Is it better to vacuum or dust first?
Whether it’s from the window sills and the corners of your room or the furniture or carpets, we have to get rid of dust. But just like there’s more than one way to have your bowl of cereal, there’s more than one way to clean.
Some people would dust first then vacuum while others would vacuum and then dust. So, is it better to vacuum or dust first? There are a few people that’ll argue that you should vacuum first since it can be used to do the dusting while others will say that vacuuming kicks up dust.
In our opinion, it’s best to dust first then vacuum. Dusting with a good tool, like a quality duster or microfibre cloth will trap the dust and contain it.
It’s quicker and easier to use a duster in those hard-to-get areas too.
Vacuuming will then pick up any dust that you missed.
By dusting first, you get into the weird spots that your vacuum can’t get to. You’ll pick up most of the dust but there’s always dust that will get away falling to the floor. And that’s where your vacuum comes into it’s own.
If you dust after vacuuming, then you’ll end up loosening dust that falls to the floor and just stays there and piles up.
What causes dust in your house and what is it?
Dust can be a right royal pain, but what is it? It’s fine particles of all sorts of solid matter. Want to know what particles? In a typical home, dust is composed of about 50% dead skin cells – gross! And the other 50% is a combination of soil carried in on shoes, or blown in by the wind, small amounts of plant pollen, some animal hair, paper fibers and other things. This is why some of us are allergic to dust – and cleaning in general.
So what causes dust in your house? Dust usually appears regardless of what we do to try and prevent it – it’s a bit like death and taxes – unavoidable. And to think, we’re half the reason why there’s so much dust around in the first place since we continuously flake off dead skin! And if you have any fluffy animal companions you can bet that they’re adding to the dust too with all the pet dander.
Can vacuum cleaners be used for dusting?
So do you vacuum or dust first? By dusting first, you will trap the dust into the cloth or brush that you’re using and any leftover dust will be sucked up by your vacuum cleaner.
While yes, vacuum cleaners can be used to help with dusting, it’s not what you should start with.
Remember, if you can, to go outside to clean the dust out of your dusting brush and make sure to wash you dusting cloth or brush thoroughly.
Vacuum cleaners can help a lot with dusting. With an assortment of attachments, you can use a vacuum to clean more than just your floors. Think bigger and use your vacuum cleaner to remove the dust in your furniture’s upholstery, the dust in your carpet and curtains, and the dander on your pets. (Yes, you read that right, you can vacuum your pets!). Many vacuum cleaners come with specifically designed dusting attachments.
In addition to dusting the room down first, vacuum cleaners can also be used for dusting. By using good quality filters on your vacuum cleaner, even more dust will be trapped inside the vacuum. That’s dust that won’t be released back into your home. We recommend HEPA filters or similar for the best results.
Does vacuuming kick up dust?
Not all vacuum cleaners are equal. Some vacuum cleaners have actually been found to throw fine dust and dirt back into the air. Unbelievable, I know. Undoing all your hard work! This includes the allergens and other small particles that make up dust. Totally the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve!
But you can avoid this from happening. The key to keeping the dust inside the vacuum cleaner is to get a good quality vacuum with good filtration and ideally the vacuum needs to be a sealed unit. A good quality vacuum cleaner with good suction and proper attachments suck up more dust than they spit out. You can remove even more dust with special air filters like HEPA (High-Efficiency particulate Air) that can suck up to 99.9% of pollen, dander, and bacteria from your floors and the air.
Can vacuum cleaners remove dust mites?
Some cheap vacuum cleaners aren’t as effective at removing most dust mites and dust mite allergens from your carpet and upholstered furniture. The best they can do is remove surface dust, but not much else. (Don’t worry, we don’t recommend those vacuums!)
If you’re serious about removing any traces of dust mites in your home, then the first thing you need to consider is a bagged vacuum cleaner with a double-layered microfilter bag. Or replace your vacuum cleaner’s current filter with a HEPA filter if at all possible. This will help increase the amount of dust particles that your vacuum cleaner will capture and also trap the dust mites into the bag.
Final Dusting
Dusting before vacuuming will remove a lot of the surface dust allowing you to concentrate on the in grained dust with your vacuum cleaner.
When you vacuum, you’ll pick up any dust that you missed and the stronger the suction, the more dust you’ll pick up from your carpets. Remembering your vacuum is your ally with a range of tools available to dust not just floors, but your car, curtains, furniture, mattress and pet beds.
Now you know the answer to Vacuum or dust first? Dust first then vacuum!