- The average home accumulates about 40 pounds of dust each year.
- That’s more than three-quarters of a pound every week.
- With our choice of the best duster, the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster, you might just breathe easier.
While I would like to say that the dust and cobwebs in my home are early Halloween decorations, that line doesn’t work most of the year. Dust just seems to accumulate at an extraordinary rate. That’s not surprising when you consider how dust originates.
Those 40 pounds of dust that settle in your home each year are a combination of pollen, human and pet dander, dead skin cells, dust mites and insect droppings, soil, food crumbs, and particulates in the air. The more people and pets in your home and the more often the doors and windows open, the more dust you’re going to have.
Even if you claim to love the patina of dust-covered surfaces, there are plenty of good reasons to remove the dust. When we breathe in dust particles, depending on the type of particulate, our respiratory tracts respond. Some particles are fairly benign and cause mild allergic reactions like sneezing and a runny nose. Other particles can trigger asthma that severely affects breathing.
It feels like I’ve been dusting since I could walk. And I must say that tools for dusting have improved since the days of using an old shirt. In addition to looking for the most effective, easiest to use, and the best value in products for myself and others, I’ve also realized that there are other steps you can take to lower the amount of dust in a home.
- Declutter: The less "stuff" you have in your home to accumulate dust, the less dust there will be.
- Clean from the top down: When you’re ready to clean, start at the top of the room and do the floors last so you can capture all of the dust that settles there. No need to dust twice.
- Wash bedding weekly: We spend hours and hours in a bed and within a week bedding accumulates a great deal of human and pet dander, dust mites, and dead skin. Washing is a simple way to get rid of the problem.
- Remove your shoes at the door: Around 60% of dust particles come the outside and removing shoes dramatically reduces the amount of dust in a home.
- Lower the humidity: Keeping interior humidity levels around 40% will reduce the number of moisture-loving dust mites.
- Change your air filters: Fresh filters in your HVAC system will trap more dust and keep your system running more efficiently.
- Bathe and groom pets: A clean animal sheds less dander and hair.
- Vacuum regularly: Keep floors clean with a good vacuum that has a HEPA filter to trap the smallest dust particles.
Even with diligent cleaning, there will still be dust, so it’s a good idea to buy a duster. We’ve done the research and testing to find the best dusters.
Here are the best dusters you can buy in 2019:
- Best duster overall: OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster
- Best disposable duster: Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle
- Best lambswool duster: Norpro Pure Lambswool Duster
- Best duster for cleaning under appliances: OXO Good Grips Under Appliance Microfiber Duster
- Best specialty duster for window blinds: Hiware Window Blind Cleaner Duster
Keep scrolling to check out our top picks.
The best duster overall
Amazon
The OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster traps dust easily, extends and adjusts to reach high surfaces, and can be washed for years of reuse.
As a woman who is both short in stature and always watching expenditures, the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster is my duster of choice. My favorite thing is that after dusting, I can remove the head and toss it in the washer so I can start each dusting session with a clean duster. The washable head means no additional expense since my purchase and no excuses to put of cleaning because I’m out of disposable duster heads.
With a sturdy, but lightweight, handle with a comfortable grip, the duster can stretch from 27 to 54 inches. The duster head rotates 270 degrees and can be locked into place at multiple angles. Since the duster head has microfibers on each side to capture dust, you can simply switch the angle and continue dusting when one side is heavily soiled.
Microfiber is made from polyamide (nylon) and polyester and creates an electrostatic fabric that attracts dust. The dust is then trapped in the many, tiny fibers until you use laundry detergent and water to flush them away. Because of the way microfiber is manufactured, you may see lint or loose fibers at first on the duster. Just rinse the head under cold water and give it a good shake before drying. The lint will be gone.
To keep your duster in top-shape, avoid bleach that can damage fibers and fabric softeners and dryer sheets that coat the fibers and lower their ability to trap dust. I find that air-drying the head works best.
More than 1,000 buyers have left reviews on Amazon with 71% giving the duster four or five stars. One reviewer named Kare seems to be a fan, "I love, love, love this. I bought it over a year ago, and it quickly became one of my "go to" cleaning tools. I live in a very dusty environment and use this to reach spaces above my head as well as things like baseboards. I also find it very convenient for getting into some of the nooks and crannies of furniture. I essentially have my vacuum in one hand and this in the other, and between the two of them I can get the job done. I use my vacuum nozzle to clean the duster as I go, and that extends the length of time I can use the microfiber pad before washing."
