How to vacuum in the correct order
If there's one thing Dyson knows well, it's dust. With labs around the world dedicated to inspecting household dirt, Dyson uses this information to develop its products. The data is also extremely useful in helping to understand how dust is made and the correct order to clean your home.
In this section:
What is dust?
Dust is the collective name for the small particles that end up littering our homes. It mainly comprises microscopic particles of various origins, including dead skin cells, hair, animal dander, soil and pollens. Where you get dust, you also get dust mites. These microscopic creatures feast on dead skin cells and, like all living things, excrete waste products, which can cause allergic reactions in humans.
Running its Global Dust Study, Dyson found that there was a huge increase in pet ownership, with 57% of households having at least one. Of these households, 50% allowed their pets to sleep on their beds, although awareness of what this meant was low.
According to the survey results, 75% were unaware that pollen can reside on their pets, 70% were unaware that viruses and house dust mite droppings could reside on their pets, and 50% were unaware that bacteria and skin scales were on our pets.
Most households also only cleaned when their home was visibly dirty: that means there's a lot of microscopic messes and allergens floating around. Cleaning regularly, even when a home doesn't look dirty, is the right way to go, but here's how to clean.
What we used
A vacuum cleaner is an essential tool for cleaning a home, as it removes dirt from surfaces for safe disposal. We can recommend the Dyson V15 Detect as the best cordless cleaner we've reviewed.
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Marcher
1Vacuum first, then use a damp cloth
Many households have admitted to using a damp cloth to remove dirt, but this is a very bad idea. Dust mites and mold all love a moist environment, so you're giving them exactly what they want using this method. Instead, you have to vacuum dirt to remove it from surfaces.
With any decent vacuum cleaner, you'll find tools designed to tackle specific jobs: a crevice tool (the long pointed one) needs to get into tight spaces and the sides of a room; an upholstery tool or mini motorized tool is for soft surfaces, including sofas and curtains; and a soft brush replaces a traditional feather duster.
For floors, you may find that your vacuum cleaner has different attachments for different types. For example, at Dyson, the soft roller is for hard floors and the brush for carpets.
Once you've vacuumed, you can clean the surfaces with a cloth or mop, using your choice of cleaning or polishing solution.
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Marcher
2start high
When you vacuum, the dust is knocked out. Therefore, it makes more sense to clean up high, starting at the top of cupboards and around baseboards, before moving down. Don't forget to also clean your sofas and upholstery: these can harbor dust mites and their droppings, as well as dust and allergens.
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Marcher
3Vacuum your mattress
Sleeping on your mattress all night means it's a primary place where dead skin cells gather. Add to that the fact that mattresses are warm and moist, thanks to our bodies, and you have the perfect breeding ground for dust mites (pictured below). Be sure to vacuum your mattress regularly, at least once a month. It makes sense to clean your mattress as you change your sheets.
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Marcher
4Use an air purifier
Although vacuuming is impossible, an air purifier can help reduce the number of pollutants in the air, including pet hair, pollen, and microscopic particles. Purifiers work by sucking up airborne particles and trapping them in a filter, preventing them from settling. By removing airborne particles, they also make the air we breathe cleaner.
help
Yes, although they only tackle dirt on the floor, so you have to vacuum higher up, including upholstery. It makes sense to do manual cleaning first and then run the robot.
