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How do I Choose the Best Dust Cleaner?

Amy Hunter
Amy Hunter

There are a variety of different types of dust cleaners available. When you clean your home, you want to remove the dust, not just push it around, so choosing the most effective dust cleaner is very important. Many people decide to use several different types of dust cleaners in their home. After reading about the pros and cons of each one, you may decide to do the same.

Furniture polish is a traditional substance used to clean the dust off of furniture. Furniture polish is used by spraying it directly onto the furniture or by first spraying the polish on a cloth. You then gently wipe away the dust with a soft cloth. The furniture polish helps the dust adhere to the cloth and also leaves a nice gloss behind. Many furniture polishes also leave behind a film that helps camouflage scratches and other imperfections in the wood.

Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.

There are drawbacks to using furniture polish as a dust remover. It can leave behind a residue that builds up over time. This can eventually lead to your furniture developing a visible coating. Although a good scrub will remove the coating, many people prefer to avoid furniture polish entirely.

Another way to remove dust from your furniture is by using a feather duster. These dusters are best for light cleaning. While some high quality feather dusters grab dust and keep it trapped inside the duster, you will find that most simply move dust around. They are, however, quick and easy to use.

Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.

Microfiber cloths are gaining popularity as a dust cleaner. Microfiber cloths grab dust particles and trap them in the cloth. They can be used dry, and when you are finished cleaning you just shake them out and they are ready to be used again. For particularly dirty areas, you can dampen the cloth with plain water for cleaning. When the microfiber cloths are ready for a deep cleaning, toss them in the washing machine and hang to dry. If you avoid using fabric softener or putting them in the dryer, they will last indefinitely.

Dusters made with disposable cloths are a popular dust cleaning choice. These dusters do an effective job of trapping and removing dirt, but the price of replacement clothes can add up quickly. They are best for quick touch-ups for this reason.

A man dusting.
A man dusting.

The best dust cleaner is the one that you will use. If you dust frequently, you may find that a feather duster meets your needs. If you don’t dust as often, a microfiber cloth that allows you to trap the dust and really scrub at dirty areas is probably the best choice. Regardless of the dust cleaner that you choose, you will probably find that using furniture polish once or twice a year provides your furniture with a nice glow.

Discussion Comments

googlefanz

So my mechanic recently told me that I need a brake dust cleaner -- can anybody tell me what that is? I mean, I know what PC dust cleaners are, but why would I need to clean dust off my brakes?

Cleaner aficionados, can you help me out?

LittleMan

For keeping your computer and keyboard clean, air dust cleaners are probably your best bet.

They come in little cans, oftentimes with a think nozzle to reach into all the gross parts on your PC.

Wet dust cleaners are definitely out when it comes to computer dust cleaning, but if you just have a little surface dust, then you can wipe it off with a cloth.

However, when it comes down to it, I still think that the best laptop and computer dust cleaners are the canned air ones.

pleats

I hate using feather dusters! I really think that it just makes more work, because after you brush all the dust off of whatever you're dusting, you then have to go back and vacuum or mop your floor because of all the dust you've brushed onto it.

I go for the microfiber cloths every time, but I'll use a dust cleaner spray if I have to. Anything but a feather duster!

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    • Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
      By: Tatty
      Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
    • Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
      By: Michael Pettigrew
      Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
    • A man dusting.
      By: Glenda Powers
      A man dusting.
    • Fabric softener should not be used on microfiber dusting clothes.
      By: Unclesam
      Fabric softener should not be used on microfiber dusting clothes.
    • A lint roller might be useful in removing dust and particles from furniture.
      By: Brooke Becker
      A lint roller might be useful in removing dust and particles from furniture.