Most New Orleans dwellings are old. This means drafty windows and myriad other open nooks and crannies that allow dust to come in and settle on every imaginable surface, rendering even the most meticulous housekeepers powerless against it. The best we can do is come up with a system that keeps it under control without taking over our lives. Call me lazy but dusting with a cloth and cleaner and polish every week was taking up way more time than I wanted to devote to anything not filed under leisure. But, I have terrible allergies and my husband has asthma, so we can’t let it go over a week. A few months ago, I decided to experiment and discovered a new method. My hopes were low, so color me pleasantly surprised when it worked. Here’s my system.
Tools:
- A microfiber, feather or Swiffer duster
- Microfiber cloth and glass cleaner
- Your favorite style of broom
- Sponge string or Swiffer mop and, or vacuum
Instructions:
With your duster of choice, start from the top down wiping and swiping each surface. For example: Ceiling fan, light fixtures, art on walls, drapery (with vacuum) and blinds, shelves, tables and cabinets. Switch off from the cloth to hit glass with cloth and glass cleaner. The top-down method ensures that the dust will fall to the ground. Once you finish dusting, sweep or vacuum the floor then mop if you have a hard surface flooring. Voilà , you are all done. Do this for three weeks, then about once a month, dust with a cloth and cleaner and wood polish or mineral oil to keep grime away and wood conditioned.
Do you have a tried-and-true method for dusting? Or another housekeeping hack to cut down on time spent doing chores, so you can rest, relax and galivant all over town? Please share in comments or email me at melanie@myneworleans.com.
