How to Get Dust Under Control in Your Home

You dust the coffee table, and two days later, another layer appears. Unfortunately, you can’t completely eliminate dust from your home, but you can keep it from taking over.

Start by reducing the things that collect and spread dust. Declutter surfaces, vacuum regularly, wash bedding and other frequently used textiles, keep entryways clean, and pay attention to hidden dust traps such as ceiling fans, vents, baseboards, and the spaces underneath furniture. Most importantly, use cleaning methods that remove dust instead of sending it floating elsewhere.

Once you get the existing buildup under control, a few small changes can make your home much easier to maintain.

Key Takeaways

• Use a damp microfiber cloth or another dust-trapping method instead of simply pushing dust around.
• Work from the top of a room down, then vacuum or clean the floor last.
• Vacuum carpets, rugs, upholstery, and hidden areas regularly to remove dust, hair, and debris.
• Wash bedding, throw blankets, pillow covers, curtains, and other textiles based on how frequently they’re used.
• Keep floors near entrances clean to reduce the amount of dirt tracked through the house.
• Check your HVAC filter regularly, and replace or clean it according to your system and filter manufacturer’s instructions.
• Declutter shelves, counters, floors, and other surfaces so they’re easier to clean.
• Pay attention to forgotten dust collectors, including ceiling fans, vents, blinds, lampshades, electronics, and the tops of cabinets.
• Keep rarely used belongings in closed storage rather than letting them collect dust on open shelves.
• Create a simple cleaning routine so dust doesn’t have time to build up.

Start by Getting Rid of the Dust You Already Have

If dust has gotten out of control, don’t try to solve the problem by wiping one coffee table every few days. Give the house a more thorough cleaning first, then switch to maintenance.

Work room by room rather than trying to dust the entire house at once. Start at the highest surfaces and move downward so anything you knock loose can be picked up later.

A basic order could look like this:

1. Ceiling fans and high ledges
2. Light fixtures
3. Tops of cabinets and bookcases
4. Shelves and furniture
5. Blinds and window sills
6. Electronics
7. Baseboards
8. Upholstered furniture
9. Floors

Save vacuuming and floor cleaning for near the end. Otherwise, you’ll clean the floor and immediately sprinkle more dust onto it while working above.

Don’t Just move Dust Around

A feather duster may make you feel extremely productive, but it’s totally counterproductive because it throws dust floating into the air. Instead, use a method that captures dust. A slightly damp microfiber cloth works great on many washable surfaces because the dust sticks to the cloth instead of becoming airborne again. 

As your cloth gets dirty, switch to a clean section or grab another one. Once the cloth is covered in dust, you’re mostly redistributing the mess and leaving behind dusty streaks.

Vacuum More Than Your Floors

Your vacuum can do a lot more than clean carpet. You can also use vacuum attachments on surfaces, too, like curtains, chairs, and corners where dusty cobwebs have built up.

With the right attachments, and when recommended for the material, you can vacuum dust from:

• Upholstered furniture
• Mattresses
• Curtains
• Blinds
• Baseboards
• Window tracks
• Closet shelves
• Bookshelves
• Lampshades
• Air vent covers
• Pet beds
• Fabric headboards
• Stairs
• Underneath furniture

Use a soft brush attachment for delicate surfaces and a crevice tool for corners, edges, and narrow gaps. Check your vacuum and the item’s care instructions before using an attachment on delicate materials.

Clean the vacuum itself regularly, too. Empty the bin or replace the bag as needed, and clean or replace filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A dirty vacuum doesn’t suck up all the dust as well as a clean one.

Clean Underneath Your Furniture

If the visible parts of your room are clean but giant dust bunnies are living under the sofa, you haven’t really gotten the dust under control. Use a vacuum extension to reach underneath beds, sofas, dressers, desks, and other furniture. Move lightweight pieces occasionally so you can clean underneath them more thoroughly.

Pay particular attention to furniture in bedrooms and living rooms, where hair, textile fibers, pet fur, crumbs, and other debris can accumulate.

You don’t need to move a massive bookcase every week. Clean easily accessible areas regularly, then add harder-to-reach places to your occasional deep-cleaning routine.

Don’t Forget the Tops of Things

Dust loves a surface you can’t see.

Check the tops of:

• Kitchen cabinets
• Refrigerators
• Bookcases
• The tops of books
• Armoires
• Door frames
• Window frames
• Tall furniture
• Wall-mounted cabinets
• Picture frames
• Mirrors

These areas may collect dust for months because they look perfectly clean from eye level. Add one or two high surfaces to your normal cleaning routine instead of saving all of them for one enormous spring-cleaning session.

Clean Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fan blades can collect a thick layer of dust, especially on top. Turn the fan off before cleaning it. Dust or wipe both sides of the blades, and clean accessible parts of the light fixture while you’re there.

