Silly question: Dust or vacuum first?

Winchester

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I'm scooping boxes and moving all the cat toys out of the way for a vacuuming. But I want to dust first. I'm also working on laundry, so as it dries, I stop and fold clothes.

I always get my dusting done, then I vacuum (sometimes it's just a quick Swiffer, but today I'm actually dusting). Then I wash the kitchen floor. Clean the bathroom and then wash the bathroom floor.

Anyway, do you dust or vacuum first? And why? (Maybe I should have saved it for a Question of the Day. 
)

Those of you who are professional cleaners, please feel free to chime in.....I'm really curious. 
 

Willowy

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Don Aslett (professional cleaner) wrote a book with that very title! I'm pretty sure he said to dust first.

Me personally. . .ah, well, it's a good thing if either one just gets done; I don't fuss about which goes first :lol3:.
 

andrya

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l definitely dust first. lf l'm not polishing and only dusting, and if there is visible dust to, well, dust, then l'll swipe it or shake it off the duster onto the floor so it can be vacuumed or swept up.
 

natalie_ca

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Assuming you are dusting with a slightly damp cloth, always dust last. 

Vacuums and movement stirs up and move dust around. And while some vacuums may not throw dust back out into the air, the movement of the machine will still stir up the dust. So if you dust first, then vacuum, the dust that has been moved into the air will settle. 

Best to dust about 1/2 hour after all other cleaning is done. And never dust with a dry cloth.  If you use a swiffer duster, spray it with a bit of Pledge so the dust clings to it better.
 
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oneandahalfcats

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I always vacuum first and then dust or wash surfaces last, for the very same reasons that Natalie_ca has mentioned.

For washing wooden surfaces, furniture and wood-work, I find nothing does a better job than Murphy's Oil cleaner.

For dusting, I use a hand-held shag type duster made of cotton which I spray with a lemon-scented pledge or other dusting cleaner. If you use a dry cloth without a dust product, then you are in effect just pushing the dust around rather than removing it.

Probably more information than you were looking for, but there it is
 
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betsygee

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Vacuums and movement stirs up and move dust around. And while some vacuums may not throw dust back out into the air, the movement of the machine will still stir up the dust. So if you dust first, then vacuum, the dust that has been moved into the air will settle. 
Yep--this is what i learned.  
 

fhicat

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I vacuum first. No particular reason, really, and I never really thought about it. I like to see stuffs go in the vacuum.
 

di and bob

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I think it stirs up dust too, when you vacuum first, I always vacuum, then dust. But then I don't like to walk all over my just vacuumed look! Geez, how can this be so complicated!
 

jcat

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I dust first. Neither of our vacuum cleaners kicks up dust, and dusting after vacuuming would simply mean I'd have to vacuum all over again. "Top to bottom" is a logical cleaning guideline.
 

furmonster mom

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Depends.... just how thick is the dust?...


When I'm looking at a project where the dust is thick, I'll dust first... heck, I might even use that nifty "dusting tool" on the vacuum.  Two birds, one stone! 


Usually, though, if it's just a "normal" cleaning day, I vacuum first. 
 

mani

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I don't do it all together!
  The vacuuming may get done one day, the dusting the next.

There is no rhyme nor reason to my housecleaning.
 

happybird

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I hate dusting!! It is definitely my least favorite chore. When I do get around to doing it, I dust before before vacuuming. I think I do it in this order because that is how my mother does it. Vacuuming feels like the finishing touch on a clean house and I don't like leaving footprints all over the perfect looking carpet right after I vacuum.
As a side note, I recently switched to Dr. Elsey's prairie grass kitty litter and have noticed a big reduction in the amount of dust around the house. This makes me very, very happy.
 
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jennyr

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I had a summer job when I was a student, cleaning in a hospital. We were taught to dust first, carefully gathering any dust, wait five minutes or so for residue to settle on the floor and then vacuum, as being the most hygienic way. After that, all hard floors got mopped. But now I do whatever I feel like doing!
 
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