Dusters & Flickers

Dusters & Flickers 

No matter how hard we all try to keep our homes looking spotless, there’s always a little bit of dust that seems to creep back in. Dust is ugly and unappealing, and can cause serious problems breathing for people with allergies.
You may hear many different people offer many different solutions on the best way to get rid of dust. Today, we’re going to look at three common methods for eliminating dust – microfiber, lambswool, and feather dusters. We’ll weigh the pros and cons of each, before revealing our personal favorite!

Microfiber

Microfiber is a material made from thousands of teeny filaments, or threads, that are soft to the touch. When you use a microfiber cloth, these tiny little fibers produce a small static electric charge, making them great for attracting, picking up, and trapping dust. Instead of pushing dust around, the grooved, fibrous surface of a microfiber duster collects dust, dirt, and debris like a magnet, allowing you to pick it up and get rid of it all with ease.
We love microfiber cloths because they’re so versatile – strong and sturdy enough to handle heavy duty dusting, but also light enough for delicate household surfaces. Microfiber dusts are endlessly washable and reusable, making them a sustainable, environmentally friendly option. They are also hypoallergenic. They also come in many different shapes and sizes, from cloths to extended-reach dusters, to mitts, and so on.

Lambswool

Lambswool dusters are made from – you guessed it! – the woolen material from lambs. While thinking about an animal getting harmed might give you the “heebie jeebies,” you don’t need to worry – most lambswool is humanely harvested, without causing any damage to cute little lambs. In fact, one major benefit of lambswool is that it is all-natural.
Lambswool is naturally made up of fibers and lanolin, which create static electricity and allow lambswool dusters to collect dust.
Lambswool is reusable, though many lambswool products are not washable. Instead, you can clear off and reuse your lambswool duster by picking off dirt and grime by hand, or shaking it off outside. Lambswool can be used to dust many different surfaces, including delicate surfaces and furniture.

One secret? Wrap your lambswool with a dust cloth, treated with a tiny bit of mineral oil. This gives you two advantages. One, dust clings to the cloth like nobody’s business, and two, you will not get the lambswool dirty.

Feather Duster

If you’ve ever seen a depiction of a cleaning person in an old cartoon, you’ve probably got a good idea of what a feather duster looks like. Traditionally made with feathers from animals ranging from geese to ostriches (and now often made from synthetic materials), feather dusters are big clumps of feathers, which you brush over a dusty surface.
While some feather dusters may attract and trap dust, the vast majority only serve to brush up dust and move it around. This can irritate the sinuses of people with allergies, and may just leave a mess for you to subsequently clean up with a vacuum or mop.
When might you use a feather duster? These cleaning tools are extremely light, and make minimal contact with a surface. This can make them an option if you’re cleaning something expensive or extremely delicate, without risking any damage.