Sorry, regular dusters, this is the only tool I’m using to dust my house this hay fever season – and it’s cleaning expert-approved, too

As Ideal Home’s Cleaning Editor, I technically should love all aspects of cleaning. But the reality is that there’s one cleaning task I’ve always hated: dusting. My hatred only grows stronger in the spring months, when pollen and dust seem to take over my entire home, aggravating my allergies in the process.

Over the years, I’ve tried out so many different ways to get rid of dust, from regular microfibre dusters to old-school feather dusters and even anti-static sprays. And while all of them have offered some success, they can also wreak havoc on my air quality. Instead, I’ve come to realise that one of the things people with healthy air quality always have is a damp duster.

In the dry dusting vs damp dusting debate, a little bit of water goes a very long way. And if you’re looking to keep your air quality stable amidst rising pollen and allergen levels, this is why you should ditch your regular duster for this affordable alternative.

While there are so many ways to pollen-proof your home during the height of hay fever season, it’s impossible to keep it out completely. That’s why you also need to focus on removing it - but this can be difficult when pollen and other airborne allergens are invisible to the naked eye. And when you’re using a dry duster.

This is echoed by Catherine Green, sustainable cleaning expert at smol, who says, ‘When you clean with a dry tool, such as a feather duster, you are more often than not flicking the dust right back into the air.’

‘This is especially important during hay fever season as pollen enters the home and settles on surfaces. Dry dusting agitates these particles and sends them flying, making it more likely to trigger allergies,’ she adds.

Because of this, over-dusting is the way forward, and a damp duster - like the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster (£2.99 at Amazon) - allows you to catch these tiny particles and wash them down the sink. This is so much better than dry dusting, which often just blows dust and pollen around instead of capturing them.

I’m also a fan of damp dusting in general, too. I previously tested three cleaning tools to clean my blinds, and the damp duster won by a mile. And I’m not the only one. Ideal Home’s Digital Editor, Rebecca, also swears by it for cleaning her home - and has managed to convince even more members of the team to buy one (or three).

Catherine does have some advice for anyone using a damp duster to reduce the pollen levels in their homes this spring, though. She says, ‘Start with a damp cloth on your high surfaces, think the tops of cupboards, ceiling fans, and curtain rails, and work your way down. Your damp cloth will trap most of the pollen and dust, while any debris that you’ve picked up along the way will fall to the floor instead of lingering in the air.’

Then, you can use one of the best vacuum cleaners - like my new favourite, the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum (£499.99 at Shark) - to vacuum up those lingering particles that have fallen to the floor.

However, there are occasions where the shape, size and construction of a damp duster won’t be conducive to your cleaning efforts - especially if you want to get right into the nooks and crannies of your home. In these cases, you may simply need to dampen a cleaning cloth instead.

Natalie Prince, interiors expert at Sharps, agrees, saying, ‘Freestanding furniture, rather than fitted or made-to-measure, can leave small gaps between units and walls, which makes it easier for dust and pollen to collect.’

She adds, ‘If you have lots of freestanding furniture, it’s important to clean these hard-to-reach areas thoroughly, to stop the dust and pollen from gathering there. But in doing so, you should try to use a damp cloth, rather than a dry duster. In doing so, you’ll trap the pollen effectively, instead of unintentionally spreading it further around the room.’

Of course, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t solely rely on a damp duster if you want to keep your home pollen-free during the spring and summer months. It’s also worth using one of the best air purifiers at the same time to capture dust and pollen in its filters. I personally use the Dyson HushJet Compact Purifier (£349.99 at Dyson) in my home.

It’s also a good idea to use an air purifier while you’re cleaning and damp dusting, just in case any pesky particles do slip through the net. And it’s this appliance’s effectiveness that makes it so popular for people with allergies.

Happy damp dusting!