dust | The Patrick O'Brien Agency

Today is the first day of spring and we are looking forward to cleaning up the garage, the yard, and “spring cleaning” inside the home. With two small children, it’s hard to have a perfectly clean home every day but the one thing that will stop me dead in my tracks year round (no matter what I’m doing) is dust. Why does dust bother me so much? Because dust mites live in dust. YUCK! And, Pat and Jack have allergies that can go berzerk.

I know dust mites exist and I try hard not to think about them living in our pillows, bed covers, mattresses, furniture, carpeting, and clothing. (Another YUCK!) But, I feel better knowing I can reduce the amount of mites in our home by staying on top of the dust with some easy steps.

Here’s our top 10.

Vacuum floors and upholstered furniture once a week
Keep your closet clean and the floors clear so you can vacuum easily & regularly.
Keep furnace filters clean.
Limit knickknack decor.
Instead of heavy drapery, hang lightweight curtains & shades.
Avoid stacking piles of mail, newspaper, and magazines on tables and shelves.
Keep clothes you wear regularly in your bedroom or closet and store the rest. Use garment boxes and clear plastic containers to store items on shelves so they don’t collect dust.
Store stuffed animals in a closed toy box or closet & regularly wash stuffed toys in hot water. I’ve heard you can put a stuffed animal in a plastic bag and in the freezer overnight every few weeks to help kill dust mites – but I haven’t tried that yet.
Wash your sheets (and the blankets you wrap up in when you snuggle on the couch) weekly
Have your area rugs cleaned once or twice a year