Not only is dusting one of the least favourite chores when cleaning, but it sometimes feels like a losing battle. In fact, if your home is near a street with heavy traffic, dusting may seem like a thankless and never-ending task. Granted, you will never be able to get rid of the dust completely despite your best efforts. Nevertheless, you can control the amount of dust in your home with the following tricks.

How to limit the dust in your home

Homes nowadays are considerably less dusty than they used to be, however hard to believe that may sound. The reason is the forced air heating and cooling systems ensure that the air is properly circulated throughout the house. Then again, without proper maintenance, dust will accumulate very quickly. Here's what you can do to limit the amount of dust in your home:

• Vacuum your carpets, furniture and closet floors as often as possible
• Groom your pets regularly to contain dander, dust and hair
• Rotate your mattress and bedding every season, especially if you have a box-spring mattress
• Use a microfiber cloth for dusting, as the material grabs and traps dust, instead of pushing it around
• Dust the furniture first to push all the fine particles on the floor and then vacuum

Top dusting mistakes to avoid

In addition to remembering the aforementioned tips for the next time to clean, it is important to avoid making these common mistakes:

Using a feather duster

Even though they come with a handle and you don't really have to touch the dust, feather dusters are completely useless when it comes to cleaning. Instead of helping you wipe the dust off the furniture and accessories, all they do is spread the particles from one surface to another. To efficiently remove dust from surfaces, you need to use a microfiber or an electrostatic duster.

Forgetting to change the vacuum's filter

Granted, the role of the vacuum cleaner filters is to capture the very fine dust and particles that the device collects; that is, until they clog. Once clogged, the filter will fail to capture fine dust particles. Not only that, but if you own an older device, it could blast the dust back into the air. In short, your vacuuming efforts would be in vain. To make the most of the process, remember to clean and wash the filters according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Neglecting the AC and heating vents

While you have to handle it to the contractor for doing such a great job at concealing the vents of your HVAC, keep in mind that these invisible grilles are hidden dust magnets. Without regular cleaning, they will only spread the dust-filled air throughout your house. Therefore, the next time you clean, take a minute or two to vacuum the slats of the heating and air conditioning vents.

Spraying polish directly on the furniture

More often than not, people spray the polish directly on surface of the furniture and then wipe it off with a piece of cloth. However, by doing so, you're only creating a thin dust build-up on the furniture, which tends to attract more dust. In case you use polish, then the correct approach entails spraying it on a dry piece of cloth before dusting a surface.

Professional cleaning services can help all types of homes

While you may think that professional cleaning services are for people with busy schedules, the truth is that every home could benefit from a thorough, deep cleaning from time to time. Having your carpets, floors, upholstery and ducts professionally cleaned once or twice per year means you can enjoy a higher indoor air quality and maintain the health and well-being of your loved ones.