[paul.fr]

Does the very act of polishing furnature, to remove dust, actually lead to increased dust. IE, increased charge on the polished surface attracting more opposite charged dust.

[another_someone]

If polishing with a dry cloth, I would guess probably so; but if polishing with oil, or even water, I would have though probably not.

Then again, you also have to look at where that dust would be if not on the desk (so if more dust is attracted to the desk, it may leave less dust in the air), and whether the act of polishing will actually create dust directly (e.g. whether the cloth you are polishing with would shed dust particles).

[lyner]

Polishing a metal highly usually involves 'burnishing' in which material is not removed but spread over the surface - unlike the cutting process which coarser polishes use.

[another_someone]

Polishing a metal highly usually involves 'burnishing' in which maerial is not removed but spread over the surface - unlike the cutting process which coarser polishes use.

Although useful indicators, but the question pertained to furniture, and although metal furniture does exist, it tends to be a bit out of fashion these days.  Also, metal does normally not accumulate static charge, so the question about the build-up of charge would imply we probably are not dealing with metal furniture.

[lyner]

Waving cloths about should be discouraged. It just generates sweat. Just sit down and let someone else do it.
The fibres of a proper duster should catch on the dust particles and then she goes outside and shakes the dust off the cloth in the garden. Or, a good vacuum cleaner works pretty well.
Please don't tell her ~I wrote that.