Kim Woodburn reveals dusting mistake that makes cleaning take far longer

The How Clean Is Your House? star says we're all falling foul of this dusting error

cleaning equipment hanging on pegs and side table with drawers
(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd / David Brittain)

Dusting is one of those cleaning tasks we put off repeatedly, along with cleaning out the bin. According to Kim Woodburn, famous for her work on How Clean Is Your House? and her pillar box red nails, we're making the job way harder than it needs to be.

When we spoke to the cleaning pro recently, she shared a common dusting mistake and how to avoid it. She says that wetting your duster before you begin makes all the difference, cutting the time spent doing chores.

Along with arming ourselves with the best cleaning products, we'll be following her expert tips and tricks.

Kim Woodburn launching Poundland cleaning range

(Image credit: Poundland)

Kim Woodburn dusting mistake

We spoke to Kim Woodburn about her first ever cleaning range, now available at Poundland. During our chat, we asked the famous cleaning enthusiast for her best hack.

'Well, my loves, if you have a lot of dust don’t just go at it with my feather-ish duster. It will be everywhere – in your hair, dropping to the floor and you’ll have a right old mess,' she cautions.

'Take your hand, pop it under the tap and wet it, then run your wet hand along the duster and make it slightly damp.' Kim Woodburn suggests dusting over the area with the dam duster, and it will pick up the dust without it spreading.

cleaning products and supplies on shelving unit

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd / Andrew Woods)

And when you're done? 'Leave the duster to dry and then shake it off in your garden and you're good to use again,' Kim Woodburn says.

We reckon this technique will make the fiddly task of cleaning Venetian blinds a little less painful. Plus, as the weather warms up and we leave windows and doors open, our homes can get dustier with pollen and other bits making their way indoors.

So whether you're dusting your bookshelves, coffee table, light fixtures, or appliances, remember to quickly dampen your duster first to stop spreading dust everywhere.

framed photographs on side table with large duster

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd / Christopher Drake)

If you're ready to update your cleaning supplies, bear in mind that the best vacuum cleaners come with attachments to make dusting quicker, too. Happy cleaning, one and all.

The Kim Woodburn ‘Original Cleaning Queen’ cleaning range is available exclusively from Poundland stores nationwide

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.