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The dust that accumulates in your home is a combination of pollen, pet dander, dead skin cells, dust mites, insect droppings, soil, food crumbs, and particulates in the air, among other things. The more people and pets in your home, and the more often the doors and windows open, the more dust you will have.
Some particles are fairly benign and cause mild allergic reactions like sneezing and a runny nose. Other particles can trigger asthma .
Even with diligent cleaning, there will still be dust, so it's a good idea to buy a duster. We've done the research and testing to find the best dusters.
Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.
Best duster overall: OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster, $17.99 at Amazon The OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster traps dust easily, extends and adjusts to reach high surfaces, and can be washed for years of reuse.
Best disposable duster: Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle, from $16.79 at Target With a 360-degree duster surface that has more fibers and an extendable handle, the Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle is a hard-working, disposable duster.
Best duster for tight spaces: OXO Good Grips Under Appliance Microfiber Duster, $16.95 at Amazon One glance under your kitchen and laundry room appliances and you'll know why you need the OXO Good Grips Under Appliance Microfiber Duster.
Best duster for window blinds: Hiware Window Blind Cleaner Duster, $7.99 at Amazon If you want to remove dust from window blinds and shutters more quickly, the Hiware Window Blind Cleaner Duster is for you.
The OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster traps dust easily, extends and adjusts to reach high surfaces, and can be washed for years of reuse.
Pros: Microfiber duster head traps and holds dust, machine-washable head, aluminum extender handle reaches from 27 to 54 inches, replacement heads available
As a woman who is both short in stature and always watching expenditures, the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster is my duster of choice. My favorite thing is that after dusting, I can remove the head and toss it in the washer so I can start each dusting session with a clean duster.
With a sturdy but lightweight and comfortable handle, the duster can stretch from 27 to 54 inches. The duster head rotates 270 degrees and can be locked into place at multiple angles. Since the duster head has microfibers on each side to capture dust, you can simply switch the angle and continue dusting when one side is heavily soiled.
Microfiber is made from polyamide (nylon) and polyester and creates an electrostatic fabric that attracts dust. The dust is then trapped in the many tiny fibers until you use laundry detergent and water to flush them away. If you're concerned about washing microfibers, some laundry bags can help keep microplastic out of the wastewater.
To keep your duster in top shape, avoid bleach that can damage fibers and fabric softeners and dryer sheets that coat the fibers and lower their ability to trap dust. I find that air-drying the head works best.
With a 360-degree duster surface that has more fibers and an extendable handle, the Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle is a hard-working, disposable duster.
Pros: Disposable, lightweight, fits into tight spots to trap dust, extendable handle reaches 6 feet, dusting head locks into place
Cons: Replacement dusters can become expensive and aren't eco-friendly
When I want to use a disposable duster, I turn to Swiffer. I've tried every brand on the market, and the Swiffer Heavy Duty Dusters with Extender Handle is the very best one I've found.
Because there are more electrostatic fibers on the duster head, I find the Swiffer Heavy Duty Duster picks up twice as much dust as other brands. The sturdy plastic extender handle expands up to 6 feet. You can lock the head into four different angles to clean hard-to-reach surfaces.
The disposable dusters are easy to find online and in many stores; however, a heavy-duty duster refill costs around $1 each. It's also not the most environmentally friendly solution.
I like Swiffer for dusting knickknacks on mantels and shelves. The duster is flexible enough that I don't have to move each small item every time I want to capture the dust. I also use it in my car to reach those tight spaces in the corners between the windshield and dashboard and all the little nooks and crannies of air vents.
One glance under your kitchen and laundry room appliances and you'll know why you need the OXO Good Grips Under Appliance Microfiber Duster.
Pros: Slim profile and flexible handle fit under appliances and in tight spaces, the duster head is removable for washing, reusable
Cons: Microfiber pollutes oceans
After an embarrassing moment when the refrigerator had to be moved to retrieve some dropped jewelry, I discovered the OXO Good Grips Under Appliance Microfiber Duster. It is the perfect dusting tool. I simply can't move some appliances and furniture during weekly cleaning, but a few swipes with the OXO Under Appliance Duster and I can feel satisfied that my house is cleaner.
Dust and lint under a refrigerator can clog the circulating fan and cause it to overheat and fail. With a clothes dryer, excessive lint can cause a fire, especially with gas dryers.
The OXO Under Appliance Duster has a microfiber head that is removable for easy cleaning in the washer. The duster head flexes so it can conform to tight spaces and the 33.5-inch length will reach the back of most deep appliances, cabinets, and furniture. The duster head can be removed and washed for reuse.
We recommend using a special laundry bags to help keep microplastic out of the wastewater.
If you want to remove dust from window blinds and shutters more quickly, the Hiware Window Blind Cleaner Duster is for you.
Pros: Cleans window blinds, indoor shutters, and air vents thoroughly; comes with five duster heads; washable; reusable; can be used with a cleaning solution if needed
Cons: Microfiber pollutes oceans
I have white wooden blinds on every window in my home that attract dust. I've tried other types of dusters to get rid of the dust that clings to both sides of each slat but just when I thought I had all the dust removed, I'd see it clinging to a slat I missed. Then I found Hiware Window Blind Cleaner Duster.
This ingenious little contraption has a sturdy three-pronged plastic handle and microfiber "gloves" that slip over the prongs. I can dust the top and bottoms of blinds at the same time. To get the best results, give the flexible handle a little squeeze to get good contact with the slat surfaces.
Since there are five microfiber cloths included, when one gets soiled I can just slip on a fresh one and keep dusting. At the end of the job, all the cloths go in the washer, again with a special laundry bag to help contain some of the microplastic.
Our picks are based on my more than 40 years of experience with laundry and cleaning products, as well as my own testing.
In addition to looking for the most effective, easiest to use, and the best value in dusters, there are also other steps you can take to lower the amount of dust in your home.
The choice of whether to use a reusable duster, such as the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster, or a disposable duster, such as the Swiffer Heavy Duty Duster, mostly breaks down to cost and personal preference.
Reusable dusters offer a significantly cheaper alternative to dusting while disposable dusters must be replaced after each use. Both options work very similarly when it comes to removing dust, as they both are made of special fibers that grip dust easily and efficiently.
If you're planning on buying a reusable microfiber duster, consider also purchasing a microplastic-capturing bag for when you wash it.
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