I Used a Paintbrush to Dust my Home — And It Came To Be Surprisingly Handy for Tough Nooks

I just moved into a new home and having only resided in my current abode for a couple of weeks, I'm still honing my cleaning routine. So when I noticed a social trend of people putting their paintbrushes to work (outside the canvas), I was equal parts quizzical and intrigued.

While figuring out what to add to my cleaning arsenal, I've come across a viral dust trapper, some trendy dirt busters, and now, the humble paintbrush. Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware of the fact that this little artistic tool might not be as powerful as a floor cleaner but I was curious to test out its dusting abilities — and so I did.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found that it was actually quite the useful taskmaster for a small studio like mine. But the efficiency of the paintbrush lies in how you use it and where. For when exercised correctly, it's niftier than I first gave it credit for.

How to Clean With a Paintbrush

To truly embrace swapping my duster for a paintbrush, I decided to explore its competence in two states. I first dusted my home with a slightly damp paintbrush, followed by tasking it in its regular bone-dry form.

Wet: As expected, after running my brush under water and gently tapping off the excess water, I found that the brush held the dust after each swipe. This method is effective if you're looking to do a quick clean-up before playing host at the last minute. Also ideal for low-maintenance homes that don't attract mounds of dust at a rapid pace. Just remember to wash off the brush when you start to notice a build-up, or you'll undo all your efforts so far.

Dry: While keeping it perfectly dry, I found that the paintbrush was pretty good at sweeping up the dust but I'd only recommend following this technique if you're going to clean your floors off after. This way you can run the bristles over any space and angle it so that the dust falls onto the ground. Then use your broom to absorb it all up for a tidy space.

I picked up a regular paintbrush from my local department store for my cleaning test. But if you don't have one lying around and are curious to clean with one, then this Professional Orange Paint Brush from Amazon is the closest one I could find.

Where You Should Clean With a Paintbrush

As I mentioned earlier, this is not going to be your go-to cleaning companion for large expanses of space. However, it's — dare I say — the perfect tool for small nooks, shelves and crevices.

Book Shelves: You can accomplish quick dusting without having to remove and reorder all your books with the help of a paintbrush. But definitely avoid wetting the brush if you're going to brush both over and around your collection.

Window Tracks: I have large sliding windows in my apartment and since I like to air my studio out on a regular basis, I've found that these paths happen to be a hotspot for dust. Wetting your brush while tackling this area is a genius way to keep it clean.

Radiators: If your radiator or heater has a grate, or compact ridges around it, a paintbrush can help you get into those tight spots and swipe any dust out of them. It's not a good idea to clean any sort of heater when it's on, and the same principle applies when utilizing a paintbrush.

Toe Kicks: If you have recessed space underneath your kitchen cabinets or by your cupboards, you'll find that this is stubbornly hard to reach when cleaning with a vacuum. Well, a paintbrush happens to be just skinny enough to slip under there and you can always suck up any excess dirt with a vacuum if need be.

Baseboards: Oftentimes, you'll find a similar issue with baseboards and unfortunately, they happen to rack up plenty of dust over time too. Luckily, putting a paintbrush to the task might be just the solution you need to keep this tricky space spick and span.

Maintaining a clean home is one of the best habits that make your home smell good, and these are just a couple of areas that I found to be easily cleaned when using a paintbrush. But there are likely plenty of other nooks that you can render spotless with this artsy tool.

I can be quite obsessed with keeping my space clean and have stolen more than a few cleaning tricks from watching my mom keep my childhood home pristine. Now, I have one of my own to share.

I'd heard of how to clean a paintbrush, but flipping the concept on its head was not on my 2024 bingo card. I always approach internet trends with questions but this hack is one that I'd undoubtedly recommend taking a crack at. I have a feeling you'll find yourself pleased with the results that the modest paintbrush has to offer.