The Element You're Not Dusting In Your Office Nearly Enough

The bookshelf in your home office may be your pride and joy as it might house some of your most treasured belongings. Besides helping you add your personal touch to the space, a bookshelf will also give your office some much-needed character. But if work has been keeping you extremely busy, chances are your bookshelf and, by extension, your books have been silently gathering dust. Since even a thin layer of dust can make your otherwise sparkling-clean office seem dirty, it's essential to dust your bookshelf (without taking off the books) at least once every week.

If you don't dust your home office's bookshelf regularly, the acidic nature of the accumulated dust will damage the inside of your books, along with their cover. Moreover, the dust on your shelf will attract moisture and mildew, further harming your collection. While keeping your bookshelf clean is necessary to keep your books in good condition, it's equally important for your health, as the dust buildup might trigger your allergies, while mold and mildew growth can cause respiratory issues.

Although the cleaning frequency of the bookshelf in your office will depend on the amount of dust it collects, a general rule of thumb is to dust your bookshelf once every week without emptying the shelf. You can enlist any duster for this task except a feather duster, as it'll only shuffle the dust around and not clean it entirely. Weekly dusting will prevent the accumulated dust from settling in and inviting its friends — mold and mildew — over.

But this is a temporary fix and might not be enough. So you must deep clean your bookshelf by emptying it out and cleaning your books and other decorative items individually every few months. To begin, grab the middle of the spine of your books and pull them out one by one.

Now, use a duster or vacuum with brush attachment to get rid of the dust buildup on the furniture piece. You can also spray some mild cleanser on a clean microfiber cloth to wipe down the emptied surfaces. Once you're satisfied, it's time to clean your books. Use a clean paint or makeup brush to remove all traces of dust and hold the book firmly to prevent dust from finding its way inside the pages. As for the decorative items on your shelf, you can clean them using a damp cloth.

While giving your office bookshelf the customary weekly dusting, take the opportunity to re-shelve any misplaced books. This will ensure your shelf is clutter-free and ready for visitors. But if you're deep cleaning your bookshelf, take some time to go through your book collection to figure out an organization strategy. You can organize your books alphabetically, or by genre, author, height, and color — the possibilities are many. You can group your books any way you want as long as the method has a rhyme and a reason. Just give them some room to breathe, and don't stack them too close to avoid hurting their spines.

Once you've figured out your strategy, ensure your shelf is completely dry before stacking your books and decorative items back. A clean and organized bookshelf won't just show off your impressive reading collection and look aesthetically pleasing but also motivate you to read and make it easier for you to find your favorites.