Good ones remove it - the barbs on quality feathers trap and hold particles. Poor ones, and overloaded ones, redistribute it.

Ostrich down has fine barbs branching from each strand, giving an enormous surface area that dust adheres to, assisted by a light static charge generated as the duster moves.

Synthetic imitations and stiff, sparse feathers lack that structure. They sweep dust off the surface and into the air, where it settles again shortly afterwards.

Capacity matters as much as quality. Once the barbs are loaded, the duster stops picking up and starts depositing, which is why frequent shaking out belongs in the routine rather than being an afterthought.

Technique helps: light strokes in one direction, working from high to low so anything dropped is picked up later, rather than flicking.

For dust that must be captured rather than moved - allergen control, clean areas, electronics - a microfibre or treated disposable duster is the better tool.

Ostrich down for delicate and detailed work; ostrich body feathers for general dusting; synthetic only where cost outweighs performance.

Ostrich down comes from beneath the outer plumage and is the softest and most heavily barbed. It is the standard for antiques, glassware, retail display and anything easily marked.

Ostrich body feathers are longer and stiffer, cover more area per stroke and cost less. They suit general dusting of robust surfaces.

Turkey and chicken feathers are cheaper still, with fewer barbs and shorter working life.

Synthetic feather dusters are washable and inexpensive, which is a genuine advantage in food and clinical settings where a natural product may be unacceptable - but they capture less.

Check the binding as well as the feathers. A duster that sheds is worse than useless on the surfaces these are used for.

Shaken out frequently during use, and washed occasionally in cool water with mild detergent, then air dried away from heat.

Shaking out is the routine maintenance and should happen every few minutes of use - outdoors, into a bin or into a bag, never in the room being cleaned.

Tapping the handle against a hand or a hard edge releases trapped dust more effectively than shaking alone.

Washing is occasional. Cool water with a little mild detergent, swirled gently rather than scrubbed, then rinsed and shaken out.

Drying matters most. Air dry hanging downward so the feathers keep their shape, away from direct heat, which makes them brittle. A duster dried in a hot cupboard breaks up in use.

Store hanging rather than resting on the feathers, which crushes and bends them permanently.

On anything greasy or sticky, on electronics where dust must be captured, and in food or clinical areas where a natural product is unsuitable.

Greasy films bind dust to the surface. A feather duster cannot lift it and simply smears, which is a job for a damp microfibre cloth and a cleaner.

Around electronics and sensitive equipment, releasing dust into the air is precisely what should not happen. Capture tools or vacuum attachments are correct.

In food production and healthcare, natural feathers are often prohibited or discouraged - they shed, cannot be laundered to a validated standard, and are an animal product in a controlled environment.

Anywhere allergen control matters, a tool that lifts dust into the air is counterproductive.

For those settings, microfibre and treated disposable systems do the same job while holding onto what they collect.

For light dusting of high fixtures, yes on an extending handle - but reach tools designed for the purpose usually work better.

Feather dusters are supplied on long and telescopic handles for cornices, light fittings, chandeliers and picture rails, and they are excellent on ornate fittings that a flat tool cannot follow.

The drawback overhead is that dislodged dust falls, and a duster that scatters rather than holds sends it over everything below.

Work from the top of the room downward so anything dropped is dealt with later, and cover or move what is beneath.

For flat high surfaces - tops of cupboards, ledges, ductwork - a microfibre flat duster on a pole collects far more.

Whatever tool is used, working from the floor with a pole is safer than working from a ladder, and that consideration should generally decide the method.

Months to years with care; a season or less if it is crushed in storage or dried near heat.

The feathers themselves wear slowly. What kills a duster is mechanical damage - crushing, bending and breakage - rather than dirt.

Storing it resting on the feathers deforms them permanently within days. Hanging it is the single most effective thing that extends its life.

Heat makes feathers brittle, so drying near a radiator or in a hot cupboard shortens life considerably.

Shedding is the end-of-life symptom. A duster leaving feathers on the surfaces it cleans should be replaced, particularly in retail and hospitality where it is visible.

Rebinding a loosened head is sometimes possible on a good quality duster, and the better handles are designed for the head to be replaced.

The static is what makes them work, and it does not leave a charge on the surface in any meaningful way.

Movement across a surface generates a light static charge on the feathers, which helps them attract and hold fine particles. That is a feature of the tool, not a side effect.

The concern about leaving surfaces charged and therefore dustier applies more to certain plastics and synthetic cloths than to feather dusting, and in practice is minor.

What genuinely makes a surface attract dust again quickly is polish or cleaner residue left behind, which is sticky.

Around sensitive electronics, static is a real consideration for a different reason - discharge can damage components - and anti-static tools should be used there.

For ordinary furniture, display and fittings, the static is helping.