About three times a year.

Anonymous wrote:Always on Mondays and Thursdays. As needed on other days. I am very regimented with my cleaning schedule. I cannot stand a dirty house.

I admire you, and I would love to be like you. I make lots and lots of cleaning lists and schedules but I never follow them. Sigh. Too lazy I guess.

Anonymous wrote:We have a lady that cleans our home. But honestly, because the doors/windows are always closed because of allergens and air conditioning/heater costs, there is almost no dust. My MIL lives in a nice condo in Paris and she always has her windows open, there is always dust and she is always dusting.

I'm 10:18 above. I think keeping our doors and windows closed is mainly what helps us as well.

We have a lady that cleans our home. But honestly, because the doors/windows are always closed because of allergens and air conditioning/heater costs, there is almost no dust. My MIL lives in a nice condo in Paris and she always has her windows open, there is always dust and she is always dusting.

Twice a week. We use the highest allergy rated filters and our house is new so it's a very efficient heating and cooling system. We have cats. Thank God for Swiffers.

I also microfiber dust mop daily. NEVER open the windows.

I might dust something if I happen to notice that it is really dusty, but the novelty wears off quickly. My house is pretty cramped and there's just not that many flat surfaces for noticeable dust to collect.

Anonymous wrote:I will never buy dark furniture again. I have to dust daily!!!

Every week; sometimes more. I've found that if I use an Endust-type product I can go longer between dusting,

I have never dusted. My cleaning people who come every other week probably do, because I don't notice any. Hey, my kids don't have any allergies, I did them a favor.

Anonymous wrote:I will never buy dark furniture again. I have to dust daily!!!

Whaaat? Really?

I never dust.

PP who said that allergies were heritable.

I'm a scientist, BTW. Statistically, it's true that early exposure to various environmental factors decrease the risk of allergies, but if you read the studies it's not an enormous change. Also keep in mind that if you, your spouse or your immediate family have allergies, your kids are at risk.

Many factors at play here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We don't have any allergies in our house. I just can't imagine living in a filthy house. If you are not dusting at least once a week, gross. Seriously gross.

Meh. At least my kids won't have allergies and asthma.

Dirty Baby, Healthy Baby? Early Filth May Reduce Allergies
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/dirty-baby-healthy-baby-early-filth-may-reduce-allergies-n123921

Newborns Exposed to Dirt, Dander and Germs May Have Lower Allergy and Asthma Risk
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/newborns_exposed_to_dirt_dander_and_germs_may_have_lower_allergy_and_asthma_risk

Stop that. Allergies are largely inherited, so allergic parents can live in filth all they want, their kids still have a higher risk than others of being allergic. Don't pat yourself on the back.

Yes allergies are somewhat genetic, but mostly it's a lifestyle thing. I dust my house often, but make sure my baby is around dogs and cats and gets to play in the dirt. I never worried about the 5 second rule. Dirt isn't going to make her sick, other 2 year olds make her sick.

I think about this often. Firstborn---I was neurotic. Everything was clean, clean, clean. The daycare in my Office literally smelled like bleach. It was brand-new when he started and clean as a whistle. He has bad environmental allergies.

Second born was at home with nanny. Outside all of the time. He went to a play-based preschool starting at 2.5 that was filthy--kids were into everything. Germs everywhere. Old building--gross at times.

Second born--zero allergies. First born--getting allergy shots now at 11.

Of course---this could be totally genetic. I have zero allergies and my husband has horrible outdoor and pet allergies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once a week. If you have to dust daily you need better AC filters or need to vacuum more often.

That's not always true. I have a really good air-conditioning filters and I vacuumed and or sweep every day. The accumulation of dust in my home is incredible .

Sweeping is just kicking up more dirt. We had a lot of dust and then we repainted the walls and ceiling. The amount of dust decreased significantly.

Anonymous wrote:Once a week. If you have to dust daily you need better AC filters or need to vacuum more often.

That's not always true. I have a really good air-conditioning filters and I vacuumed and or sweep every day. The accumulation of dust in my home is incredible .

I aim for every week but it doesn't always happen. Definitely every other week, though, at a minimum. I have two dogs so we vacuum about 2-3 times a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We don't have any allergies in our house. I just can't imagine living in a filthy house. If you are not dusting at least once a week, gross. Seriously gross.

Meh. At least my kids won't have allergies and asthma.

Dirty Baby, Healthy Baby? Early Filth May Reduce Allergies
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/dirty-baby-healthy-baby-early-filth-may-reduce-allergies-n123921

Newborns Exposed to Dirt, Dander and Germs May Have Lower Allergy and Asthma Risk
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/newborns_exposed_to_dirt_dander_and_germs_may_have_lower_allergy_and_asthma_risk

Nice try. Four of my five are adults. Of the five we have exactly zero allergies, food or otherwise. They spent a ton of time outdoors as kids. There is no excuse for a filthy house. If you are not cleaning, to include dusting, at least once a week, your house is filthy.

Clearly you didn't read the articles or the study. The protective nature of exposure does not go past the first birthday, so it doesn't matter if they spent a ton of time outdoors as kids.

We're super cleaning our way to skyrocketing rates of allergies and asthma in the developed world.