Dust First or Vacuum First? My Mother-in-Law Says I’m Doing It All Wrong!

I never knew that there was a “correct” order to do chores until my mother-in-law scolded me for dusting after vacuuming. It sparked quite a debate about vacuuming before or after dusting. Does it really matter? Let’s take a look at some of the reasonings.

Why Dusting and Vacuuming Are Important

Let’s start off by saying that dusting and vacuuming are two separate chores and both important when trying to maintain a clean home. Dusting helps to remove dust from various surfaces like fan blades, tables, and shelves. Vacuuming focuses on cleaning the floors and carpets by sucking up debris.

They target different areas, so is the order important?

Image by Anna from Pixabay

Dusting Before Vacuuming

There’s a reason why dusting is typically done before vacuuming. Dusting can loosen particles that will then fall to the floor. Vacuuming after dusting ensures that everything is sucked up. Otherwise, if you dust afterward, your floors could become dirty again.

There are a few things to consider:

Science: Dusting will cause particles to become airborne. At least some will land on the floor.

Efficiency: Depending on the tools being used, it’s more efficient to dust and then vacuum so that tasks aren’t being redone.

Use of a HEPA filter: If you have a HEPA air filtration system or even a vacuum with such a filter, it will capture airborne particles. This means the order isn’t as important.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Choose What Works for You

Ultimately, it’s your home and you know what works best. If you prefer to change up the order, you can absolutely do that. In fact, some say that by vacuuming first (and using various handheld attachments), they can see what needs to actually be dusted.

As long as your home is getting clean, you get to choose the order.