Between roughly November and March, the Harmattan wind carries fine Saharan dust across The Gambia. It settles on every surface, gets into window tracks and electronics, and makes life harder for anyone with asthma or allergies. Here is how to keep your home dust-free during the Harmattan.
Keep the dust out
- Keep windows closed during the windiest hours, usually the middle of the day.
- Fit or check window seals and the brushes on sliding windows.
- Use door mats inside and outside every entrance.
- Leave shoes at the door.
- Cover electronics and furniture in rooms you are not using.
Clean smarter
- Dust with a damp microfibre cloth, not a dry duster that just moves dust into the air.
- Vacuum instead of sweeping where you can. Sweeping lifts fine dust back into the air.
- Mop floors daily during the worst weeks.
- Clean from top to bottom: fans and shelves first, floors last.
- Wash curtains and sofa covers more often, as they trap dust.
Protect your health
Drink plenty of water, keep inhalers to hand if you need them, and wear a mask outdoors on very dusty days.
The end-of-season deep clean
When the Harmattan ends, dust is everywhere: inside window tracks, behind furniture, on fan blades and deep in sofas and carpets. A professional deep clean, together with sofa and carpet extraction, resets the whole home. First Arch deep cleans homes and offices across Serekunda, Banjul, Kololi, Bijilo and Brikama.
Safety first: always test products on a hidden area, follow the label, and never mix bleach with other cleaning products.
