Should You Dust First or Vacuum First?

Have you ever felt refreshed and rejuvenated after you've cleaned your home? A clean home brings excellent physical and mental well-being. Accumulated dust, allergens and dirt can negatively impact the air quality of your home and potentially contribute to a range of respiratory issues. In fact, 20 million Americans suffer from dust and dust mite allergies. Plus, an unclean home is just unpleasant and doesn’t induce a positive state of mind. However, one cleaning topic is often debated among homeowners: should you dust first or vacuum first? Your choice can greatly affect how effective your cleaning routine is and determine whether the irritants in your home will stay or go.

Should You Dust or Vacuum First?

Dusting usually involves using a clean and dry cloth or a microfiber duster to wipe down surfaces like shelves, furniture, window sills and other areas where dust can accumulate. When you dust, you remove this fine particulate matter which could otherwise get stirred up into the air and lead to poor indoor air quality. Regular dusting helps to maintain a cleaner, healthier living environment. On the other hand, vacuuming focuses on removing larger particles and debris from floors, carpets and upholstery. The suction power of a vacuum cleaner can pick up crumbs, pet hair and other larger contaminants that you can’t get rid of with dusting alone.

Dusting first is generally advisable because it helps remove any loose dirt, debris and dust from the surfaces in your home before you start vacuuming. This way, your vacuum cleaner won’t simply push the dust around and make it difficult to clean.

The most ideal routine for your home depends on factors like the size and layout of the rooms, the types of surfaces and if any family member has any allergies. For example, if you have large carpeted spaces in your home, vacuuming first could be more effective because carpets can trap a lot dust and dirt that you can clean up before the dusting process. But if you have allergies then it’s best to dust first before vacuuming.

If you want to simply your cleaning process, some manufacturers like ECOVACS offer robot vacuum cleaners with mops, that propose advanced features that can handle both tasks. They also have other helpful features like mapping and scheduling, so you don't have to decide the order of your cleaning process.

How to Dust Your Home the Best Way?

There are certain situations when it's important to dust before starting any other cleaning task. For example, if you want to deep clean your home you should always dust first so that all the accumulated dust and grime is removed and all your subsequent cleaning tasks become more effective. Or if you’re going to paint your walls or redecorate a room, dusting first will ensure a clean surface for the new pain or wallpaper to adhere to. Plus, if you can see a lot of dust built up on surfaces, it’s best to dust them before moving on to other cleaning tasks.

In all these cases, dusting first is better because it prevents the redistribution of dust particles that could be spread around the room by the vacuum cleaner. It allows the vacuum cleaner to pick up any remaining dirt and debris more efficiently. It also reduces cleaning time and your energy because you won’t have to go back and re-dust after vacuuming.

If you’re unsure of how to dust your room follow the steps below.

Materials needed:

● Microfiber clothes or dusters

● A mild-all purpose cleaning solution or a specialized dust repelling spray

● A vacuum cleaner with attachments

Step-By-Step Guide For Dusting Your Home

1. Start at the top and dust ceiling fans, light fixtures and shelves
2. Gently wipe down surfaces while paying attention to corners and hard-to-reach areas
3. Use the vacuum cleaner’s attachments like the hose and crevice rolls to clean hard to reach areas
4. Dispose the dust and dirt in a trash bag

How to Vacuum Your Home the Best Way?

Vacuuming your home before dusting can be useful in some situations. For example, if your room has a lot of dirt, dust and debris on the floor, vacuuming first helps to remove the bulk of the larger particles and makes it easier to clean finer dust that can settle on surfaces. Plus, if you have pets, you know that pet dander, hair and other debris can quickly accumulate on floors. Or you may have areas with a lot of activity such as living rooms or hallways where dust collects easily. In these cases, vacuuming is a crucial first step before dusting because otherwise the dust will simply become airborne and settle back down on previously cleaned surfaces.

Follow the steps below for the best way to vacuum your home.

Materials needed:

● A high-quality vacuum cleaner with HEPA filtration

● Appropriate attachments such as crevice tools and upholstery brushes

Step-By-Step Guide For Vacuuming Your Home

1. Start by making sure the vacuum bag or canister is empty and the filters are clean before beginning
2. Begin vacuuming the floors, starting in the corners and the edges of the room and work your way inwards. Use overlapping passes to ensure that you’ve covered every area thoroughly
3. Pay special attention to high-traffic areas and those with visible dirt and debris.
4. Use the crevice tool to vacuum along baseboards, in corners and other hard-to-reach areas.
5. Vacuum under furniture, beds and other large items using the extension wand or a low-profile attachment.
6. Gently vacuum upholstered furniture, curtains and other textiles using the appropriate attachment to avoid damaging the material
7. Empty the vacuum bag or canister and clean the filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions

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