We will not open a closet door unless we are asked to, out of respect for your privacy.

3. Do not neglect your couches and chairs while vacuuming
   As with bedding, couches and chairs accumulate skin cells, and thus dust mites.  To combat this, you should ensure that your furniture is regularly vacuumed, including all cushions and underneath.

   Home Sweet Home includes this vacuuming as a regular part of your service.

4. Have your carpet professionally cleaned yearly
   It is obvious that you should vacuum regularly to cut down on dust in your home.  However, even daily vacuuming would not be enough to get rid of all the dust in carpets.  Unfortunately, carpets trap an astounding amount of dust and dirt, which makes them another hotspot for dust mites.

   In addition to a frequent, thorough vacuuming routine, you should have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year.  The method employed by professional carpet cleaners is hot water extraction, which is colloquially referred to as “steam cleaning”.  This process kills dust mites, as well as giving your carpets an amazing cleaning that is just not possible with a vacuum alone!

   Our friends at All Star Total Floor Care (not in our local area, unfortunately) have an amazing amount of information on professional carpet and upholstery cleaning if you would like to learn more about what a professional carpet cleaning could do for your home and your health.

5. Have your air ducts cleaned, and filters replaced!
   This is the very best tip, and will make the most difference in the dust level in your home.

   Have a HVAC professional thoroughly clean out your duct system, and seal off any leaks.  If they do this well, it may need to be done only one time ever! (Or at least very rarely)

   Then, you will want to install filters on every vent in your home.  These come in many different varieties.  Our personal favorites are HEPA filters, like our vacuums have.  HEPA filters can catch even tiny particles, and they are very efficient at catching many different types of allergens.  Depending on what type of filter you decide on, every filter will need to be changed between monthly and yearly.

   All of the air in your entire home circulates through this system, so your best chance at eliminating dust is at this stage.