Don't Mess Up At Cleanıng

Whether you’re mopping, dusting, scrubbing, or vacuuming, follow these to the-point tips and glide through your chores!

Don’t Whiff At Dusting

TRADE IN your feather dusters and cotton rags for microfiber cloths, which trap dust and dirt. Use them dry or with a light spritz of water or furniture polish.

START WITH surfaces closest to the ceiling, and work your way down. Ceiling fans, tops of bookcases, and light fixtures should get done before tables, chairs, and consoles. Commit to dusting furniture— and everything on it—every other week.

NEVER USE a back-and-forth motion. The proper dusting technique is single swipes, from left to right.

IF THE BLADES of your ceiling fan are grimy, dampen a pillowcase with water, stand on a step stool, then slip the pillowcase over and slide it off each blade. Apply enough pressure so the pillowcase takes the dust with it. For regular fan dustings, use an extendable duster with a rotating head, like the Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster ($15, oxo.com)—you won’t need a step stool.

ONCE A YEAR, blow dust off your chandelier with a hair dryer set on low heat (be sure to use an extension cord with 12 gauge or greater wire so the cord doesn’t overheat). If dust is caked on, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe it down. Be sure the bulbs are cool—a hot bulb touched with a damp cloth could shatter.

USE MICROFIBER CLOTHS or lint rollers on lampshades. Or if a shade is pleated, use the brush attachment on your vacuum. When the bulbs are cool to the touch, give them a once-over with a cloth; a dirty bulb emits 20% less light.