The Laundry Room Essential That Can Help Keep Every Surface In Your Home Dust-Free

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Keeping up with a regular dusting schedule can be quite time-consuming, especially if you live in an older property and feel like dust appears as soon as you wipe it away. Common areas for dust to settle are baseboards, bookshelves, lighting fixtures, and any other surface that isn't touched on a regular basis. If your current dusting routine is a little infrequent and not very thorough (and you know you could do with a handy hack that'll fix the common dusting mistakes you've been making), then you may want to look in your laundry room for an essential that can help keep buildup to a minimum between cleanings.

Fabric softener is a must-have in most laundry rooms and used to keep certain materials feeling and smelling their freshest. But did you know it has another handy function around the home? You may already DIY your own anti-static laundry spray using fabric softener, but the same properties that prevent irritating cling in your clothing could also help stop dust from accumulating on surfaces. Fabric softener contains compounds called cationic surfactants, which create a thin protective layer of charged particles over your clothes (or surface in this case) that reduces friction and prevents static buildup. To make your own anti-static spray using fabric softener, all you're going to need is a mixture of 1 tablespoon of fabric softener and 1 cup of warm water poured into an easy-to-use spray bottle — it really is that simple!

Once you have your DIY anti-static spray all mixed up, it's time to clean and dust your surfaces. Rather than work with a feather duster, use a microfiber cloth and warm water or cleaning spray to clear the area of dust, grime, and debris. Then, take a dry cloth and wipe away any cleaner you may have used. Now, bring out your DIY spray to prevent any further dust from settling on your surface. Simply spritz your spray onto a clean cloth and gently wipe the surface. This can keep your surfaces dust-free for at least a few weeks or even up to a month, which will allow you to make your dusting schedule a little less frequent. 

If you'd rather skip the fabric softener, you may also make a dust-repellent spray with household staples like vinegar and olive oil, or you could purchase an anti-static spray. You can pick up an anti-static spray at most grocery stores or buy one online, like the Static Guard Original Spray that retails for just $6.29 from Walmart. Another thing to note is that using a dryer sheet has the same effect as using anti-static spray, because they also contain fabric softener. You simply need to wipe your dryer sheet over your surface, and it would have the same dust-repelling effect. However, you may want to consider the negative environmental impact of this method due to the waste. Making your own anti-static spray is a more affordable option and will last longer.