Dusting
The lowest-status task in cleaning and the one that prevents the most damage — because what is being removed is abrasive, hygroscopic and edible.
In detail
Dusting is treated as cosmetic and the conservation guidance treats it as preventive maintenance, for three reasons it states directly. Dust obscures an object's colour, surface features and form. It causes allergic reactions, ATTRACTS AND HOLDS MOISTURE, and attracts small insects that feed on its organic components. And a dusting round doubles as an inspection round, so changes in condition are noticed early. The moisture point is what connects dusting to mould: accumulated dirt is named among the conditions that accelerate mould growth, and growth on textiles often starts on the soil rather than on the fibre. Removing dust removes both the food and part of the water. Technique is decided by one property — dust with an ash component, or blown off a dirt road, desert or beach, is quite abrasive and can scratch IF PRESSURE IS APPLIED DURING ITS REMOVAL. The pressure is the variable. That is the argument for lifting rather than wiping: suction with adequate filtration, a clean non-treated dry mop on hard floors, a slightly damp cloth on plastics where static would pull the dust straight back, and no dry duster on a gloss surface.
What works
Dusting is effective against Mould fungi Supported
Removing the dirt removes the food. It is preventive rather than curative, and it will not touch established growth.
Dusting is safe on, in specific conditions, Glass
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits, and nothing is established outside them.
Only within these limits:
- Dry dusting first, with a lint-free cloth that will not scratch
- Vacuum with the nozzle about an inch clear and a soft brush directing dust towards it where the build-up is heavy
- HEPA-filtered machine preferred, suction adjustable and reduced for small or fragile items
Dusting a hard surface is preservation rather than housekeeping here: dust is abrasive, scratches glass and glazed ceramic, and in humid air reacts with atmospheric acids to degrade them.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Conserve O Gram 8/1: Removing Dust From Ceramic And Glass Objects
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1993 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That dry wiping is the recommended procedure for regularly-shaped smooth-textured objects, that vacuuming is done with the nozzle about one inch from the surface with a soft brush, that a HEPA-filtered machine with adjustable suction is preferable, and that dust is abrasive and can scratch and degrade glass and glazed ceramics. (states this directly)
Dusting is safe on, in specific conditions, Porcelain tile
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits, and nothing is established outside them.
Only within these limits:
- Dry dusting first, with a lint-free cloth that will not scratch
- Vacuum with the nozzle about an inch clear and a soft brush directing dust towards it where the build-up is heavy
- HEPA-filtered machine preferred, suction adjustable and reduced for small or fragile items
Dusting a hard surface is preservation rather than housekeeping here: dust is abrasive, scratches glass and glazed ceramic, and in humid air reacts with atmospheric acids to degrade them.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Conserve O Gram 8/1: Removing Dust From Ceramic And Glass Objects
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1993 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That dry wiping is the recommended procedure for regularly-shaped smooth-textured objects, that vacuuming is done with the nozzle about one inch from the surface with a soft brush, that a HEPA-filtered machine with adjustable suction is preferable, and that dust is abrasive and can scratch and degrade glass and glazed ceramics. (states this directly)
Why
- Dusting is explained by Why different surfaces get different dirt
- Dusting is explained by Static and dust
- Dusting is explained by Mechanical action and abrasion
Sources for this page
Sources
Conserve O Gram 15/2: Dusting Guidelines for Stone Objects and Interior Architectural Features
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That dusting removes a material that causes allergic reactions, attracts and holds moisture and attracts insects, that it allows condition changes to be detected, and that dust with an abrasive component can scratch if pressure is applied during removal. (states this directly)
Cleaning instructions for luminaires
ETAP Lighting International · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That a dry cloth must not be used on plastic parts because static already built up on them attracts dust. (states this directly)