Clean Blinds and Window Treatments

Blinds can become rows of tiny dust shelves. Curtains can also collect dust, pollen, pet hair, and other debris. Vacuum them with an upholstery or soft brush attachment, and wash washable curtains according to their care labels.

You probably don’t need to wash curtains every week. Regular light cleaning can keep buildup under control between deeper cleanings.

Wash Your Bedding Regularly

Your bed collects skin cells, hair, pet fur, and other debris, so keeping bedding clean can be an important part of controlling dust in the bedroom. Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly. Duvet covers, mattress protectors, blankets, comforters, and other bedding can follow their own cleaning schedules based on how they’re used and what their care instructions recommend.

Don’t forget underneath the bed. Vacuum the floor and anything stored there periodically rather than letting the space become a dust-bunny sanctuary.

Wash Throw Blankets and Pillow Covers

The textiles in your living room can collect dust, hair, crumbs, pet fur, and skin oils. Wash frequently used throw blankets and removable pillow covers according to their care labels. Decorative textiles that aren’t handled often generally won’t need washing as frequently.

If you have dozens of decorative pillows and blankets that are rarely used but constantly need dusting, consider whether you actually want to maintain all of them. Some may need to find a new home or be stored in the linen closet.

Clean Your Upholstered Furniture

Sofas, chairs, ottomans, benches, and fabric headboards can hold dust even when they don’t look dirty. Remove loose cushions and clean underneath them, then use a crevice attachment along seams and edges. Pet owners may need to do this more frequently, especially if pets are allowed on the furniture.

Keep Your Entryway Clean

Some of the dirt that eventually becomes part of the dust in your home arrives through the front door. Use doormats to catch dirt from shoes and vacuum or sweep entryway floors frequently, especially during muddy, dusty, or wet weather.

Also, create a designated place for shoes so they don’t travel through the entire house. If removing shoes indoors works for your household, it can also reduce the amount of outdoor dirt tracked onto floors.

Keep Floors Clean

Floors collect everything that falls from the rest of the room, including dust, hair, crumbs, dirt, textile fibers, and pet fur. Vacuum carpets and rugs regularly, including edges and corners. Clean hard flooring according to the manufacturer’s instructions after removing loose debris.

How often you need to clean depends on your household. Homes with pets, kids, heavy foot traffic, or lots of outdoor dirt may need more frequent floor cleaning than a low-traffic home. Pay attention to what your floors actually look like rather than forcing yourself to follow an arbitrary schedule.

Clean Rugs

Rugs can hide an impressive amount of dust. Vacuum them regularly, and occasionally vacuum underneath them if they’re small enough to move safely. Wash washable rugs according to their care labels, and follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions for rugs that can’t go into a washing machine.

Entryway, kitchen, and other high-traffic rugs will usually need attention more often than decorative rugs in low-traffic rooms.

Groom Pets Regularly

If you have a dog or cat, some of what you’re calling dust may actually be a considerable amount of fur and dander. Brush pets with grooming tools suited to their coat type, and follow grooming recommendations from your veterinarian or groomer. Regular grooming helps remove loose fur before it lands on the sofa, rugs, bedding, and floors.

Don’t forget to wash pet blankets and bedding regularly according to their care instructions, and vacuum the places where your pet likes to sleep.

Check Your HVAC Filter

Your HVAC filter is another part of your dust-control routine. Check it regularly, and clean or replace it according to your HVAC system and filter manufacturer’s instructions. How frequently it needs attention can depend on the filter, system, household, pets, and other conditions.

Clean Vents and Return Grilles

Dust can really accumulate on vent covers and return grilles big time. Use a vacuum brush attachment or another recommended method to clean accessible exterior surfaces. 

If you see significant buildup inside your HVAC system or have concerns about its condition, consult a qualified professional rather than attempting to dismantle it yourself.

Declutter Flat Surfaces

The more things sitting on a surface, the harder that surface is to dust. If cleaning a dresser requires you to pick up 37 objects first, you’re probably going to put off cleaning the dresser.

You don’t need completely bare surfaces, but consider reducing the number of items on:

• Nightstands
• Dressers
• Coffee tables
• Side tables
• Desks
• Kitchen counters
• Bathroom counters
• Open shelves

Keep what you enjoy seeing and use regularly. Give everything else a designated home.

Be Selective With Open Shelving

Open shelves look great, but everything on them is exposed to dust. Books, collectibles, dishes, decor, baskets, and picture frames all create additional surfaces to clean. You don’t have to give up open shelving, but be realistic about how much you’re willing to maintain.

Group smaller objects on trays when it makes sense so you can move several things at once. Keep frequently used or favorite items on display, and move less attractive necessities into cabinets, drawers, or closed containers.

