Dusting is a never-ending chore, but one cleaning hack can stop dust sticking to skirting boards and blinds for a month
Dusting can often feel like a never-ending chore, with just-cleaned surfaces around the home continuing to attract dirt, but there’s a clever trick that keeps dust at bay for much longer. Opening windows to let in a fresh breeze means air circulates more freely, making it easy for dust to float about and settle down on various nooks and crannies.
Window blinds and skirting boards are infamous dust magnets due to their wide flat surfaces usually made from materials like wood or plastic, which are prone to accumulating static electricity. Static acts as quite the attraction for any grimy particles, ensuring they cling on with annoying persistence unless you outsmart them by creating a dust-repellent shield.
Enter Kerry, the guru behind Blissful Domestication and a whizz with a cleaning hack. She’s shared a budget-friendly yet highly effective way to bust that pesky static: simply sweep over areas with dryer sheets.
Kerry advised: “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 sound odd, but it’s logical when you think about it – dryer sheets are inherently covered in an anti-static layer to prevent your washing from clumping together mid-tumble.
By simply sliding a dryer sheet over your blinds or along your skirting boards, you effectively transfer that anti-static magic, stopping dust from being able to settle on these surfaces.
Dryer sheets are typically coated in fabric softener, leaving behind a thin waxy layer that acts as a protective barrier against dust. You can buy a pack of 34 dryer sheets from Wilko for £1.99, making them about 5p per sheet.
When cleaning skirting boards, you can use a vacuum cleaner and then mop them if you wish. Afterwards, use a microfiber cloth to dry the surfaces, ensuring none of them remain damp, as this could attract dust.
Next, slide the dryer sheets across your blinds and skirting boards. Don’t forget to also wipe them across any windowsills or bookcases present in the room, as these can be dust-prone areas.
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The room should remain dust-free for at least a month, although the duration depends on the amount of air circulating in the room.
However, this method should prevent dust accumulation on often-neglected surfaces like skirting boards and blinds for an extended period, resulting in a cleaner room with minimal effort.