Dust collects on all surfaces, meaning there are areas in your home that you’ve probably never paid attention to and that are in dire need of a thorough dusting. While your household cleaning list is lengthy, leaving out dusting can be crucial to your home. Dust bunnies, or dust mites, can cause a powdery look on each surface in your home. Plus, it can cause your allergies to flare up. While we know you’ll always dust your ceiling fan, there are a few other places you shouldn’t forget about.

8 Places You’re Not Dusting in Your Home

Some may surprise you, while others you may choose to forget.

Air Filters and Vents

Though you can’t see it, there are air contaminants that fill the air in your home, causing your allergies to flare and disrupt the proper function of your air conditioning. From dust, chemicals, and pet hair, it builds up over time. Keeping your vents dusted and clean saves you money and gives your home a cleaner look. The air filters and vents collect dust with ease, so if you can, hand wash reusable filters or replace them completely.

Houseplants

Real or fake, house plants collect dust just like any other stationary object in your home. Dust attracts bacteria, and it can also prevent the plant from operating at its best and photosynthesizing. Cleaning your plant leaves will bring back their shine and flourish in your home. Simply take a warm cloth and wipe the top and bottom of your plant’s leaves. This easy task will remove the dust and bring your plants back to life. Avoid too much water, as your plants will appear wet, attracting more bacteria and fungi.

Light Fixtures

While your light fixture adds character to your home, that can be taken away when it’s covered in dust. Lampshades collect dust like no other. To clean, be sure to turn off the light fixture and wait for it to cool down. Dryer sheets or dry microfiber cloths are great to rid the dust on bulbs and shades. You can also use a long duster to wipe off any dust.

Walls

It’s easy to turn a blind eye to the look of your walls. If it isn’t a scratch, stain, or marking, you probably don’t pay much attention to your walls. Take a closer look. Your walls aren’t off-limits to dust. Dust mites can build up in small crevices of your walls and can create a furry look, which isn’t so pleasing to the eye. Grab a damp sponge or cloth and wipe your walls from the top down. Use a dust mop in hard-to-reach places.

Mattresses

It’s a scary thought, but your bed is just as susceptible to dust mites as anything else. This is because they feed off of dead skin cells (a little TMI, but hear us out) and love humid and warm places. Take control of your bed and vacuum your mattress on both sides. Make it a routine habit each month to not only prevent allergy flare-ups, but to get rid of the dust mites.

Decorative Pieces

From books and magazines to small figurines, you can bet dust is keeping them company. They offer style and show off your personality, but it’s no fun when they’re looking a little shady. This also includes your beautiful artwork that hangs on your dusty walls, candles, and more. Use a dryer sheet to carefully remove dust from different surfaces and watch them transform back to new.

Television

When you’re not busy watching television, capture the dust that lies on it. It’s hardly noticeable when the TV is on, but easy to spot when it’s off. Gently wipe it down with a long duster or use microfiber cloths to remove the particles.

Toilet Tank

One of the main places you’ll overlook when cleaning the bathroom is the top of the toilet tank. If you’re just doing a surface clean in the bathroom, disinfectant wipes will do the trick to removing extra particles.

Getting Rid of Dust

Getting rid of dust is no feat. It’s actually pretty simple when you’re using the correct cleaning products. As mentioned above, use microfiber clothes, dryer sheets, a duster, or a warm cloth to remove dust from any surface. Consider the type and texture of each surface to determine the best cleaning solutions to use.