Why You Should Use a Paintbrush the Next Time You Clean (It’s a Brilliant Trick!)

I thought I already had my dusting game on lock with microfiber cloths. I switched to them a few years ago after ditching disposable dusters and haven’t looked back. But when I saw this pro cleaner’s dusting tip on Instagram, I knew it was time to add a new tool to my cleaning routine.  

Cindy Hendler (@cleansnob) isn’t necessarily convincing anyone to give up their favorite cloth or duster for smooth surfaces, but she does offer a rather brilliant solution for dusting textured surfaces: a paintbrush. 

With the same motion you would use when painting, Hendler uses a clean paintbrush to dust a textured table runner, faux flowers and foliage, and a braided placemat. Her most ingenious use of this “unexpected dusting tool” is to clean horizontal blinds. Hendler holds the brush perpendicular to the slat, gently pushes the brush in, and then sweeps from left to right to clean the entire slat.

Here’s why using a paintbrush to dust is brilliant: The soft, flexible bristles can reach into nooks, crannies, and corners that no cloth can reach. In the caption of the video, Hendler also suggests using a paintbrush to clean wicker, picture frames, heating and cooling vents, metal and textured wall art and decor, lampshades, and fireplace screens.

I grabbed a clean paintbrush from a stash in the basement just to see if it worked. It does! I would also add to it these difficult dusting areas: baseboards, paneled doors, window screens, frames, and tracks. 

The one caveat is that a microfiber cloth captures the dust while the brush simply loosens it up from surfaces, so follow up with a swipe of a cloth and/or a vacuum on any lower surfaces. 

Ready to try this dusting hack for yourself? This 2 ½-inch paintbrush with a soft grip handle should be perfect. At just $4 a pop, it’s worth a try when cleaning those surfaces that a regular microfiber cloth can’t handle.