No matter where you live, dust from the environment can be a problem. If you live in dry, desert-like conditions in California, or in the southwest, then matters might even be worse. In damper climates like the pacific northwest, dust can be a problem when the weather changes from wet to dry seasons. And if you’ve got allergy problems, then dust has become your sworn enemy. So how do you keep it down in the home or apartment? While eliminating dust is not an entirely realistic possibility, you can keep dust down through consistent measures. Here are a few things you can do around the house to manage problems with dust.

If you have pets, then extra care for regular vacuuming, dusting and sweeping is essential. When you dust, consider switching out your old rags and use an electrostatic cloth — this will ensure that dust is grabbed up for good by the cloth, not just moved from one surface to another. Microfiber cloths manage dust well, too, and when you’re done cleaning, wash them with the rest of your laundry. If you’ve got hardwood, linoleum or tile floors, break out the mop, and do it multiple times a week!

Take a look at the filters around the house — if you use air purifiers, clean or replace old filters, and either do it yourself, or pay a technician to inspect the filters in your air conditioner or heating system. As winter arrives and you begin to use your heater again, dust might have collected, so having filters inspected then is a great way to manage the problem.

Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter can work to trap more dust particles, thereby eliminating more of the stuff from your house. And speaking of your vacuum, make sure to empty out or change out your vacuum bags often! I’ve seen friends who clearly haven’t changed the bag in the vacuum cleaner for years, and they are literally full of bricks of dust. If it’s in the house, it’s going to end up back in the air.

Generally keeping down the clutter means keeping down the amount of places that dust can accumulate and stay trapped in the environment. Clean out closets, throw away or recycle what you can, and make sure to dust up or mop behind and around furniture, lamps, piles of books or rugs you may have on your hardwood or tile floors.

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