Dust mite droppings, dead bodies of dust mites, pet dander, and small insects are included as allergens,” says Ketan Patel, design manager of floorcare at Dyson. Additionally, outside dust is a major contributor to indoor dust. It finds its way into your home through unsealed windows and doors.
The short answer is yes, most air purifiers on the market are designed to remove large dust particles from the air. Many feature mechanical filtration, which is a method of capturing pollutants on filters. Either the particles are meant to stick to the filter or be trapped within the filter fibers.
In order to keep your home's air quality top notch, you should be dusting at least every other week, if not weekly.
If you're struggling to control all the dust in your home, you're not alone. Homes can get dusty quickly, and a dusty home is often not a reflection of your cleaning habits. Rather, a dusty home is often due to other factors like old filters, shedding pets, and even drafty windows.
Exactly where these particles come from depends on the home. Unfortunately, keeping your windows open will not reduce the amount of dust in your home; in fact, doing this could increase it.
Even in closed-up homes, it will still settle from the indoor atmosphere, leak from the ceiling cornices and attic spaces, and seep into your living areas through cracks around windows and doors. Any particles of dirt, smoke, fibres or crushed materials that go into the air eventually come down as dust.
Once again simply keeping a window open for a few hours a day can help reduce the build-up of mould and nullify the health risks associated with this. Better ventilation also has a number of secondary benefits aside from health. It can reduce your energy costs in summer and help get rid of bad odours in your home.
Use fans to improve air flow
Even without an open window, fans can improve air flow. Point fans away from people. Pointing fans toward people can blow contaminated air directly at them. Use ceiling fans to help improve air flow in the home whether or not windows are open.
Exposure to dust inside homes can have adverse health outcomes, such as respiratory problems, asthma, allergic reactions, and lead poisoning (if the dust contains lead).
“Fresh air isn't the enemy. Open your windows,” says Dr Appelles Econs, an allergy specialist at the Burghwood Clinic. Keeping your windows shut all day will allow chemicals and allergens to build up inside. Even if you live in a polluted city, you are going to have to open the windows from time to time.
Simple things you can do to improve your indoor air quality include: Reduce dust by vacuuming regularly and using a microfiber or damp cloth for dusting. Reduce humidity to avoid mold and mildew buildup and change appliance filters regularly. And make sure to test your home for dangerous gases like radon.
A good way to tell whether you have poor indoor air quality is by the health of the people living in your home. Breathing polluted air over time can cause symptoms such as headaches, a sore throat, sneezing, and congestion. Be aware that these symptoms could be a sign of dirty indoor air.
Cinnamon, cardamom, clove, star anise, peppercorn or any other mulling spices work well too. Of course, you don't want to boil paprika so stick to the sweeter smelling spices and leave the savory ones for cooking. These can be used whole or ground, however, I've found whole spices tend to work the best.
Concentrations of radon, which can cause lung cancer, can increase in homes with low ventilation. High humidity outside can make indoor air more humid, increasing the risk of moisture damage indoors, such as mold growth or wood rot.
Will They Purify Air? According to Allergy Consumer Review, dehumidifiers do not really clean the air in your home. By removing moisture, dehumidifiers can make the air less friendly to mold and mildew growth, but they do not purify.
Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the area.
If the air outside is warmer than your thermostat setting, you're raising your indoor temperature, making your AC work harder to cool your home. So how often should you open your windows? It's recommended that you do so once a day, for at least five minutes. Fifteen to 20 minutes is preferable.
Potential risks of leaving your windows open at night
There is also the risk of a wild animal entering and causing property damage. Finally, open windows may be caught by the wind and slam shut causing damage to the window frames and broken glass, which may lead to injury.
Meanwhile, Querlüften or cross ventilation involves opening all the windows of a house or building and letting the fresh air flow through. The aim of all this lüften is to stop mould from forming, get rid of smells and to stop rooms from getting too humid.
Keeping your home as dust-free as possible requires vigilance and consistency. It all starts with a regular weekly cleaning: Vacuuming furniture and drapes regularly, and changing air filters in your HVAC system monthly can go a long way to helping you combat dust.