I like to work smarter, not harder, when it comes to cleaning. That’s especially true when it comes to dusting. No one wants to have their entire Saturday earmarked for cleaning the house, but it seems like the dust builds up without fail each week, leaving you to wipe down and dust the same shelves and cabinets in rotation. But what if I told you that you could cut back on dusting if you used a cheap, homemade spray instead?
According to my Polish grandmother, you don’t need a whole caddy of cleaning supplies to get your home into tip-top shape. In my experience, you can cut your cleaning time in half using dust-repellant spray rather than just ordinary surface cleaner. All you need is vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of soap to recreate my grandmother’s dust-repellant spray recipe. The coating the spray leaves helps more dust propel off surfaces and onto the floor, which means you’ll have to clean those hard to dust places a little less.
To make the spray, she combines 2 cups of water, 1 cup of vinegar to disinfect and cut through grime, 2 tablespoons of olive oil to polish and keep dust away for longer, and a drop or two of dish soap for extra cleaning power. Mix it all together and use it in place of your regular surface cleaner for best results. My grandma would then pour this concoction into an old spray bottle and use it to wipe down everything from her credenzas to her coffee tables.
Now, this spray isn’t a miracle worker, so you will eventually have to dust your shelves and furniture. But I find that I can get away with wiping my surfaces biweekly rather than weekly when using this regularly. (For reference, I have two cats, so dust and hair build up in my home relatively fast!)
If just the spray is no match for your dust piles, my mom, who is a housekeeper, also recommends using fabric softener sheets over baseboards and lamp shades to repel dust. When using this method, I only need to dust my baseboards once a month compared to weekly. Having said that, you can also use 1 tablespoon of fabric softener in place of olive oil in your dust repellent spray to achieve the same results. You can, of course, fiddle with the ingredients and ratios to achieve a recipe that is best for you (and that will fit whatever spray bottle you have handy.) Happy dusting!
To make the spray, she combines 2 cups of water, 1 cup of vinegar to disinfect and cut through grime, 2 tablespoons of olive oil to polish and keep dust away for longer, and a drop or two of dish soap for extra cleaning power. Mix it all together and use it in place of your regular surface cleaner for best results.
Before vacuuming, sprinkle a bit of baking soda onto carpets and rugs. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. This helps to loosen hair and dust particles, making them easier to remove with your vacuum. Plus, the baking soda acts as a natural deodorizer.
Mix 1 part softener to 4 parts water in a squirt bottle or empty dish soap bottle. Spray a little on you cloth, wipe away the dust on glass coffee tables and other surfaces, then polish with a dry cloth.
When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, the acid breaks down baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt from the surfaces being cleaned. Here are some recipes to try. Freshen your sink by mixing one part of baking soda with two parts of vinegar.
The most effective way to clean the dust in your home is to clear up the rooms, shelves, and tables from clutter before dusting, and shake out the cloths whenever they get filled with dust.
Instead of dusting weekly you can get away with bi-weekly dusting your surfaces. To make: simply add 1 cup water, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 Tablespoon olive oil and a drop of 2 of dish soap. Shake well and dust away!!!
All you need is vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of soap to recreate my grandmother's dust-repellant spray recipe. The coating the spray leaves helps more dust propel off surfaces and onto the floor, which means you'll have to clean those hard-to-dust places a little less.
We at Castle Keepers find dusting with a plain, slightly damp microfiber cloth the best way to remove dust from the home, much superior to dusting with oils or sprays. “Damp dusting” is also much easier than dry dusting and more effective because it catches more dust. Dampen your choice of cloth lightly with water.
Kick up dust without lifting a finger. The fan gets the air in your house moving, until eventually it makes its way to the intake where your air filter can trap and store dust. (You don't actually get to call this “dusting”—it's more of an assist.)
Repel dust: Ditch your can of dust-attracting spray and use a dryer sheet to dust your electronics, blinds, ceiling fans, baseboards, and other dusty areas of your home. It leaves behind a trace of anti-static residue for a fresh scent and effective dust repellent.
All you need is vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of soap to recreate my grandmother's dust-repellant spray recipe. The coating the spray leaves helps more dust propel off surfaces and onto the floor, which means you'll have to clean those hard to dust places a little less.
Kick up dust without lifting a finger. The fan gets the air in your house moving, until eventually it makes its way to the intake where your air filter can trap and store dust. (You don't actually get to call this “dusting”—it's more of an assist.)
Make dust spray: Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 2 cups warm water, and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil into a spray bottle. Shake until the ingredients are combined.
Add essential oils: Sprinkle a few drops of your desired essential oils into the spray bottle.
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