Additionally, outside dust is a major contributor to indoor dust. It finds its way into your home through unsealed windows and doors. Shoes, clothing, and pet paws can also bring in sand, gravel, and soil that contribute to further buildup.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Your room is too humid.
“Humidity causes static electricity, which is regarded as the culprit that helps dust cling to surfaces,” says Jameson. “Set your humidity level to anywhere between 40% and 50% to at least lessen the amount of dust that settles into fabrics and surfaces,” she advises.
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.
Are you constantly sneezing or coughing while in your home? There could be dust lurking around every corner. Be sure to check your ceiling fans in your bedroom and any air or exhaust vents for dust.
But if you never exchange the air inside your home for fresh air, it can get stale and potentially lead to health issues. Have you ever heard of sick building syndrome, or SBS for short? That's when you spend a lot of time inside a space that is tightly sealed and with little ventilation.
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.
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.
Dust before vacuuming
We recommend dusting before vacuuming, this is because dust particles usually get moved around the room when you dust, meaning all your hard work will go to waste. A top tip is to wait at least 2 hours after dusting to get the vacuum out.
Our recommendation to keep dust out of your home is to give it a good dusting/cleaning at least once per month for easy-to-reach areas, like your ceiling fan and upholstery. Tackle more difficult spots every three to six months, like high windows and ceilings, small items like picture frames, and shelves.
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.
Air purifiers can be effective in removing dust indoors and improving asthma and allergy symptoms. They come with different filters, but studies show that HEPA filters can remove most airborne particles, including pollen, mold, and bacteria. A person should also choose a device compatible with their room size.
The best place to put an air purifier is somewhere in your breathing zone. The closer the unit is to your head, the shorter distance clean air has to travel before it reaches you. In the bedroom, this usually translates to putting the air purifier on a nightstand or small table close to the bed.
Ventilation and shading can help control indoor temperatures. Ventilation also helps remove or dilute indoor airborne pollutants coming from indoor sources. This reduces the level of contaminants and improves indoor air quality (IAQ).
No matter how new or old your building is, experts agree that everyone should be sealing off living space from outside air by keeping windows and doors closed during the air quality crisis. Use towels to block gaps that allow air inside.
Generally, if your house is decently insulated, keep the windows and blinds closed when the sun is shining. Open the windows in the evening and at night. More specifically, keep the windows closed when the outside temperature is hotter than it is inside, and open the windows when it's cooler outside than inside.
While it may seem counterintuitive, it is actually helpful to open the windows and remove the stale, dry air from your house. Open windows during the daytime to let the fresh air in. It will help you breathe easy, and your skin won't feel that dry and itchy. Plus, it will also improve your home air quality.