How To Use a Balloon To Clean Up Dust

Balloons are so much more than just festive decorations; it turns out, they’re also incredibly useful for getting rid of dust. It has to do with the static electricity that’s created when you rub a balloon against some hair or wool fabric. This static electricity can be used to attract oppositely charged dust particles, which stick to the balloon much like they would to a handheld duster or microfiber rag.

Here’s how to do it: Blow up a balloon with your mouth or an air pump, tie the end closed, and then vigorously rub it against fabric (wool is best, but polyester, cotton, or fleece will also do the trick) or hair to generate static electricity. Then take the statically charged balloon and lightly run it along any dusty surfaces. The gentle nature of the balloon makes it particularly useful for objects that may be damaged if you use a vacuum cleaner, such as wall art or sensitive electronics. Once you’re done, just throw the dusty balloon in the garbage and pop it. (Make sure to do this in or over the trash bin so the dust doesn’t go flying everywhere again.)

Another useful tip is to blow up a few balloons, rub them to generate static, and then place them around a particularly dusty room. If you’ve ever seen natural sunlight shining into a room, you may have noticed all the dust floating in the air. This trick can help trap those particles before they end up on the floor or all over the furniture. After a while, you should notice the balloons have collected some of that dust.

You can also utilize the air inside the balloon to help dislodge dust particles from hard-to-reach areas. This includes the cracks of a computer keyboard, the charging port of a cellphone, and anywhere else that would be impossible to reach with a standard duster. Fill up a balloon with air and then hold the end closed with your fingers. Angle the end toward the dust and slowly release the air by loosening your grip. The slow release of air should help dislodge any annoying dust mites.