The daily routine for most people consists of removing the visible dust you see from hard floor surfaces, using a variety of methods – dry wiping, sweeping and vacuuming. However, what’s equally important is the invisible dust that cannot be seen with the human eye, which is best removed with a vacuum cleaner. If you prefer to follow up with mopping your floors, here’s what you need to keep in mind:
“With mopping, you use disinfectant to clean. You are not trying to remove germs but rather you are trying to kill them. The combination of mopping to kill germs and suction to remove fine dust are two very different jobs. They need to work in unison to achieve that barefoot clean feel. You really must ensure you are vacuuming properly, with the most effective technology to try to remove all of that dust is removed before reaching for the mop,” says Yap.
Dampening dust on floors – even fine dust invisible to the naked eye – could mean that you’re creating a habitat more favourable to dust mite and mould proliferation.
"Our 30 years of research in microbiology shows that the best way to get rid of dust allergen is to remove it completely from your home – which is why we invest so heavily in vacuum cleaner technology. In order to capture the fine dust and dirt that may not be seen to the human eye, you need an effective vacuum that picks the dust up, has efficient cyclones to keep it in the machine, as well as filters and seals to make sure it's not emitted back into your home. By doing this, you can then move on to the next step of cleaning your floors to achieve that true barefoot clean,” adds Yap.
Top tips to keep your hard floors dust free and clean:
- Vacuum daily. Vacuuming the high traffic areas in your home ensures that dust doesn’t build up in any areas.
- Use the right brush head to avoid scratches. The Dyson V11 senses whether you are vacuuming on hard or soft surfaces and can adjust the suction accordingly*. The Dyson soft roller head (Fluffy) is specially made for hardwood floors and coated with antistatic carbon fibre filaments removes dirt and fine debris.
- Use the right accessories. While it may seem like an effort to change tools mid-vacuum, this will help you remove dust you can see, and dust you can’t. Use a crevice tool to clean hard to reach places.
- Avoid mopping if you can still see visible dust on your floor.
- Vacuum before mopping. It might seem like double the work, but it’s important to try to remove all the dust in your home first. If the dust isn’t removed fully prior to wet cleaning, then it can be smeared across hard floors when the mop function is used, potentially leaving a dirtier rather than a cleaner floor
*In Auto mode, using the Dyson DLSTM (Dynamic Load Sensing) technology inside the High Torque cleaner head.