How to Dust Your Wooden Furniture the Right Way

Tired of just pushing dust around and getting nowhere in your weekly cleaning battle? We’ve all been there. However, once we ditched the feather dusters and upscaled our products, we were able to fight back and make our furniture shine like never before.

Old-school dusting practices could not only be kinda pointless, but they could also be damaging your lovely furnishings. Your prettiest armoires, tables, and chairs deserve the best care, and it can all be done affordably with these dusting tips and tools.

Dusting Methods You Might Want to Ditch

That rainbow-hued duster might work great in a pinch, but really, you’re doing more of a disservice to that buildup of dust. Rather than picking up those tiny particles, you’re mostly just pushing them off into the air to settle elsewhere.

We don’t wanna diss the feather dusters too hard—the high-quality kind made of ostrich feathers do contain filaments that do a decent job of actually grabbing dust. When you’ve got a big job to do and very little time, feather dusters are quick and convenient.

Surprisingly, dry rags aren’t your best option either, as they can wreak havoc on your prettiest wooden pieces. They can even scratch surfaces and ruin finishes over time.

You’ll also want to avoid using all-purpose sprays on your furniture. The harsh chemicals in most of these cleaners can discolor or harm wood over time. Plus, they’re generally too wet when sprayed directly on a surface.

Too much water is also a no-go, as the moisture can warp and swell the wood. If you’ve ever seen the rings formed from the condensation from drinking glasses, you know what we’re talking about. So, to properly protect your wooden furniture, avoid using a wet rag or spraying anything wet on them.

What You Need to Properly Dust Wooden Furniture

To protect wooden surfaces and effectively remove dust, you’ll want to ditch those worn rags altogether and make room in your cleaning caddy for the following dusting necessities:

• Microfiber towels: We love these high-quality towels from The Rag Company. Featuring over 200,000 tiny fibers per square inch, they’re durable enough to withstand hundreds of washings.

• Pledge Furniture Polish: For a more detailed cleaning job, you’ll appreciate the help of this cleaner and polish. The fresh lemony scent, paired with its efficient polishing finish will give your furniture the glistening shine it deserves.

Once you have these two items, it’s time to get to work.

The Right Way to Dust Your Furniture

The fact that there’s a right (and wrong) way to dust furniture might be news to you. It really is quite simple. And once the task is complete, you’ll appreciate those gleaming tables, chairs, and cabinets.

Follow these steps to properly dust your wooden furniture:

1. Place your microfiber towel under a faucet of hot running water. Once it’s thoroughly soaked with water, ring it out as much as possible until it’s just barely damp.
2. Remove everything from the piece of furniture you want to dust.
3. Spray some Pledge on your open towel rather than directly on the furniture that needs a polish. This will help you avoid spraying it on other items or any other furniture nearby.
4. Work your way across the piece of furniture wiping away the dust. Don’t forget the sides, legs, and the edge underneath where cobwebs can lurk.
5. When it’s dust-free, dust (or wipe off) any items before placing them back on the piece of furniture.

Repeat these steps for every piece of furniture that needs a good dusting.

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Dusting is one of those household chores we don’t think much about—we just grab the feather duster and go. However, there’s a proper way to keep your wooden furniture dust-free and shiny. Armed with the right tools and techniques, your wooden pieces will look gorgeous for years to come.