It's that time of year again when many of us are looking for a little allergy relief.
No matter how often we clean, no matter how hard we try, dust keeps coming back. For those allergy sufferers who live adjacent to gravel roads dust can be a very real problem.
And it's not just the sight of dust, either. For many of us dust translates into serious allergies and other related health problems. And yet, it's the dust you can't see or can't get to that is often the problem.
When it comes to allergy relief it's also important to know that dust is attracted by static. Hence, the best way to rid your home of dust is to eliminate static electricity.
Allergy relief is found in a reasonably clean and dust-free home. While it's virtually impossible to remove all the dust in your home the following dust-busting tips should help provide a little allergy relief to those family members who suffer most.
The best way to eliminate static on refrigerator tops, TVs, glass-topped tables and other surfaces prone to static electricity, is to wipe them with a static-fighting solution of four parts water with one part liquid fabric softener.
Since dust falls downward work from top to bottom.
Here's a list of some hard-to-reach areas that breed just as much dust as frustration, and what to do about it.
Narrow Areas
Put a sock or pantyhose over an old hanger, wooden spoon, fly swatter or the end of a broom handle. You can also slip the cardboard roll from inside gift wrap over a length of your vacuum hose if you don't have a wand.
Baseboards
Wear old socks and use your feet. Hey, why not?
Blinds
Metal or plastic venetian blinds require just a quick flick with the dusting wand. Use your vacuum brush attachment on verticals, or fabric blinds that are accordion-pleated (one solid surface).
Radiators
Dust build-up restricts the flow of steam. Use your vacuum brush or a baby bottle brush, which can reach into narrow crevices your vacuum can't.
Heat Grills
Use your vacuum again, using either the upholstery brush or the crevice tool to vacuum dust away. If you have a canister model and can reverse the airflow, you may opt to blow the dust away. Trouble with that is you just blow it into the furnace vent to be blown back up in the fall.
Louver Door
A wedge-shaped brush (from the paint store) fits right into louvers for easy dusting.
Room Air Conditioners
Get inside with the vacuum while you're washing the filter in lukewarm soapy water. To provide continued allergy relief all season do it before you use the unit for the first time and periodically throughout the summer.
Drawers
Can't use your vacuum in drawers without sucking up socks and paperclips, right? Wrong. Cover your vacuum nozzle with a piece of cheesecloth or a section of pantyhose held in place with a rubberband. This is also useful for retrieving a lightweight object that has fallen behind an appliance, or to locate a contact lens on the floor.
Plants
Give them a flick with the feather duster or put them under the shower or out in the rain. A dust and a drink in one operation.
So there you have it some easy ways to get a little allergy relief.
Published by Sherrie Le Masurier on April 17, 2006 08:19 PM
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