Keeping your studio clean

What do you guys use to keep the dust down in your studio (or anywhere for that matter). I hate how dust collects on my gear after a while...anyone using any kind of air purifiers, etc to help keep their place clean?

I hired a french maid to come over and dust it in a sexy out fit.

When she shows up I never get anything done and end up with a bigger mess.

Yeah, I tried that too...doesnt work too well.

After the maid bit, did you try any air purifiers or something similar? I know they dont look as hot in thigh highs but I heard some work pretty well for keeping the dust down.

I do not have a French maid or an air purifier. I use a nice soft-bristled paintbrush to dust my synths and mixer.

Actually, we have a house-cleaning service that comes every week or so, and it's usually a couple of Polish girls - one of them is absolutely stunning. I don't know why she is cleaning houses for a living. But from the onset, my wife told them not to worry about cleaning the pile of keyboard stuff in the extra bedroom, so it's just me and my paintbrush.

If you have forced air HVAC, change your air filter more often and have the fan run a little longer.

I have to dust/clean my junk about once a year and that's from opening the windows and general playing mostly.

The filter thing should cut down on the dust.

Did you try to cover your keys and stuff when your not playing them? I have covers for most of my axes that I use when not playing them. Again I clean those about once a year.

I can say that if there is construction and allot of dirt movement near your location it's just part of the deal. Two years ago they finished a development nearby and it was very hard to keep anything clean.

Paint bush is excellent idea for cleaning knobs...

Are you still up in Seattle area or did you move?

I like the paintbrush idea! Thanks keybdwizard...

I do keep all my synths covered when they're not used, and I do keep the filter on my HVAC changed out...but the dust that settles on the top of my monitors, the air filters on the PC, etc always seems to collect more often than it should....just looking for ways to keep it minimized.

Yeah, I tried that too...doesnt work too well. After the maid bit, did you try any air purifiers or something similar? I know they dont look as hot in thigh highs but I heard some work pretty well for keeping the dust down.

Most so-called air purifiers are junk.

If you get one that actually circulates air through a HEPA filter or an electrostatic filter, those are great.

Avoid "ionizers" at all costs...they just charge the dust particles so they stick to everything, walls, ceilings, floors, etc...plus ions tend to change polarity on their own, creating ozone which is great in the high atmosphere but is just plain poisonous down here...

For the gear, this:

Haven't found anything that works better than this for the gear.

I have 2 Chiquita maids clean the townhouse twice per month

I also leave them chocolate and little gifts on occaision

Everyone is happy and clean

You mean to tell me your Mac can't clean your studio for you?

Is that a german swiffer?

i keep sheets over everything when im not using the room. Keeps things super clean.

The primary component of household (domestic) dust is human skin cells:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust

I use dust covers for all of my gear, and vacuum the dust up frequently.

Another alternative is to spend thousands of dollars to create a clean room, though it is difficult to play keyboards with those gloves on

compressed air

Unfortunately compressed air just blows the dust to a different location. You still need a vacuum.

I work for 3M (display and graphics lab that feeds optical systems division and brands like Vikuiti). The powers that be often give away 3M Microstructured Dusting Cloths at various technical employee events. These are great for dusting surfaces either dry or moistened very lightly with just a little water. The can be machine washed and dried and reused so they are environmentally friendly.

I keep cloth covers on my keyboards and vacuum up large dust bunnies. Finding new homes for my parrot and cats really helped bring the dust and dander level down in the house and also gave my, and more importantly my baby daughter's, allergies a break. We also use the 3M Filtrete air filters in our forced air heating/cooling system and change them regularly.

You mean to tell me your Mac can't clean your studio for you?

your assimilation is almost complete

soon you will be one of us

shower thouroughly before entering the room. dust is just flaked off skin cells anyway..

but seriously, I use an electronics cleaning soultion w/ an optical quality cloth and compressed air

I'll second the 3M micro-fiber dust cloths. Really good for picking up dust. I always keep some on hand. Sam's Club sells them in packs of six for a few dollars.

Some years ago I was in the market for keyboard and workstation dust covers. After seeing how expensive they were, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and bought a few black 300 count Egyptian cotton sheets for $19.99 each. Twin size is perfect for completely covering 3-tier keyboard stands, and I also got a queen size to cover my Omniraxx Commander. They're much quicker to put on and take off than a keyboard cover, and they cover every surface, not just the keyboards themselves. No more dust.

true, no more dust on the boards. you will likely have new friends very soon

Yeah. But it's the same as the Dutch one except for the packaging.

I was just looking at it and wondered "What the heck's a staubmagnet? Zat some new product?"

I still have a bottle of "Mister Clean" from my last trip to Germany/Nederlands. In Europe, he is called "Herr Proper".

For the gear, this: Haven't found anything that works better than this for the gear.

Don't these work by creating static electricity? Something that should be kept as far away as possible from electronics.

Three tools:

1. a small, handy, rechargeable vacuum I got from Radio Shack - useful on computer keyboards, etc., but equally at home on a Triton or a mixer. $15.

2. a can of compressed air - useful for blowing the air to where I can vacuum it. $3-4.

3. a Mr. Clean feather duster (turkey feathers, mind you!) $5.

Keeping dust out of my gear: Priceless.