One of the keys to success in commercial cleaning is choosing the right tools. Consider the humble duster. Did you know that there are different types of dusters designed for different kinds of jobs? Commercial cleaning services tend to keep several distinct types on hand depending on the kinds of spaces they clean.
Whether your company handles cleaning in-house or contracts with a commercial cleaning service, it is helpful to know about the different types of dusters to ensure your crews are using the right ones for your space.
1. The Feather Duster
Topping our list of duster types is the traditional feather duster. It is essentially a plastic or wooden handle with a large number of feathers attached to it. The feathers can be either natural or synthetic.
A feather duster works by brushing dust off the surfaces it comes in contact with. Feathers are gentle enough to not do damage in the process. With a slight misting of water, a feather duster can even pick up dust rather than just brushing it away. Needless to say, the traditional feather duster represents an all-purpose tool commonly found among commercial cleaning crews.
2. The Natural Fiber Duster
As fantastic as feather dusters are, they can be somewhat ineffective in heavy-dust environments where cleaners need to actually pick up dust rather than brushing it away. Such environments are ideal for the natural fiber duster, a similar tool that utilizes natural fibers, like wool, instead of feathers.
A natural fiber is more likely to trap dust particles and pull them from the surface in question. In an environment with heavy dust or pollen, a natural fiber duster is often a better choice.
3. The Microfiber Duster
Where tradition meets technology, you have the microfiber duster. As its name implies, a microfiber duster completely dispenses with feathers and natural fibers in favor of a synthetic microfiber material. It is the same type of material utilized to manufacture microfiber cleaning cloths.
Microfiber dusters offer several advantages that make them a preferred choice in modern office environments:
- They are hypoallergenic.
- They collect dirt more effectively.
- They can be cleaned and reused without issue.
The one downside is that microfiber dusters are not as gentle as their feather and natural fiber counterparts. So for sensitive electronics and other similar equipment, one of the other two options might be better.
4. Vacuum and Compressed Air Dusters
We have decided to combine the last two options into one. Why? Because vacuum and compressed air dusters are generally reserved for high dust environments where one of the other three options just won’t do.
A vacuum duster is more or less a small vacuum. Whether battery powered or plugged into a wall outlet, the vacuum duster sucks up dust rather than pushing it away or absorbing it. It is ideal for office furniture, desks, and even dusty spots on carpets. Note that a vacuum duster’s effectiveness is almost wholly dependent on its power.
As for a compressed air duster, it does the exact opposite. Rather than sucking dust up, it powers it away with a blast of air. The most common use for a compressed air duster is cleaning electronic equipment. Blasting dust away with compressed air is a contact-free way to get the job done.
Choosing the right tool for the job is key to successful cleaning. Here’s hoping your current service provider uses the right tools. If you are handling cleaning in-house, why not consider turning routine cleaning tasks over to an expert like All Pro Cleaning Systems? Let us do the work for you.
