How To Defy Dust
Eighty percent of the dirt and dust in your house walks in through the door on people's feet. The right mats placed inside and outside of all entrances to your home will help cut down on cleaning time.
Feather dusters typically don't do much but spread dirt around. If you are using a feather duster on the surfaces in your home, we suggest considering alternative options.
Things You'll Need
- Walk-off Mat
- Vacuum
- Water Hose
- All-Purpose Cleaner
How To Do It
- Purchase a professional mat, sometimes referred to as a walk-off mat. These mats are the professional mats you see at the entrances of hospitals and supermarkets, which are available at a janitorial supply store. They're called walk-off mats because they give the dirt a chance to be walked off before it gets in. Walk-off mats are usually nylon or olefin with a rubber or vinyl back for inside the door, and rubber or vinyl-backed synthetic turf for outside on the step. They're available in a variety of colors and sizes. To do their job well, both the inside and outside mats should be four strides long.
- Vacuum mats regularly or shake them outside. Keep vacuum bags, filters, seals and gaskets in good repair to prevent fine dust from being blown back into the air as you vacuum.
- Hose the mats down and scrub with an all-purpose cleaner to clean. Repeat this step as needed. You can also use upholstery shampoo or a wet/dry vacuum to clean them.
- Hang mats until completely dry so that moisture isn't trapped under the vinyl backing.
Tip:
Make sure windows and doors seal tightly. If there are any unsealed concrete or mortar joints, they can bleed off bits of sand and concrete dust onto surrounding surfaces. Some utility companies will inspect your home for free, in order to determine if you have any cracks that are allowing things to come in or go out.
