Cat owner's daily dust battle draws an unexpected tip: Angle the shutters upward

Sunlight on the hardwood floors made lingering dust and pet hair hard to ignore for a cat owner who vacuumed every day.

Among the cleaning suggestions that followed, one Redditor offered an unexpected, if purely cosmetic, way to make the mess less noticeable.

Here's what to know

In a post on Reddit's r/CleaningTips community, the original poster described sharing an apartment with three cats and vacuuming and using a Swiffer daily.

The problem extended from household surfaces to clean laundry. Dust gathered on the stove's overhead fan, makeup brushes, shades, and curtains, and even freshly washed clothes had tiny hairs on them.

"I try to do my best and I still feel it's not enough," the original poster wrote.

Seeking advice on reducing the dust, the poster pointed to another worry. The apartment's heaters left the air very dry, and the heaters were causing even more dust. One user had a quick fix.

"I angled my shutters so the light pointed upwards (not kidding)," they responded in what is more of an aesthetic tip.

More background

Visitors to the thread described wins and losses with robot vacuums and their pets. One commenter described needing rugs to help two small, elderly dogs stay steady on slick hardwood floors. Their robot vacuum, however, got stuck unless they moved every rug.

Cords added to the setup work for another user, as running the machine meant clearing them away along with the rugs.

"It's really not worth it for me. I wish I hadn't bought it," they wrote.

One commenter said their Roborock handled rugs and tassels better than their older robot vacuums.

Another commenter had dogs that barked nonstop at a robot vacuum, but their husband still wanted to keep the machine.

What can be done?

For one commenter, the routine included a nighttime vacuuming run plus a combined vacuum-and-mop session while they were at work, timed for shortly before their return home.

"It may seem excessive but it has made a big difference for me," the commenter wrote.

A participant with two cats reported dusting surfaces and vacuuming both carpeting and wooden floors about once a week. Regular cat brushing, an air purifier, and a check of the vacuum's filters were among the other recommendations.

A warning about HEPA filters focused on the risk of straining the HVAC system, with the commenter emphasizing that the system's filter protects its equipment. A separate user reported changing their HVAC filter monthly.

Other tips included a damp microfiber cloth combined with a filter, and a box fan and home air filter combo.

If all else fails, there was the shutter adjustment idea.

A commenter responded: "Now THIS is using your thinking brain. I can get behind this."

Where can I learn more?

Dust can also collect out of sight in vents and heating and cooling filters. Homeowners and renters have shared their experiences with dirty filters, pet-related buildup, and a bathroom fan cover that came right off.

• After getting a dog, a homeowner's 90-day-old furnace filter came out in pieces.

• A homeowner struggling with dusty bathroom fan vents learned the cover came right off.

• A first-time buyer discovered a filthy HVAC filter after seeing only its clean-looking end.

• A renter whose lungs hurt after one night found a severely neglected HVAC filter.

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