Dealing with dust is never fun. It can get everywhere and turn any surface into its playground, not to mention that breathing it in can trigger allergies. ‘But where does it all come from?’, you may wonder. The answer is simple — most of the dust comes into your home through the windows.
You can try to dust your home every day, but the best approach is to stop dust from forming in the first place. Why spend hours cleaning the dust once it’s settled when you can dust-proof your home now and reap the benefits later on?
Intrigued? If you want to learn how to stop dust from coming through the windows and lead a dust-free life, keep reading.
How to Dust-Proof Your Windows
‘The Best Protection Is Prevention’ — you’ve probably heard that a lot lately, given the situation. However, you can apply the same basic principle to dust. The following tips will teach you how to stop dust from coming through the windows:
1. Keep Your Windows Closed
The best way to prevent dust from coming through in the first place is to keep the windows closed. If any of the windows face a busy street, dust will be even more problematic. Due to traffic, the dust becomes airborne, so it can easily find a way into your home.
The best approach would be to only open the windows facing the busy streets at night, or when there is less traffic. That minimizes the amount of dust that enters your home, as opposed to when you open the windows during rush hour.
2. Clean Your Windows Regularly
No matter where you live, whether it’s in an area with a lot of traffic or not, dust is still going to settle on your windows. In a single day, they could gather a layer of dust as thick as 1 millimeter! Although you shouldn’t stress about it too much, you should make it a habit to clean the windows regularly.
If you don’t, all that dust is going to pile up and end up inside your home. Every time you open a window, dust is going to get blown into the house, onto your carpets and furniture. But there is a simple fix: grab a microfiber glass cleaning cloth and a glass cleaning solution and get to work!
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First, spray a thin layer of the solution onto the dirty windows to wet and soften up the dust. Then, using a clean microfiber cloth, wipe it down until your windows are dust-free. Finally, wipe them one more time, using a dry cloth this time. Don’t use any solution for the final wipe, so you can give your windows a beautiful shine.
Repeat this process every week (or every two weeks, at most), and you will keep your windows dust-free and no-streak easily!
3. Wipe Dust Off Your Window Sill
Keeping the windows’ glass clean is a must — but the window sills should not be overlooked, either. After cleaning the glass panels, some of that dust will fall onto the window sills. Every time you move the curtains, the dust will rise and spread all over the room.
Therefore, it’s important to keep it under control by wiping the window sills every time you clean your windows.
4. Install a Dust Screen on the Window
A dust screen is a protective film you install on your window by attaching it to the window frame. It can help a lot if a window is facing a busy street because it will reduce the amount of dust that may try to come through it. By installing a dust screen, you can keep the window open without worrying that the room will turn into a messy ancient dusty cave.
However, it’s worth noting that a dust screen will restrict the airflow a little bit because of its density. That’s just how window screens work — otherwise, the fine dust and pollen would not get filtered out.
Installing a window screen filter is easy, as you can install it yourself anytime, without needing professional help. Still, since they are rather dense, dust screens will require regular maintenance. The small openings can get clogged with dust, so it’s recommended to use water and soap to clean them regularly.
5. Close the Curtains and Keep Them Clean
Curtains not only have a decorative role but also keep your room free of dust. Whenever you open a window, the curtain will act as a filter, letting clean air inside and collecting the bigger dust particles.
You should close the curtains every time you open a window, and make sure to wash them every other week. Depending on the area where you live, you could get away with doing it every 3–4 weeks, but that usually isn’t the case in big cities.
When you want to clean the curtains, the best way would be to steam them. The steamer will remove any dust and bacteria, leaving them sterile.
6. Dust the Blinds
If your windows have blinds, no matter if they’re interior or exterior, you shouldn’t neglect them. Interior blinds are extremely easy to dust off, so use a cleaning tool specifically designed for the job. Ideally, you should clean interior blinds every week or every two weeks.
As for outside blinds, they might require a little bit more effort to clean, but you should do it nonetheless. Use your preferred multi-purpose cleaning solution and a cloth, and clean them every 4 weeks.
7. Invest in an Air Purifier
Overall, the best way to keep any room pure is to use an air purifier. This device can work wonders for people with allergies since it will filter the air molecules and improve the quality of the air. With a simple push of a button, it will eliminate pollen, dust, animal hair, and mold.
A great option is the SilverOnyx Air Purifier, which has an ionizing mode. It can also be set on auto mode or manual mode, depending on your preferences. Still, the auto-adjust option will automatically select the best setup according to the pollutants it detects in the air.
More Ways to Keep Dust at Bay
But wait — there’s more! You now know how to stop dust from coming through the windows and how to keep the air fresh. If you really want to live a dust-free life, though, you should definitely be mindful of the other dust carriers and gatherers in your home. Some of them are actually hidden right underneath your nose!
Consider Removing Some of the Carpets
As awesome as carpets can be, especially in the colder months, they gather lots of dust. No matter how much you vacuum them, the dust will get caught in the fibers. Over time, these carpets will slowly turn into great grey clouds, harboring dust, dirt, and bacteria.
The best way to eliminate dust would be to put away some of the carpets that you don’t need. Yes, the designs might be great, but health comes first! Take out the extra carpets that serve no purpose, especially during summer. They’re literally only gathering dust.
Change Your Bedding Often
Changing the bedding once a week is the way to go. You’d be surprised by how much dust can gather on your bed every week. And the worst part is — you sleep in it!
Use a Vacuum Cleaner with a HEPA Filter
Having a vacuum with a HEPA filter will help prevent some of the dust from circulating back into the air. A good example is the Shark Navigator Vacuum, which also has an anti-allergy seal.
You could also buy a filter for the vacuum you already have — just make sure you get the right size.
Don’t Keep the Doormat as Decoration, Use It!
To further reduce the amount of dust you bring into your home, always wipe your feet on the doormat. You can also place an additional rug at the entrance of your home where you can leave your dust-ridden shoes. Never wear your outdoor shoes inside the house — you’ll be carrying in bacteria, dust, and dirt.
Regular Maintenance Is Key
Dust can be a real problem, but if you know how to prevent it, you’re already one step ahead. In addition to all the steps you’ll take to dust-proof your home, you should make sure that you clean on a regular basis (using the best dusting tools), wash the big wall-to-wall curtains, and beat your carpets 3–4 times a year.
Most importantly, if you have children, you should take regular maintenance seriously, as dust can be harmful to them. After all, it can carry dangerous bacteria, soil, pollution, human skin cells, and even human and animal hair.
Dust vs. Fresh Air: How Often Should You Open the Windows
Opening the windows will greatly help with ventilation in your home. You should open them every day, ideally early in the morning before heavy traffic begins. Keep them open for about 10–15 minutes — that should be enough to let some fresh air inside your home. The alternative would be to open the windows at night and leave them open while you sleep.
However, if you install a dust screen, you could keep the windows open for longer, during the day, and even during rush hour. The screen will slightly disrupt the airflow, but it will keep dust at bay so you don’t have to worry about it ending up inside your home.
Conclusion
Bottom line? The quality of life in your home will greatly improve if you learn how to stop dust from coming through the windows. No matter if you go for a plain dust screen or you acquire a state-of-the-art air purifier, you’ll notice the difference right away.
