Dusting can feel like an endless chore as surfaces around the home often attract grime even after cleaning, but a simple item that can help keep dust away much longer. Air is more likely to move around a room during the hot weather as people commonly leave windows open to cool down, which allows dust to travel easily and settle on surfaces.
Dust tends to cling to window blinds and skirting boards as they usually have wide surfaces that are made of wood, plastic or other materials that generate a lot of static electricity. Static electricity will encourage dust and any other grimy particles to cling stubbornly to a surface and keep coming back unless you create a protective barrier that will repel dust.
Luckily, Kerry, a cleaning expert and the creator of Blissful Domestication has shared a cheap yet effective way to get rid of static electricity: rub surfaces with dryer sheets.
Kerry said: “My top tip for a quick clean of venetian blinds? (I have them all over my house) Use a tumble dryer sheet for a quick dust.
“The sheet just picks up all the dust perfectly and smells amazing too. Also extremely useful for dusting the tops of your skirting board.”
It may seem strange, but dryer sheets are designed to have an anti-static coating to stop clothes from sticking together while they are drying.
When you wipe a dryer sheet on blinds or skirting boards, it will absorb the static electricity to help prevent dust from sticking to a surface.
Dryer sheets are usually also coated in fabric softener, which will leave behind a thin waxy layer that will act as a protective barrier to keep dust away.
How to keep dust away from blinds and skirting boards
All you need to do is wipe down by simply filling a basin with warm, soapy water and using a sponge.
If you are cleaning the skirting boards, you can use a vacuum cleaner and then mop them if you prefer.
Next, use a microfiber cloth to dry the surfaces and make sure none of the surfaces are wet, as this can attract dust.
Then, rub the dryer sheets across your blinds and skirting boards. Make sure to also wipe them across any windowsills or bookcases if they are in the room, as these can be dusty areas.
The room should stay dust-free for at least a month, but how long it lasts depends on how much air is circulating in the room daily.
However, this should stop dust building up on overlooked surfaces like skirting boards and blinds for longer, so a room will feel much cleaner without much effort.