Dusting off a jacket on Shabbos

Question:

Can I dust off my jacket on Shabbos?

Discussion:

“Kebus” (laundering) is a toldah of “Milaban” (bleaching). The melacho is defined as removing dirt that is absorbed into a fabric. Therefore, this prohibition only applies to a absorbant material (for this reason one is permitted to wash dishes on Shabbos – in a permitted fashion- as well as clean his eyeglasses if they get dirty). There is a machlokes among the Rishonim if shaking out (or brushing) a garment to remove dust falls under this melacho. Everyone agrees that one may not use a brush or shake a garment vigorously to remove dust.

We follow the stringent opinion that says not to remove dust in any fashion. However, this only applies to dust which is trapped between the fibers of a garment. Removing dust which is merely resting on the garment is permitted (M.B. 302:7)

Even if the dust is trapped between the fibers, it is only prohibitted to remove the dust when the garement is significantly dirty. This is determind as follows, if one would not wear the garment in this state then it is considered to be significantly dirty. If there is not enough dust to stop the owner from wearing it then one would be permitted to remove the dust (M.B.302:2).

Summary:

If the dust is merely resting on the garment then one is permitted to remove it. However, if the dust is trapped between the fibers of the garment the following guidelines should be used. One may not use a brush or shake the garment vigorously. Using a dry cloth is permitted (Shmeras Shabbos Kihilchosa 15:25). If the garment is so dusty that one would not wear it then one is not permitted to remove the dust at all.