To think that by 38 i should have heard of damp dusting???

[mumofBeth]

First post but have been lurking for a wee while. So just been told that my DD has a house dust mite allergy. First thing I do is Google to see what I can do to help and find info about hypoallergenic pillows and duvet (no problem with that) then everything I read says to damp dust. I've never heard of this! I can't imagine that a yellow duster will be much use damp so what do I use?? And does it just mean damp with water or is there some magic cleaning formula that I'm missing too??? Surely I should have heard of this before now!!! Any help from the more house proud/better informed would be very welcome!!!

I think some people use babywipes. Not great for the environment though.

I assume damping the cloth will mean the dust sticks to it, rather than just being pushed off into the air (and therefore lungs). I'd guess you would need to wash it out several times though.

To me damp dusting = normal cleaning? I use microfibre cloths.

Just wet a yellow duster slightly under the tap & dust with that. I've always done it that way as DH has dust allergies.

I just use a slightly damp fine cloth. Sometimes with a drop of zoflora in but not often

I have never heard of damp dusting within the context of the home but have in my job in the NHS.

The water will stop the dusting going into the air. Yellow dusters and water will be fine.

Microfibre cloth.

I’ve also only discovered this recently OP.

I have similar allergies but never used to damp-dust - just used yellow duster like my mum did. But since youngest DC started school and I had a bit more time to actually do some housework, I've discovered the joys of damp-dusting. So much better in terms of removing dust rather than just moving it around or it ending up in the air. I use a microfibre cloth, wet under the tap then squeezed so damp not wet - though no doubt someone will be along soon to say it's bad for the environment. I also use an old muslin to dry off anything that I dust that is probably best not left damp, eg mirrors, posh wooden furniture, electronics.

Damp rag, duster or microfibre is fine, you just don’t want to throw the dust everywhere. The damp helps trap it, also good for hay fever sufferers.

I've always damp dusted - it's how I clean my own house and when I was a professional cleaner it's how I cleaned office surfaces too. I use a mixture of microfibre cloths, normal cloths and pillowcases that I'm about to wash. It's how my granny taught me

damp j-cloth or sponge.
warm water, splash of washing up liquid. wring cloth as much as possible and wipe all surfaces, ornaments etc.

I use a microfibre electrostatic duster thing. My dad used to stock them in his shop for cleaning car interiors. I can't use a normal duster now because it just stirs up the dust and moves it around.

Just bung it in the wash when it looks like it needs it.

I'm sure you can get similar on amazon.

What about on wood surfaces? I'm not sure I would want to use a damp cloth on wood.

So like wiping then....
Don't worry OP, you've only missed out on the renaming bit, no doubt invented to allow firms to sell 'damp dusters' as well as 'cloths'.

Ah I don't feel so bad now! Looks like I'll need to shop for microfibre cloths then because I can't get my head around wetting a yellow duster 😂 Loving the idea of adding zoflora too it as well, I already wipe down my doors and door frames with it.

most wood is absolutely fine.
just make sure the cloth is wring out well. damp not wet.

Don't worry OP, you've only missed out on the renaming bit, no doubt invented to allow firms to sell 'damp dusters' as well as 'cloths'

It's not been renamed, my Nan used to call it damp dusting and she was born in 1920!

I have to be honest, yes, I am surprised that you dont know what damp dusting is. "dry" dusting ei, without polish, just moves a large amount of the dust into the air, where it will inevitably just land back on surpfaces. I wouldnt use a yellow duster because the yellow dye bleeds, some more than others. Youd dont want a damp yellow duster that might accidentally touch anything else, trust me. Yes, you can use micrfibre cloths, and wash and re-use, or the J cloth type things, or just an old t-shirt,shirt,t-cloth.damp, wring out and bingo.

I thought it was obvious to dust with a damp cloth? Other wise the dust just flies about.

This is the same principle as damping down that they use on construction sites, they dampen the roads or dry dusty areas to reduce dust.

I honestly don't know why anybody bothers dusting any other way? Surely people get that if you just whoosh the dust off a surface with a dry cloth it just goes up the air and comes back.. down. Damp dusting is the only way to actually remove it.

It turns out i was damp dusting for years without realising it has a name. I don't think that feather dusters etc pick up anywhere as much dust.

If your kid has allergies, I wouldn't use zoflora. I bought a bottle and it was the nastiest, most synthetic, chemical smelling stuff I've ever used.

This takes me back to my days in the OR. Saturday mornings spent damp dusting everything in sight. 😄

I buy white face cloths for cleaning. Wilko about 30p each or Asda smart price about 50p for 2.They wash up lovely. Don't go all threadbare and shapeless / twisted.

I don't use white in the bathroom for us, so no need to worry about mixing them up.

Damp dusting is just normal? You rinse out in a bowl of water as you go.