Dead Skin Cells
If you’re anything like me, dusting your room probably doesn’t cross your mind until you notice a thick layer of dust on that hard-to-reach top shelf. How often should you dust your room, really? Since dust is primarily composed of human skin cells, pet dander, fabric fibers, pollen, and dust and debris from outside, you probably want to dust more often than you currently are (sad fact: about 80 percent of the particles you see floating in a sunbeam are dead skin cells).
How Often?
A few factors contribute to the amount of dust collecting in your room, including where you live (clearly, the Arizona desert is dustier than a rainy Oregon forest), how often you open your windows, and how many pets you share your home with. If you’re a total neat freak, dusting every week might be your thing. But if you’re more of a lazy cleaner, you can totally get away with once a month. And when it comes to out of the way spots like ceilings, corners, high shelves, and door frames, you only need to dust every three to six months. Go any longer than that, and getting rid of dust on those high ledges will require a lot of elbow grease.
.
.
Dont Skip
Whatever you do, don’t skip dusting altogether — it’s a totally necessary, although overlooked, chore. A layer of dust can easily make your place look much dirtier than it is. Dust can also cause damage to household surfaces, especially electronics (so pay extra special attention to those!). But above all, dust can lead to allergy and breathing problems for many people — so don’t forget to get rid of that dust on the ceiling fan, since it’s circulating the air around.
Supplies
Your dusting tool also matters more than you think. Those fluffy feather dusters, while great at getting into small places, only scatter dust back into the air. Instead, opt for microfiber cloths (reusable — amazing!) or electrostatic cloths and dusters (those trusty Swiffer dusters are your friend). It’s never been easier to slap on some feel good tunes, clear those surfaces, and get rid of all that dust!
