Cleaning Tips to Reduce Household Dust

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine

Upgrade your furnace filter

If your home has a forced-air heating or cooling system, it can help control dust by filtering the air. Most visible dust settles on floors and furniture before it can enter the heating/cooling system, so no filter will eliminate dusting chores. Still, a filter upgrade can make a noticeable improvement.

The most effective system is an electrostatic filter connected to your ductwork ($700 to $1,500,professionally installed).An electrostatic filter may be worth the expense if you have allergies. But if you just want to reduce dust buildup, it's smarter to spend $40 to $100 per year on high-quality disposable filters. A standard fiberglass filter traps only the largest dust particles. It's effective enough to protect your furnace but does almost nothing to reduce household dust. Better filters are made from pleated fabric or paper. Most pleated filters also carry an electrostatic charge that attracts and holds dust. A pleated filter can capture virtually all the visible dust that reaches it. Manufacturers usually recommend that you change these filters every three months, but you should check them monthly, especially if you have cats or dogs, and replace them if they're dirty. Dirty pleated filters can restrict airflow and damage your furnace.

Good, better and best filters
A filter upgrade can make a noticeable reduction in dust. Standard fiberglass filters are good, pleated filters are better, and a pleated electrostatic filter system is best.