I love it, too. I just bought a second duster head so I can always have a clean duster at my fingertips.
Pros: Microfiber duster head traps and holds dust, machine-washable head, aluminum extender handle reaches from 27 to 54 inches, replacement heads available
Cons: Duster head will shed fibers unless washed first
Buy the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster on Amazon for $14.99
The best disposable duster
Amazon
With its 360-degree duster surface that has more fibers and an extendable handle, the Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle is a hard-working disposable duster.
When I want to use a disposable duster, I turn to Swiffer. I’ve tried every brand on the market and the Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle is the very best one I’ve found.
Because there are more electrostatic fibers on the duster head, I find the Swiffer Heavy Duty Duster picks up twice as much dust as other brands. The sturdy plastic extender handle expands from about 15 to 36 inches plus the 8-inch duster head. The head can be locked into four different angles to clean hard-to-reach surfaces.
This starter kit comes with one handle and 12 dusters. The disposable dusters are easy to find online and in mass market stores; however, a heavy-duty duster refill costs around $1.00 each.
Around 77% of reviewers on Amazon give this Swiffer kit a four or five-star rating. From reading the reviews, it would be higher if everyone could figure out how to slide the dusters onto the handle!
One reviewer named Bruce D. shared his tips to figure it out, "The duster works well for cobwebs, dust and general cleaning in hard to reach areas like along the ceiling, skylights, etc. The directions for installing the duster to the supplied handle are lacking. There are two pockets within the duster heads which are somewhat difficult to locate. You will see small slits in the white cloth of the duster at one end. Once you find them you slip the forks of the duster handle into these two pockets to secure the duster to the handle. Hope this helps others."
I like Swiffer for dusting "knick-knacks" on mantels and shelves. The duster is flexible enough that I don’t have to move each small item every time I want to capture the dust. I also use it in my car to reach those tight spaces in the corners between the windshield and dashboard and all the little nooks and crannies of air-vents.
Pros: Disposable, lightweight, fits into tight spots to trap dust, extendable handle reaches three feet, dusting head locks into place
Cons: Replacement dusters can become expensive
Buy Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle in a starter kit of one handle and 12 dusters on Amazon for $17.99
The best lambswool duster
Amazon
The Norpro Pure Lambswool Duster acts as a natural magnet for dust, comes from a renewable source, and will last for years.
If you prefer a natural fiber duster, then lambswool is an excellent choice. Many man-made fibers were developed to mimic the characteristics of wool fibers. The qualities of wool fibers and the lanolin they contain make them a natural magnet for dust and amazingly strong.
Wool has an inner cortex that is elastic and resilient to damage. The fiber can be bent more than 20,000 times without breaking. The cortex is covered with the cuticle layer that is composed of hundreds of microscopic overlapping scales. The scales create tiny pockets that trap and hold dust particles. Finally, the scales are covered by a thin protective film called the epicuticle that makes the fibers resistant to abrasion on even the most delicate surfaces.
If you decide on a wool duster, look no further than the Norpro Pure Lambswool Duster. I was introduced to the Norpro line while in college and still have the duster I purchased then these many years later. The dusters are available in 12-, 24-, and 48-inch lengths. The head is around 12 inches long and seven inches wide when fluffed. The handle is wooden with a leather loop for hanging.
When you have finished a dusting session, simple step outside and spin the handle between your hands to release the dust. If the head becomes excessively soiled, it can be hand washed with cool water and a gentle detergent. Give the head a good spin to fluff the fibers and then allow the duster to air dry.
More than 500 buyers have left their thoughts about Norpro on Amazon with 73% giving the duster five-stars. One reviewer named Shirl says, "This is an excellent duster. The handle is just the right length for once-over-lightly dusting. It really helps to reach hard-to-reach places like baseboards and top edges of door frames and corners of walls. The lambswool really picks up and holds the dust much better than other artificial dusters. Just tap it on the edge of an outside banister or your trash can to release the dust."
If you are ready to lessen your dependence on plastics and choose a natural fiber, Norpro Lambswool is an excellent choice.
Pros: Natural fibers, a renewable material source, picks up dust easily, reusable, lasts for many years
Cons: Handle is not extendable
Buy Norpro Pure Lambswool Duster in a 24-inch length on Amazon for $13.14
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Mary Marlowe Leverette)