Do Clothes Get Dusty In Walk-in Wardrobes?

Those refurbishing their bedrooms will know that, to create an appealing, functional, personalised sanctuary, every little detail is key. So if you’re in the process of planning some new custom cabinetry, you’re probably asking yourself things like: Do clothes get dusty in walk-in wardrobes?

As dust is a part of normal daily life, the answer to this question is really dependent on your end design. It goes without saying that units with hinged or sliding doors certainly protect your clothing from it as much as possible. 

However, if you’ve chosen to go with an open-shelf concept, the likelihood of it creeping in is definitely higher. So if you’re set on being able to display your fabulous couture collection but need to minimise exposure, consider arranging your space a little differently. 

Here are some good ideas and a few housekeeping tips from our expert wardrobe team. 

What makes walk-in wardrobes dusty?

Walk-in wardrobes are a wonderful storage option for contemporary homes. Offering numerous benefits, they infuse our spaces with a sense of style, keep our rooms clutter-free and up the overall value of our properties. 

With many different formats to choose from, they are fully customisable and adapted to suit your needs. So, from compact offerings like the Pleione by Barel or expansive units like the Geometric walk-in by Dall’Agnese, the world is your oyster.

However, one of the drawbacks of having one is the labour it takes to keep them clean. Left unattended, your clothing runs the risk of getting dirty, damaged and, in extreme cases, even mouldy, without them even leaving your shelves. 

Here are 3 common design factors that can compromise the cleanliness of your wardrobe:

• Open shelving: A popular way to display your belongings and create a functional space, open shelving can be problematic when it comes to keeping things spick and span. Leaving everything exposed, you need to engage in constant cleaning if you want to avoid a buildup of dust. 
• Ventilation: When constructing a walk-in, air circulation is key. Often overlooked, it’s an essential way to balance humidity and dampness, which will, in turn, help to prevent mould. Installing ventilation is especially important if your wardrobe is situated near an ensuite because of the constant steam that is emitted while taking baths and showers. 
• Upper shelves: Walk-in wardrobes are usually built from floor to ceiling in order to optimise available space, making top compartments very high up and hard to maintain. 

How do clothes attract dust?

Though unpleasant to think about, your own dead skin cells, hair, fibres, dust mites, pollen and soil make up the majority of dust in the home.

Our bodies are constantly shedding particles, and the remainder is either blown in from our windows or dragged around on our clothes and shoes. So no matter what you do, it gets in everywhere – even behind closed doors. 

This is made worse if you have an open storage system and can be particularly bad in walk-in wardrobes. However, aside from constant maintenance, there’s not too much you can do about it.

Does dust damage our clothing?

The answer to this question really depends on what type of grime you are attracting and how regularly you clean out your storage spaces. 

If your walk-in is prone to humidity, garments can easily be ruined by mildew or mould and may begin to deteriorate or smell. This highly unpleasant and allergy-inducing fungus is also detrimental to leather, which needs to breathe correctly in order to be sustained. 

Apparel that hasn’t been worn for a while also accumulates dust, which can be challenging to remove if it gets embedded.

Your best option is to wash your clothing as often as possible and make sure you store infrequently worn garments in clothing bags or sealed boxes. This is especially important for the seasonal items you don’t anticipate hauling out for a while.

Ways to reduce the amount of dust in your wardrobe

While you may not be able to eliminate dust entirely, there are certain things you can do to mitigate the situation. Here’s some useful advice from the FCI London wardrobe design team.

Store your shoes separately: 

Preventing dust from getting carried into your wardrobe from outside is the easiest way to lessen the load, so address your shoe storage options first. Organising a mudroom is first prize, especially for wellies and riding boots, but if you don’t have space, keep them near the entrance of your walk-in. You can then stow away your more elegant footwear in a sealed unit or ask our team to design something unique.

Throw out the carpet: 

Here’s a shocking fact: One pound of dirt can be absorbed into a single square yard of carpet. So get rid of them, because even the most powerful vacuum cleaners can’t suck up every particle. And aside from being easier to clean, tiled or wooden floors also help those who suffer from dust allergies.

Purchase an air cleaner: 

State-of-the-art air filtration systems will get rid of toxins and dust floating around in the atmosphere and will lessen any impurities. This will benefit both your breathing and your clothing but won’t remove particles of dirt already lodged in your fabrics. It would therefore make sense to wash everything thoroughly before you have one installed. 

Add cabinet doors to open storage: 

Your clothes, shoes and accessories are more likely to acquire dust if you have open shelving and hanging spaces. And, while frequently-worn garments tend to suffer less, adding some doors is the simplest approach to eliminate this issue. 

If you love the aesthetics of an open system, then only seal off specific areas or choose glass doors to keep your top fashion items visibly on show.

Install drawers and cabinets: 

If you’re in the process of designing your walk-in wardrobe and are debating using pigeon-holes and open shelves, opt for built-in cabinets and drawers instead. It’s the easiest way to minimise the chances of any grime. 

However, if you’re dead set on the pigeon-hole system, we suggest you pack your possessions into storage boxes first. Not only will they keep your foldable items and accessories safe, but they’ll also help to maintain an neat, organised appearance.

Design the perfect walk-in wardrobe: 

Not only is dust made worse by clutter, but having too much stuff lying around makes cleaning even more of a challenge.  

To avoid this, design your new built-in wardrobe to include a quality organisation system that houses all of your possessions in accordance with your lifestyle needs. 

We also recommend that you go through your belongings once a year to get rid of whatever you don’t use.  

Lift and clean: 

Your wardrobe should be dusted and cleaned on a regular basis. Make sure that you wipe beneath every item and don’t forget to tend to your ceilings and top shelves.  

At the end of the day, consistent housework is the most effective way to keep the dirt out.

Design your perfect walk-in at FCI London

Although walk-in wardrobes are prone to dust, they’re still one of the most luxurious ways to elevate your bedroom. And, when designed beautifully, they can enhance the functionality of your daily routines and keep your home looking well-considered and clutter-free.

At FCI London we’re experts when it comes to custom cabinetry and will facilitate the whole process from conception to installation. Offering hundreds of materials, finishes and colours to choose from, we guarantee that you’ll get exactly what you're looking for. 

From fully open systems like the Project unit by Dall’Agnese, to complex designs like the Palo Alto walk-in by MisuraEmme, we have it all.

To find out more, get in touch today or visit our spectacular showroom and have a chat with our award-winning design team.