10 Tips to Dust Hard-To-Reach Areas
Dusting those hard-to-reach areas is tedious and annoying. Learn how to quickly and easily dust hard-to-reach areas with these tips.
Dusting is an essential part of maintaining a clean and healthy home, as it helps to remove allergens, dirt, and grime that can accumulate over time.
Dust can lead to breathing trouble and make your space appear dirty even when it is tidy.
Some areas are a pain to dust because they are tight or hard-to-reach spaces. Not to mention dusting is just plain tedious even when you have easy-to-clean surfaces.
I always overlook dusting in our bedroom because I’m not in there much during the day. When it gets really bad, my husband leaves me a note written in the dust on my dresser. He thinks he’s funny…
It’s time to get those hard-to-reach areas dusted and keep them that way!
This guide will help you to dust more effectively even in hard-to-reach spaces and reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning and dusting in general.
Hard-to-reach areas that need to be dusted
Here is a list of areas in your home that are hard to reach, but that need to be dusted at least every few months. Depending on how dusty your home gets, you may want to dust them more often.
- Ceilings and the tops and corners of walls
- Inside closets
- Ceiling fans – have you ever stopped your ceiling fan and looked at the blades? Don’t forget the housing and light if it has one.
- Overhead lighting
- Tops of bookcases
- Tops of window casings
- Behind and under furniture. When was the last time you looked under your recliner while it was open?
- Behind and under appliances
- Curtain rods
- The top of the refrigerator
- Tops of kitchen cabinets
- Computers, game systems, and other electronics that have built-in fans
- Microwave vents
- Oven vents
- Louvered doors
- Window blinds
This list isn’t all-inclusive and I’m sure there are other hard-to-reach areas that I didn’t think of.
***This post contains affiliate or referral links. It is a way for this site to earn advertising fees by advertising or linking to certain products and/or services. Please read my full disclosure here ***
Tips to dust hard-to-reach areas
1. Vacuum attachments
The best trick you can use for dusting hard-to-reach places by far is using vacuum attachments. It’s a great way to get behind furniture, and easily dust mini blinds or even window casings.
If you have a vacuum that is compatible with them you can use the vacuum to not only remove but trap the dust.
When you trap the dust in the air you keep it from settling back down and forcing you to dust continually. For the best results use a vacuum with an allergy-rated HEPA filter.
One of my favorites is this cordless vacuum cleaner with HEPA Filter.
2. Feather dusters
These are great for dusting large surfaces, such as bookshelves, mantels, and window sills.
However, feather dusters can also be messy, so it’s important to use them carefully and avoid using them on delicate or fragile items.
For the best results use an artificial one like this one as they have the same texture and softness but do not shed like natural feather dusters.
3. Microfiber Cloths
These are a great alternative to feather dusters, as they are more effective at trapping dust and dirt. Microfiber cloths are also safe to use on delicate surfaces and can be used wet or dry.
These are great dusting options because they effectively trap dust so that you can get rid of it rather than having to keep cleaning away dust when it settles back down.
Toss in the washer and hang dry after use to keep using over and over for an eco-friendly dusting tool.
4. Extension poles
An extension pole can be a lifesaver when it comes to dusting hard-to-reach areas, such as high shelves and ceiling fans.
You can attach various dusting tools to the pole, such as a duster or microfiber cloth, to make the task easier.
These dusters come in sets that can effectively dust most of your home and often go on sale in the spring when everyone is spring cleaning.
5. Dryer sheets
An old dusting trick is to use a dryer sheet for dusting. They will effectively trap a large amount of dust while removing any static charge that may be attracting dust to a surface.
Many people will tie them to a broom or attach them to a dust mop and use the dryer sheet to dust hard-to-reach areas to reduce how often they need to be dusted. This is great for spaces like between furniture and baseboards.
6. Dust from top to bottom
When dusting, it’s important to start at the top of the room and work your way down. This will prevent dust and debris from settling back onto surfaces you have already cleaned.
When dusting a ceiling fan, be sure to lay down a trash bag or a drop cloth to catch the dust that falls to the ground. Trying to get it out of carpet or a bedspread is no easy task once it gets worked in.
While it can be tempting to dust hard-to-reach areas first, or to leave them for last, this can leave you repeating areas you have already done. Focus on dusting from top to bottom even in hard-to-reach spaces.
7. Dampen your cloth when dusting
Dampening your cloth when dusting can help remove and trap dust. Sometimes dust can be stubborn and difficult to remove, in these situations you can use a damp cloth or a cleaning solution to loosen it.
Using a damp cloth on curtain rods, the top of a refrigerator or the tops of kitchen cabinets is the best way to trap and remove all the dust.
Be sure to test a small area first to ensure the solution doesn’t damage the surface and use dusting products safe for the surfaces you are dusting such as using Pledge on wooden furniture.
8. Vacuum as much dust as you can
Try to vacuum as much dust as you can. Your vacuum is great to use under recliners, behind furniture, and even on the tops of window casings.
It’s crazy how much dust will build up on the carpet behind dressers and beds!
An air purifier will work wonders for removing excess dust from the air in rooms you are dusting. If this isn’t an option, try attaching a furnace filter to the back of a box fan. You will be amazed at the dust you will trap!
9. Dusting really tiny spaces and electronics
Many people do not dust all of the spaces they should in their homes. Small spaces and crevices can build up dust at a staggering rate.
This is particularly important for things like electronics. From your computer to your gaming devices dust enters and is pushed around by the fans and will build up until it causes issues and overheats your device.
Be sure to dust these areas regularly. Great tools for this include compressed air, small paintbrushes, and a fresh toothbrush.
10. Use a Robot Vacuum
A Robot Vacuum can get into hard-to-reach areas like under tables. You can set the time for it to start cleaning and it will go through your house and get any dust and debris off the floor while you sleep!
Ours is set to start each night at 10pm, when we’re in bed, and we never hear it running. It’s gets up most of the pet hair and any rolling tumbleweeds of dust on our hardwoods all while we sleep.
We have used this one for over 3 years and it’s still going strong and does a great job. Nothing like waking up in the morning to a clean house (without putting in the effort).
Ways to reduce the build-up of dust in your home
Reducing the build-up of dust in your home will make cleaning much easier. There are several things you can do to reduce dust in your home.
- Replace your furnace and air conditioning filters often allowing them to trap as much dust as possible.
- Use an air purifier. You can supplement your HVAC systems filtration with air purifiers in your home. These can be left running consistently to reduce the dust and allergens in your home.
- Use a Robot Vacuum. You can set the time for it to start cleaning and it will go through your house and get any dust and debris off the floor while you sleep! Ours is set to start each night at 10pm, when we’re in bed, and we never hear it running.
- Clear away clutter often. The more you have in your home the more you have to clean and in turn, the more you need to dust while cleaning your home. Taking the time to regularly clear away clutter is a great way to help reduce the dusting you need to do.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. Dust and other outdoor pollutants can be easily brought into your home through open windows and doors. If you live in an area with dirt roads, construction, or another major source of dust in the air this can make a major difference.
Keeping your home dust free is a never-ending battle, but with these tips to dust hard-to-reach areas you’re well on your way to conquering the dust in your home!
More cleaning resources:
