10 Easy Ways To Reduce Dust In Your House (2024)

1. Don’t Dry Dust

Make the most of your clearing and dusting routine. Always clean from the top of the room to the bottom and to really get rid of dust, ditch the dry duster or rag. Dry dusting just pushes the dust off one surface and allows it to stick to another.

“Dust and wipe surfaces with a damp cloth instead of dry dusting,” says Sharon Garcia, a professional commercial cleaner who is known as the CEO of Cleaning on Instagram and TikTok. “This helps to trap and remove dust particles effectively.”

Not only will dusting with a damp cloth remove more dust, but it lets you extend the time between cleanings.

2. Put Down Doormats Inside and Outside

Every time someone enters your home, dirt catches a ride on their shoes. Even if you can’t see it, the dirt eventually breaks up into particles that create dust in your home. To catch the dirt before it makes a mess, lay out doormats inside and outside your homee. During your weekly cleaning routine, be sure to shake out these rugs to remove all of the trapped dirt and debris.

3. Up Your Pet’s Grooming Routines

We know that you love and adore your pet, but your four-legged friend is probably a major culprit in creating the extra dust in your home. If clumps of fur start to look like tumbleweeds on your floors, it’s time to give your pet extra grooming time.

Getting your dog or cat on a more frequent grooming schedule can help reduce their shedding. This could be regular brushing and baths from you or a professional. Also putting a mat under their food and water bowls and a lid on a litter box helps to reduce dust in those areas of your home. All these steps leave you more time to snuggle your pet instead of cleaning up after them.

4. Ditch the Wall-to-Wall Carpet

A soft and plush carpet may feel great on your feet, but wall-to-wall carpet is a dust magnet. Even with regular vacuuming, it’s hard to keep carpet dust-free. Plus the fibers create more dust over time. If you’re ready for a renovation in your home that will reduce dust, it’s time to rip up the carpet.

Opt for other flooring types: hardwood, laminate and tile that are easier to keep clean, and area rugs that can be washed in a washing machine or taken outside to dust. If the carpet has to stay, consider hiring a professional to deep clean the carpet twice a year.

5. Install a Whole-House Humidifier

A whole house humidifier won’t get rid of dust but it can help reduce the amount of dust in your house. It works with a bit of science: Dry air can increase the dust in your home because it creates a buildup of static electricity. This buildup makes more dust and allows it to cling to surfaces around your home. However, if you increase the moisture in the air with a humidifier, dust particles become heavier and fall to the ground.

You can expect to pay anywhere between $125 to $1,850 on the cost of installing the humidifier. This price varies depending on the size, type and your home’s current HVAC system. If installing a whole-house humidifier is not in your budget, consider running smaller humidifiers in different rooms in your home.

6. Check Your Window Coverings

According to Garcia, heavy drapes commonly collect more dust, which is why blinds or washable curtains might be the better choice.

“Cleaning blinds at home can be a breeze with the right products and a simple step-by-step approach,” says Garcia.

Mix Your Cleaner

She suggests starting with a multi-purpose cleaner and mixing about 1/8 cup of the cleaner with a gallon of water, ideally in a bucket or big container.

Spot-Treat More Noticeable Stains

“For stubborn spots or stains, apply a bit more pressure with the sponge to scrub them away. Be careful not to scrub too vigorously, as it could damage the blinds,” Garcia continues.

Finish With a Damp Cloth

Garcia recommends following up this task with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residual solution.

7. Don’t Forget to Dust Ceiling Fans

“Ceiling fan blades often play a sneaky game of hide-and-seek when it comes to cleaning,” says Sharon. “They reside high above, quietly accumulating dust and dirt.”

One popular cleaning hack is to place an old pillowcase over the blade one at a time. Pull the pillow case off the blade and trap all of the dirt and dust inside the pillowcase. Put this cleaning trick into your weekly rotation to prevent dust from building up.

8. Clean Your Bedding Weekly

Your cozy bed is a dust-making machine. From the sheets, pillows and blankets to your skin particles that shed while you sleep, it can be icky to think of all the dirt and dust in your bed. In order to eliminate it, you’ll want to increase your laundry routine.

“Regularly changing and washing your bedding in hot water is essential to eliminate dust mites and minimize dust buildup in your home. This simple practice contributes to a healthier and cleaner sleeping environment,” says Garcia. Be sure you are changing your bedding once a week and deep-clean pillows and comforters seasonally.

9. Declutter Your Space

If you’ve been looking for the motivation to declutter your home for a quick facelift, here it is—less dust. In cluttered areas where the items go untouched for days, weeks or months, dust will settle and build up. Shelves, bookcases or those parts of the house where you toss stuff with the plan to deal with it later, they are all dust magnets.

If decluttering feels overwhelming, start small and tackle one room at a time. The extra space and less dust will be the motivation to get the job done. When in doubt, lean on the experts, who can speak to keeping a home tidy and free of clutter.

10. Change Filters

“Make sure you are regularly changing your HVAC filters. This helps to trap dust and allergens, keeping the air in your home cleaner and reducing dust buildup,” suggests Garcia. Most experts recommend changing your air filter every 90 days.

However, if you find your home is extra dusty, you have pets, you have allergies your HVAC system is older or you live in a dry climate, you’ll want to change the filter more frequently.