If you have a large collection, consider rotating what you display instead of putting every piece out at once.

Clean Lampshades

Fabric lampshades can quietly collect dust until you turn on the lamp and suddenly notice all of it. Depending on the material, you can use a soft vacuum attachment or another gentle dust-removal method.

Dust Electronics

TVs, monitors, computers, game consoles, speakers, and other electronics can collect visible dust quickly. Turn the equipment off, and remember to avoid spraying cleaning products directly onto electronics.

Pay attention to the area around electronics, too. TV stands, desks, cables, shelves, and entertainment centers can become dust traps.

Get Cords Off the Floor

A pile of cords behind your desk or entertainment center can trap dust and make vacuuming unnecessarily difficult. Use cord organizers, cable clips, sleeves, or other cable-management tools to keep cords contained and, when possible, off the floor.

Stop Storing Everything on the Floor

Floor clutter makes dust control harder because you can’t easily vacuum or sweep around it. Shoes, bags, boxes, laundry baskets, toys, and storage containers can create spots that rarely get cleaned underneath.

Use shelves, hooks, cabinets, wall storage, or other designated homes when possible. If something needs to stay on the floor, make sure it’s easy to move when you clean.

Clean Closets, Too

Closing the closet door doesn’t make dust disappear. Vacuum or sweep closet floors periodically, especially underneath hanging clothing. Dust shelves and wipe storage bins as needed.

Keeping the closet from becoming overstuffed makes this much easier. If you can’t reach the floor or shelves without removing half the contents, consider decluttering or moving seasonal belongings elsewhere.

Reduce Unnecessary Textiles

You don’t need to get rid of curtains, rugs, blankets, and pillows just to have a cleaner house. However, every textile in your home is another surface that can collect dust, hair, and debris.

If you have rugs you don’t like, blankets nobody uses, curtains you don’t need, or decorative pillows that spend most of their lives on the floor, consider letting them go.

Keep the textiles that make your home comfortable and reflect your style. You don’t need extras just because a room is “supposed” to have them.

Create a Simple Dusting Routine

The easiest way to keep dust under control is to deal with small amounts before they become large amounts.

You don’t need to dust the entire house every day. Divide the work into manageable pieces.

For example:

• Regularly: Dust frequently used surfaces and vacuum high-traffic floors.
• Weekly: Vacuum upholstered furniture, rugs, and bedrooms as needed.
• Monthly: Check baseboards, blinds, vents, ceiling fans, and less-used surfaces.
• Seasonally: Clean curtains, high shelves, closet shelves, underneath large furniture, and other overlooked areas.

Adjust the schedule to fit your home. A household with three shedding pets will probably need a different routine than a pet-free household with two adults.

Dusting FAQs

Why does my house get dusty so quickly?

Dust can come from many sources, including dirt tracked indoors, textile fibers, hair, pet fur and dander, pollen, and particles already inside the home. Heavy foot traffic, pets, open windows, lots of textiles, cluttered surfaces, and infrequent cleaning can make buildup more noticeable.

What is the best way to remove dust?

Use a method that captures dust rather than simply moving it around. A slightly damp microfiber cloth works on many washable surfaces, while a vacuum with the correct attachment can remove dust from upholstery, rugs, mattresses, baseboards, and other surfaces. Always follow the item’s care instructions.

Should you dust or vacuum first?

Dust from the top of the room downward, then vacuum the floor near the end. That way, dust that falls while you’re cleaning higher surfaces can be picked up when you vacuum.

How often should you dust your house?

Frequently used surfaces may need dusting weekly or whenever visible buildup appears. Less-used areas may only need monthly or occasional attention. Pets, allergies, open windows, household size, and the amount of clutter and textiles in the home can affect how often you need to dust.

How can I reduce dust in my bedroom?

Wash bedding regularly, vacuum the mattress and floor, clean underneath the bed, dust furniture and window treatments, reduce floor clutter, and check the HVAC filter according to its instructions. Keeping excess textiles and clutter under control can also make the room easier to clean.

Do air filters help with dust?

Your HVAC filter can capture particles as air moves through the system, but it needs to be the correct type for your equipment and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t assume a more restrictive filter is automatically better for your particular HVAC system.

Does clutter make a house dustier?

Clutter creates more surfaces and hard-to-reach spaces where dust can settle, and it makes regular cleaning more difficult. Reducing clutter on floors, shelves, and furniture can make it much easier to remove dust before it builds up.

How do you keep dust from coming back?

You can’t completely prevent dust from returning. You can keep it under control by vacuuming regularly, cleaning floors and entryways, washing frequently used textiles, grooming pets, maintaining your HVAC filter, reducing clutter, and cleaning dust-catching surfaces before buildup becomes heavy.