Dusting is an integral part of any regular housekeeping routine, but are you remembering to tackle the troublesome hidden spots?
Areas like bookshelves, baseboards, and behind the TV can quickly collect dust without you noticing, increasing common allergens in your home and even affecting the performance of appliances and electronics.
Here, professional cleaners share their cleaning tips for ticking off these key tasks.
7 places hidden dust builds up fast
1. Behind appliances
Undoubtedly, there are plenty of cleaning tasks that are a waste of time, but skipping cleaning behind appliances is a surefire way to find yourself dealing with hidden dust.
As Alicia Sokolowski, cleaning expert, president and co-CEO at AspenClean explains, 'When it comes to behind and under appliances, like the fridge, stove and washer, spots collect crumbs, lint, pet hair, and dust because they're cleaned rarely, and static cling makes buildup worse.'
So, to tackle this hard household cleaning task, pull out appliances every few months and vacuum with your best handheld vacuum, before mopping or wiping with a damp cloth, such as the Great Value Multipurpose Microfiber Cloth available at Walmart, with a mixture of warm water and natural degreasing dish soap if needed. We recommend the AspenClean Natural Dish Soap and Refill available at Amazon for this.
Importantly, adds Petya Holevich, house cleaning expert at Fantastic Services, make sure you unplug appliances first if safe to do so.
2. Light fixtures and ceiling fans
As Aminah Vieira from InspireClean, an award-winning and women-owned cleaning service in Southern Ontario, says, 'Light fixtures and ceiling fans are notorious dust collectors because the heat from the bulbs creates air currents that deposit particles on fixtures, and ceiling fans distribute the dust they've gathered.'
To clean these overlooked spots you're forgetting to dust, she recommends turning off the power and using a damp microfiber cloth for fixtures, or slipping a pillowcase over dan blades to trap dust as you wipe.
For particularly high, hard-to-reach areas, you can also use an extendable duster, such as the Swiffer Dusters with Extension Pole available at Walmart. 'I recommend using an extendable microfiber duster to trap dust rather than letting it fall,' adds Taylor Riley, partner at AMR US Commercial Cleaning.
3. Books and bookshelves
Unfortunately, says Karina Toner, cleaning expert and operations manager at Spekless, paper attracts dust, and shelves are rarely, if ever, wiped down.
'Wipe books with a dry microfiber cloth and shelves with a slightly damp one,' she advises. 'The Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths available at Amazon are perfect and come in bulk,' ideal for dusting open shelves.
4. Tops of doors
Another place where dust settles silently and often goes unnoticed is on the tops of doors, says Karina, even if you take steps to combat reasons your home gets dusty quickly.
In order to prevent dust in an entryway and on top of other doors, she recommends using a microfiber cloth, or feather duster, such as the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Delicate Duster available at Amazon.
5. Behind the TV
'Dust builds up incredibly fast behind electronics and game consoles because these devices generate static electricity that attracts particles, and their fans pull in dust,' says cleaning expert Aminah. 'Unplug your devices and use a vacuum with a brush attachment to clear vents and surrounding areas.'
You can also use compressed air for tricky areas, and electronics-safe wipes, such as the Endust For Electronics Screen Cleaner Wipes available at Amazon, which Karina recommends, to clean a TV screen.
6. Baseboards
Another 'problem area,' says Taylor, is baseboards. He explains, 'Because they sit close to the floor, they collect all the pet dander, crumbs, and debris kicked up. I clean them with a damp microfiber cloth. For scuffed or textured trim, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser available at Amazon works well.'
Alternatively, Dan Fauzi, home tech editor here at Homes & Gardens tried the TikTok vacuum hack to clean their baseboards, which uses dryer sheets, such as the Snuggle Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets available at Walmart.
7. Couch cushions
Finally, don't forget about dusting your couch cushions and under furniture, which are among the hidden areas of the living room we forget to clean.
'These areas are low-traffic but high in airflow, which means dust, pet hair, and lint settle there,' explains cleaning expert Taylor. 'My favorite way to clean these areas is with a robotic vacuum. They're able to navigate to places it's difficult to reach with a stick vacuum.'
Our guide to the best robot vacuums has everything you need to know if you're thinking of making the plunge on a purchase, and our top pick is the eufy Robot Vacuum Omni S1 Pro available at Amazon.
What to shop
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
Karina recommends this under-appliance microfiber duster, which uses two types of microfiber and long fluffy strands to conform to and clean uneven surfaces.
These ultra-soft microfiber cloths are absorbent and lint-free, ideal for tackling all kinds of dusting and cleaning chores around the house.
For particularly tough dust build-ups, employ the dry/damp cleaning rule with this damp duster, which cleans efficiently using only water.
This electronics duster removes dust and debris from keyboards, docking stations, phones and more, breaking up and removing greasy fingerprints, smudges, and dirt without leaving streaks.
With a 360-degree extendable head, this microfiber duster makes cleaning all kinds of hard-to-reach areas and angles easy.
These towels clean dust and spills quickly, leaving no traces behind with a durable design that can be reused again and again.
FAQs
What causes dust to build up fast?
The number one thing that causes quick dust build-up is poor airflow. To prevent this, make sure your HVAC system is running properly, and regularly open windows and doors.
Meet our experts
Another effective way to tackle the places where hidden dust builds up fast is by trying top to bottom cleaning.
