"NEW" SWIFFER DUSTER vs. "OLD" FEATHER DUSTER: WHY CAN'T THEY JUST BE FRIENDS?

We've all seen the commercial where the Swiffer Duster wand replaces the "outdated" feather duster. The poor feather duster even has a little suitcase sitting on the curb. I felt so sorry for the feather duster, I went and bought one. Now, I panic if either one of these dusters isn't in my caddy when I leave for a job. In my opinion, they are both very effective dusting tools for most dusting jobs.

The ostrich feather duster is far superior to any other bird feather duster for several reasons. The ostrich has a softer, more pliable feather with tiny finger-like barbules that grab the dust. They also resist static electricity, making them ideal around electronics. (FYI: ostriches aren't sacrificed just to collect feathers. They are plucked during moulting season. Ok, there are some "fun" jobs still available out there!)

There are several types of ostrich feather dusters:

• BLACK - come from the male bird and are soft and loose...great for delicate light fixtures or figurines.


• GRAY - sturdier than the black, but also very soft.. ..most popular and easiest to find in stores.


• FLOSS - most soft and delicate from under the ostrich wing.....also the most $.

I bought my gray ostrich feather duster at Target for under $10. There is also a Tennessee company, called the Beckner Feather Duster Company, which has produced hand-made feather dusters since 1913. They offer six types of dusters ranging in size (12"-32") and price ($6-$40). http://www.becknerfeather.com/.

Proctor & Gamble, Inc. has had record profits from their Swiffer product line. This doesn't surprise me, because most of their products deliver what they promise. The Swiffer Duster is a must-have for those out-of-reach areas like door jams, valances, and ceiling fan blades. The head can be angled to catch tops of armours or china hutches. (If you have to climb a ladder to keep these cleaned, it's very likely they'll just be skipped.) It is also great for edge dusting mop boards or cleaning under raised furniture. Wal-mart has the Swiffer Duster Extender Starter kit for $8 and a box of refills for $11.

So, the moral of this story is....."old" is still around for a very good reason. Things endure the test of time when they work well. Both of these dusters will swish dust into the air if you don't dust often enough. The key is to do it regularly enough to prevent any buildup. (Or avoid buying extremely dark furniture if you aren't a fan of dusting!) Meanwhile, we can all still enjoy the creative commercials P & G pays many $'s for!