Should you dust or hoover first? This question has long divided households, but cleaning expert Lynsey Crombie, known as the Queen of Clean and a star of Channel 4's Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners, has shared her definitive answer.
The Great Cleaning Debate
Many of us develop our cleaning habits from childhood, watching how our parents maintained the home. This often leads to disagreements about the correct order for tasks like hoovering and dusting. On social media, Facebook threads on Cleaning Tips and Tricks have shown split opinions. One user asked: "Just wondering, do people polish before hoovering, as I find the Hoover makes more dust?"
Responses varied. Stacey advocated "dust then hoover," supported by Rebecca who said: "I dust first. I tend to shake off the dust off the cloth to the floor so then I vacuum after." Karen agreed: "Dust then hoover as dusting creates more stuff to go on the floor to hoover." However, the majority held a different view. Joy said: "I always hoover and then polish and dust." Clare added: "Hoover then dust otherwise the hoover throws dust over your just cleaned surfaces." Georgia suggested: "Dry cloth dust first, then hoover, then polish." Others proposed alternatives, like Eluned who said: "Hoover one day dust the next when everything has settled." Gloria concluded: "I've tried both ways and didn't find any different."
Expert Advice from Lynsey Crombie
Lynsey Crombie, who has appeared on ITV's This Morning, shared her advice on Instagram. In a clip titled "A few cleaning tips to make your life easier," she explained the time-saving reason for a specific order. She said: "Make sure you always dust or vacuum surface before vacuuming the floor. This will save you having to vacuum again." She also offered a tip on technique: "Vacuum your carpets in cross directions. If you are only going in one direction, you are not getting deep into the carpet fibres and picking everything up."
Support from Hoover Experts
Carpet cleaning experts at Hoover backed her advice on their website. They explained that house dust consists of dead skin cells, pet dander, pollen, and hairs, constantly generated by humans and pets. Dust particles are initially invisible but accumulate into visible "dust bunnies." Disturbance through movement keeps dust in circulation, especially in high-traffic areas like living rooms.
Hoover recommended: "You should use a good duster before using a Hoover, to pick up the dust that the vacuum cleaner can't reach. However, be sure to use a microfiber cloth to capture rather than a feather duster or a cotton cloth - the latter tends to release more back into the air than it captures." As an alternative, they suggested a cordless vacuum cleaner or a dusting brush attachment that "traps the dust so that it can't be released again." They added: "Any dust that then falls on the floor can be picked up by the vacuum cleaner's main head."
So, the consensus from experts is clear: dust first, then hoover. This order prevents the need for re-vacuuming and ensures a more thorough clean.
