Dusting - The old fashioned way or with a store bought product?
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
United States
January 5, 2007 9:57am CST
My grandmother used an old dampened rag to dust off her furniture and knic knacs. She would apply wax to her buffet or other wood furniture to give it shine and protect the wood. This is the method that I had used for years. The only difference being that I used a spray can of wax products such as Pledge.
My husband uses Pledge to clean the furniture with and has a coronary when I use a dampened rag. I let him do the dusting. That way everyone is happy.
There are so many new products on the market now. The disposable dusters are hot items. My concern is that they are disposable. Why use a product that you use for a few times and throw away. Using old rags is better for the environment. When they get soiled, you wash them and use them again.
2 people like this
26 responses
@cookielynn (26)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I use a feather duster made with real ostrich feathers. The feathers trap the dust and then I just take the duster outside and beat it against the palm of my hand when I'm done. I recently replaced a feather duster that I had been using for years. So this method is quite cost effective.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Feather dusters send too much dust into the air for me. I am allergic to dust.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I use my kids old diapers. They are great for dusting and all household cleaning. No lint to worry about. My youngest daughter just turned 25 and the diapers still look as good as they did when I used them on her. They last and last. I do use the new pledge that picks up cat dander better. I spray the diaper instead of the furniture.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I would use the old diapers too. You can only use them so long as a didy. The really do well as a cleaning rag.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13387)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I do my dusting the old fashioned way and use a damp cloth as well and dusting spray. It is easier to use the rags and you can use them over again like you said. It will save us money as well as help our environment that way. There is not point in buying something frequently and throwing it away when you can use something over and over again.
2 people like this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I have used old rags dampened. And I also have used the dust catchers from the market. Both are good. Depends on my mood and pocket book for the week.:)
2 people like this
@Penguinsangel (3498)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I love the new pledge duster with the multi purpose spray in the handle. I got it free through bzzagent and loved it.
I also use the pledge wipes & pledge spray with a cloth.
2 people like this
@nicalycab (30)
•
6 Jan 07
While I love my Swiffer duster, I've always used Pledge or Murphy's Oil Soap and a rag to clean wooden furniture. We use the swiffer on the TV, the electronics, and the ceiling fan (but that's in between using rags & Windex).
I guess the new disposable items are so popular because we're a lazy bunch. :o)
2 people like this
@sunrisekn (1466)
• United States
6 Jan 07
I use Pledge. the disposible ones just kinda push the dust around. My entertainment center has glass slats in it so I use Windex on that part. I did try the Pledge Multi purpose but didn't like it. When I was growing up my father bought my mother this beautiful oak dining set. Every week we had to get the lemon oil out and make it shine!! He was a Navy man so he did the white glove inspection. I refuse to get a dining set just because of that reason. Too much work!
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Hubby did the white glove inspection of my sister's home when we attended a birthday party. I was so mortified. Happily nobody noticed. I wanted to break his fingers off. He is so anal about clean. He does most of the cleaning in our house. I am happy to let him.
@melanie652 (2524)
• United States
5 Jan 07
Yes I do that too. The dust flying around really bugs my asthma and allergies. I use lemon oil or orange oil about once a year on the wood to bring the shine out and protect it. A friend of mine suggested using a damp paper towel instead of a rag. I prefer a rag because I can wash it and reuse it instead of throwing it away. I don't like how we are becoming a "disposable" society and throw everything away after one or two uses. The environment is suffering for that in my opinion.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
6 Jan 07
Good opinion in my book. We need to be more aware of our environment and not be so ready to toss things out.
@nancygibson (3736)
• France
6 Jan 07
I also go for a damp cloth, I like those microfibre ones as they really pick up all the dust and hang onto it, makes a big difference. Not that I dust very often, I'm afraid I am a very bad housekeeper.
@ProfessorPharmacist (1107)
• Egypt
6 Jan 07
My dear friend, this depends on the person himself ( his thinking, education, society, religion, beliefs, compatibility, ....etc).
@patootie (3592)
•
6 Jan 07
Dusting isn't a job I like much ... and I have to say I do get more satisfaction from dusting if I can actually see where I have been ... so I generally let the dust settle for a few days ... then I use the soft brush on my vacuum cleaner and simply slurp all the dust ...
About once a month I get out a proper duster and some anti-static furniture spray and give everything a nice wipe over ... but I am not very zealous about it .. the dust will be back the next day whatever I do ...
2 people like this
@ItTakesAllSorts (4096)
•
6 Jan 07
I always use my hoover. I put a brush attachment to it and hoover all the dust up, as I absolutely hate dusting and having dusters.
@knowitallgurl (923)
• United States
6 Jan 07
All I do is use my microfiber rag with water and it does wonder. I dont use any wax, pledge or any store bought products. The microfiber rags even clean windows and mirrors without using windex, just use water and they leave no streaks.
thanks for the topic!
1 person likes this
@rosebug23 (1906)
• Australia
6 Jan 07
I use old rags for all my cleaning jobs like washing the walls ,cleaning windows and dusting. I use a damp cloth for dusting and every few weeks i use Marveer oil on all the wood in the house. I have found the best and cheap window cleaner is the additive you put in your car windscreen washer tank. You only need a very small amount in a spray bottle of water it is streak free and helps clean of the bugs and things better than windex
@Shujakhan (192)
• Pakistan
6 Jan 07
i can't say something in this regard but
looks interesting nice
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
6 Jan 07
We have a lot of old clothes that we do not use.We just made rags out ofit so we could use to clean it for the appliances.It's a best way of saving environment,money as well as electricity.You want not to use the vacuum for now.
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
9 Jan 07
I agree with that, I usually use a duster. I prefer it alot more than anything else.
@monx007 (162)
• Indonesia
6 Jan 07
yes, i agree with you
maybe, in this time, many people don not want bother to clean the rags. They just only want to clean the dust with disposable duster and if the disposable duster is too dirty and can not being use again, they just throw it away.
It safe your time but cost you money. If you use old rags, it safe your money but cost your time
