Keeping your home free of dust is a challenge in summer. The warmer weather tempts us to keep doors and windows open which exposes our homes to dust and dirt. Poor airflow traps dust and even if you vacuum regularly, dust accumulates quickly on any horizontal surface.

Here are six quick tips to help keep your home dust-free as the summer heats up.

Suck it up – Regular vacuuming will minimize dust. Carpets and rugs are dust traps, which is why some folks believe they detrimentally affect your health. But they more than make up for it in winter because floorboards and tiles can be cold on the feet!

New cleaning regime – Consider updating your cleaning habits. Dusting is a chore, especially if you have lots of photographs and ornaments on your shelves so a declutter may be in order. Using microfiber cloths and dusters is optimal. Dust before you vacuum so anything you knock off your shelves is sucked up.

Allergies – One way to minimize reaction to dust is to purchase allergy encasings for mattresses and pillows. They prevent dust mites that cause issues such as asthma.

It's curtains – If anyone in your family suffers from dust-related allergies, consider blinds and shutters on your windows rather than thick, heavy curtains which can be a dust magnet. Alternatively, install machine-washable curtains.

Update filters – You should change the filters in your HVAC system (ex: furnace) regularly to help capture dust and prevent it from being blown around your home. Swapping out filters every three months is the optimal schedule. If you have ceiling fans, clean the blades regularly.

Pure air – Another idea is to use an air purifier with HEPA filters which will reduce the amount of dust that will settle on shelves and other surfaces and ease the volume of dust in the air. Dust particles are more likely to stick to surfaces in high humidity.