Place a Towel on Your Broom for This Surprisingly Useful Cleaning Hack

There’s no reason to buy another specialty cleaning tool just to reach dusty ceilings, high walls, or those awkward corners where cobwebs love to hide.

A clean microfiber towel and an ordinary broom can turn into a long-handled duster in about a minute. The trick is simple: secure the towel around the broom head, then use it to reach areas that are normally a pain to clean.

Why This Broom Trick Works

A regular broom is designed to push dirt across floors. Its bristles aren’t particularly good at trapping fine dust, so using one directly on walls or ceilings can simply knock dust into the air.

A microfiber towel works differently. Its fibers can grab dust, hair, lint, and light cobwebs instead of just pushing them around.

When you fasten the towel securely to the broom, you get a wider cleaning surface with a much longer reach—without climbing onto a chair or constantly repositioning a ladder.

What You’ll Need

You only need a few basic items:

• A clean microfiber towel
• A broom with a secure handle
• Two clothespins, rubber bands, or elastic bands
• A spray bottle
• Water

Optional: a small amount of fabric softener if you want to use a lightly scented cleaning solution. It isn’t necessary for dust removal, and plain water is the better choice for many painted surfaces.

Step 1: Secure the Towel to the Broom

Lay the towel flat and place the broom head near the center.

Wrap the towel around the broom head so that the cleaning side is exposed. Secure both ends with clothespins or elastic bands.

Make sure the towel is firmly attached before lifting the broom overhead. You don’t want it slipping off while you’re cleaning.

Tip: A microfiber towel is preferable to a thick bath towel because it’s lighter, easier to control, and better at trapping fine dust.

Step 2: Decide Whether to Dust Dry or Damp

For ordinary dust and cobwebs, start with a dry towel.

This is especially useful for:

• Ceilings
• Ceiling corners
• Baseboards
• Door frames
• Behind furniture
• High shelves
• Walls with light dust

If you’re dealing with stuck-on grime rather than loose dust, lightly dampen the towel with water.

The towel should feel slightly damp, not wet. Too much moisture can leave streaks, especially on painted walls and ceilings.

Step 3: Start with the Ceiling

Begin at the highest areas and work your way down.

Gently run the towel-covered broom across the ceiling, paying particular attention to corners where cobwebs collect.

Don’t press hard. Let the microfiber do the work.

For textured ceilings, use especially light pressure so you don’t snag the towel or disturb the surface.

Step 4: Move Down the Walls

Once the ceiling is finished, work your way down the walls.

Use long, gentle strokes to collect dust from:

• Upper walls
• Corners
• Door frames
• Baseboards
• Behind furniture
• Around window trim

Working from top to bottom helps prevent dust from falling onto areas you’ve already cleaned.

What About Fabric Softener?

You’ve probably seen this hack recommended with a mixture of water and fabric softener.

While a small amount may leave a pleasant scent, you don’t need fabric softener to make this trick work. Microfiber already does the important job of grabbing dust.

If you decide to use a diluted mixture, use only a small amount and avoid applying it to surfaces where residue could be a problem. Always test an inconspicuous area first.

For routine dusting, plain water—or a completely dry microfiber towel—is the simpler option.

Don’t Use a Wet Towel Everywhere

This hack is useful, but more moisture isn’t better.

Avoid soaking the towel when cleaning:

• Painted walls
• Ceilings
• Unfinished wood
• Areas near electrical outlets
• Surfaces that shouldn’t get wet

For ordinary dust, a dry microfiber towel is often all you need.

A Few Places This Hack Is Especially Useful

This homemade duster can be surprisingly handy for areas that are easy to overlook.

Ceiling Corners

Cobwebs often collect where walls meet the ceiling. The broom gives you enough reach to remove them without climbing.

Baseboards

A microfiber-covered broom can reach along long stretches of baseboard quickly, especially when you’re trying to avoid bending over repeatedly.

Behind Furniture

If you can’t easily move a sofa or cabinet, the extended reach can help collect dust underneath or behind it.

High Shelves

Instead of standing on furniture, use the broom to reach shelves and other elevated surfaces safely from the floor.

Clean the Towel When You’re Finished

Don’t put the dusty towel straight back into your cleaning supplies.

Remove it from the broom and shake off loose debris outdoors if practical. Then wash it according to the towel manufacturer’s care instructions.

Avoid using fabric softener when laundering microfiber cleaning cloths because it can coat the fibers and reduce their ability to absorb and trap dirt.

How Often Should You Use This Trick?

For most homes, a quick dusting every one to two weeks is enough.

You may want to do it more often if you have:

• Pets
• Lots of fabric furniture
• Open windows that bring in outdoor dust
• A home with high ceilings or difficult-to-reach areas

A few minutes of regular dusting is much easier than waiting until thick layers of dust and cobwebs have accumulated.

Extra Tips for Better Results

• Start with a dry microfiber towel for loose dust.
• Work from high surfaces downward.
• Don’t soak painted walls or ceilings.
• Secure the towel tightly before lifting the broom.
• Use gentle pressure rather than scrubbing.
• Wash microfiber towels after cleaning.
• Never use a chair or unstable furniture as a substitute for a proper ladder when reaching difficult areas.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a collection of expensive cleaning gadgets to reach every dusty corner of your home.

A broom + microfiber towel can give you a simple long-handled cleaning tool for ceilings, walls, baseboards, corners, and other hard-to-reach areas. The key is to secure the towel properly, use as little moisture as necessary, and let the microfiber pick up the dust rather than aggressively scrubbing the surface.

Sometimes the most useful cleaning tools are the ones you already have sitting in the closet.