Introduction
Whether you’re putting together an intricate 1,000-piece puzzle or a 300-piece one, puzzles make an excellent independent pastime or family activity. Aside from being fun, working on puzzles gives your brain a mental workout; however, eliminating puzzle dust shouldn’t be.
Read on for some tips to help you deal with puzzle dust.
What is Puzzle Dust?
One thing all dust particles all have in common? They can potentially be a health risk for people with asthma and allergy sufferers when it accumulates. Allergens that can be found in dust include mold and pet dander.
But, what exactly is puzzle dust? Typical dust consists of all kinds of particles, but puzzle dust is made up of tiny pieces of cardboard left over from the manufacturing process. During the cutting process of puzzle development, dust naturally collects. If the cleaning step is skipped or done quickly, it results in dusty pieces.
Tips on How to Deal With Puzzle Dust
Is puzzle dust starting to get everywhere? If you’ve ever wondered how to get the dust off new jigsaw pieces, you’ve come to the right place. You need to do more than just a simple wipe-down to get rid of your puzzle dust. Dust off your dusting skills with these puzzle hacks that will prevent future headaches, help those allergic to cardboard, and, most importantly, make your puzzling game nights more fun for everyone.
Take The Pieces Out of the Box One at a Time
One simple trick to eliminate dust is to remove all the pieces out of the box, one piece at a time. It’s ideal for puzzles 200 pieces and under. Although this method is the most tedious, it brings some truth to the saying that slow and steady wins the race. Once all the pieces are separated, shake out all the left-over dust from the box, and throw it away.
Use a Tiny Vacuum!
You can catch puzzle dust using a vacuum. A handheld vacuum cleaner is an easy-to-use lightweight tool used to clean up hard-to-reach places that a regular vacuum can’t, including puzzle boxes and bags. To address dust trapped in the box, move the pieces to one side of the box or bag, and suck up the debris.
Poke Holes in the Bag
Did your puzzle come in a bag? Simply, poke tiny holes into it, empty your puzzle pieces, then gently shake, shake, shake until all the dust is removed! Keep the holes small to ensure that the pieces don’t fall through.
Use A Colander or Strainer
This is one of the most convenient options. Simply pour your puzzle pieces into a large colander or strainer, toss them around like a fresh bowl of pasta, then give it a good shake as if to get excess water–except, in this case, it’s dust. Make sure to lightly toss the pieces until most of the dust has been removed.
Pro Tip: We strongly recommend doing this method outside or over a trash can, as it could get messy.
Use a Mesh Bag
This is another method that involves an everyday household item—a mesh laundry bag. A mesh laundry bag will easily allow the puzzle dust to pass through without losing any pieces. This option is best for larger puzzles over 1000 pieces, as a laundry bag tends to fit even the largest puzzles. Make sure the bag is shut/closed and gently shake the bag until most of the dust has fallen through the holes. As before, if you decide to use this method, we recommend doing it over a trash can or outside.
You can even tackle this one with a tiny vacuum. Many puzzlers have successfully used a small vacuum to lift the dust from the bag, as the mesh holes allow air suction from the vacuum.
Conclusion
Eliminating puzzle dust doesn’t have to be daunting. With these tips and tricks, your new jigsaw puzzle will be dust-free in no time. Ready to keep puzzling? Now that you’ve gathered all the dust from your puzzle pieces, you can move on to the fun! Check out new puzzles from Spilsbury, along with a wide variety of toys and games today.