Opening a window in the morning and letting in the fresh air can feel wonderful, but it also invites more dust into the home. During summer, it is commonto keep windows open throughout the day, which allows pollen, dirt, and other outdoor particles to drift inside.
Summer air is typically much drier, and this causes particles to remain airborne longer and are more noticeable when they eventually settle on surfaces. Marilee Nelson, a cleaning expert from Branch Basics, says that summer dust can persist no matter how often you wipe surfaces unless you clean properly using natural methods like olive oil and vodka.
She said: “Toss the toxic household dusting products and opt for a natural homemade spray instead. Mix together water, vodka and olive oil to quickly create this budget-friendly, natural and effective dusting spray alternative.”
It may sound utterly bizarre, but both olive oil and vodka are dust repellents are will keep surfaces cleaner for much longer, so you do not have to keep dusting your home.
Dust often clings to skirting boards, windowsills, radiators and blinds as these surfaces are made of materials which generate a lot of static electricity.
Olive oil creates a coating which greatly reduces the amount of static, which makes it much more difficult for dust to stick to the surface.
Vodka will sanitise your home and is one of the best natural ways to remove any sticky residues or oily marks that can attract dust.
It also evaporates extremely quickly, which also helps keep a surface cleaner and much longer than other cleaning products, as there is no moisture left behind for the dust to settle on.
How to keep dust out of your home all summer
You will need:
- Two parts water
- One part cheap, unflavoured vodka
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
All you need to do is add the ingredients to a empty spray bottle and screw up on the lid. You can buy empty spray bottles in the cleaning aisle of most supermarkets, but they can also be bought in hardware stores, gardening centres, and pound shops.
Give the spray bottle a good shake to mix everything together, and then spray lightly on surfaces.
Wipe the surface down with a clean cloth, and the olive oil will leave behind a thin layer that will repel dust.
Your home should stay allergen and dust-free for much longer this summer, but make sure to keep vacuuming to keep any particles off the floor.
Marilee said, “Because dust slides right off cleaned surfaces, we recommend vacuuming at least weekly. Cheers to less dusting!”