Learning To Clean Quicker

Oh, the in-laws. You're always a gracious host, and you spend hours scouring your home before their arrival. Yet, you always catch your father-in-law stifling a sneeze, and you don't even want to mention your sister-in-law's not-so-subtle glance at your bookshelves like she wants to pull out a dusting glove. This time you can make it go differently by focusing on these allergy-reducing cleaning tips that are guaranteed to leave every surface gleaming.

Skip the Dry Dusting

Professional housekeeping services know that using an old-school feather duster simply sends the dust flying to other surfaces. While your shelves might be pristine, all of that dust will eventually settle somewhere else after flying through the air. Instead, dust your surfaces with a damp cloth. For surfaces that shouldn't get wet, such as wood, use an appropriate polish to make the dust stick to the cleaning cloth instead of going airborne. Once you've dusted, keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible to prevent bringing more dust in.

Get Serious With the Vacuum

Vacuuming seems like a good idea for removing dirt, but you could be making the problem worse if you do not use a HEPA filter. These are designed to prevent dust particles from flying back out of your vacuum cleaner. If you have pets, then you should also consider a good, deep-cleaning carpet shampoo to remove as much hair and dander as possible after vacuuming.

Use Allergen-Friendly Cleaning Products

While you want your house to smell fresh when your in-laws visit, you might be better off skipping the scented cleaners. This is because certain ones leave a residue behind, and the scent can linger for days and continue to trigger allergies. If you have a housekeeping service that cleans your home regularly, make sure to mention that you will be having guests with allergies so that they also know to take extra precautions with their products.

Inviting over the in-laws is always good cause for giving your house a good scouring. This time, make sure your efforts are worth it by making sure that they don't make the problem worse. By avoiding activities that stir up more dust and making sure that your home is not full of scents that add allergens to the air, you can take a deep breath and welcome your in-laws to your home with full knowledge that this year they will breathe easy.