January is the month of hibernation, as most people just want to stay out of the cold, but all that time indoors can make a home feel stuffy and uncomfortable thanks to dust. Dust tends to be a bigger problem in winter as we shed skin cells, hair and clothes fibres every day, which builds up and clings to surfaces around a house.
Wiping these surfaces may seem simple, but unless they are cleaned thoroughly dust will quickly return, especially in cluttered areas such as bookshelves. Luckily Seo Oneclick, an expert from That’s Clean Maids, has shared there is a really easy way to repel dust and stop it coming back using a DIY recipe made with olive oil, vinegar and lemon essential oil. Seo said: “Dry dusting, especially with feather dusters rather than cloth, is a wrong approach. For appropriate cleaning and disinfecting, you’ll need the correct chemical. If you don’t, dirt and dust will reappear moments after you swipe it away. This DIY cleaning solution recipe does wonders for cleaning wooden shelves.”
Shelves in the home often become dusty because static electricity pulls particles from the air and makes them stick to surfaces. Static is more likely to build up in dry environments, which is common at this time of year when radiators are on.
Olive oil helps repel dust as it is naturally anti-static and will get rid of it inside a surface and add a thin layer of moisture, so debris has nothing to grip on to.
White vinegar is acidic, and will help dissolves any existing grime around your home and can also help neutralise static electricity.
Lemon essential oil contains d-limonene, which can break down any sticky dust and is antibacterial, so it a natural way to keep surfaces clean.
How to make a natural dust repellent
- You will need:
- One litre of water
- 60ml of white vinegar
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- 10 drops of lemon essential oil (optional)
It should be noted that lemon essential oil is not safe for pets to inhale, as it contains linalool, a compound commonly used in air fresheners that is toxic to cats and dogs. If you have pets, do not use lemon oil in this recipe, and always research any essential oils before using them around your home.
Method:
To begin, pour all the ingredients into a empty spray bottle, screw on the nozzle, and give it a good shake. If you do not own a spray bottle, they can usually be bough at the gardening section in most supermarkets.
Next, take any books, houseplants or other items off a shelf and put them to one side for now. Spray a generous amount of the cleaning solution on a surface, and then use a microfiber cloth to wipe it down.
Seo said: “Microfiber rags are an excellent option for thorough cleaning since they can contain a lot of grime without dispersing it, and you can easily wash them after you’re through.”
You can use this solution on surfaces around your home like windowstills, but do not use it to keep dust off a radiator as the oil could be a fire hazard if heated up.
This treatment can help keep dust at bay for a few weeks, or even up to a month, but it will depend on how often the heating is on and whether you have pets.
