Dust also builds up when we don't properly maintain our furniture, upholstery, carpets and floors. “Dust mites live in mattresses, pillows and upholstery,” allergist and immunologist Dr. Sonia Cajigal told Real Simple. Another reason your home tends to get dusty so quickly is AC units or heaters.
Reduce or eliminate any fabrics like rugs, carpets, draperies, upholstered furniture. Dust and wipe down all hard surfaces regularly. Sweep and mop floors. Fabrics attract and hold dust particles and odors. Do laundry in a well vented enclosed room and keep lint filter clean.
Books, carpet, rugs, upholstered furniture, fireplaces, and pets all contribute to the dust load. Dirt, pollen, smoke, exhaust, sand, and many other things may bring in dust from outside. In addition, mold, bacteria, and dust mites are all likely to inhabit and often proliferate in dust.
A buildup of dust in your home is often the result of poor airflow. Combined with infrequent cleaning, poor airflow can lead dust and dust mites to settle comfortably into several areas in your home. Make sure your HVAC system is running properly and consider running ceiling fans to help air circulate.
Get an Air Purifier
An air purifier cleans the atmosphere of your home by reducing contaminants, which include dust. "Although an air purifier can not remove dust entirely, it can help to reduce the amount of dust settling in your home," says Sokolowski.
Make dust spray:
Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 2 cups warm water, and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil into a spray bottle. Shake until the ingredients are combined.
One of the main reasons why dust accumulates so quickly is because it is constantly being generated. In a single day, the average person sheds around 40,000 skin cells. That's a lot of dust! Other sources of dust, like pollen and dirt, can come into the home through open doors and windows.
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.
Dusting Frequency for Optimal Home Health
In order to keep your home's air quality top-notch, you should be dusting at least every other week, if not weekly. Choose a time each week, like after you pick the kids up from soccer practice, to dust your house, or dust a certain area each day.
The Impact of Open Windows on Indoor Air Quality
One study by the University of Arizona found that opening windows increased dust and pollen levels in homes. In addition, the study found that when windows were open, dust and pollen from outside could enter the home and settle on surfaces.
Air purifiers assist in eliminating household dust by helping clean the air at home. These machines are engineered with technology that traps dust before it settles on your furniture and floors. Opt for a HEPA air purifier that captures 99.97% of dust and particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The white dust you describe may be from several sources and also may be a little bit from each. If there is any carpet in the house there will inevitably be dust from foot traffic which usually shows up as “white dust.” Opening the windows for spring and summer breezes are a substantial source of dust as well.
Vacuuming. We recommend that you vacuum at least once per week. Even if you live alone, weekly vacuuming helps pick up the dust that falls on carpeting and reduces health hazards. However, you may need to vacuum more often than this, depending on the number of people and pets in your home.
Air out your room as often as possible.
This will discourage dust from accumulating under your bed, and it can freshen up your home as well! Consider putting bug screens on your windows if you're going to be keeping them open for a long time.
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.
Dust particles from outside can enter through open windows or doors, while indoor sources like pet dander, dead skin cells, and fibers from textiles contribute to the buildup. Car exhaust and environmental pollution can also introduce more particles into your home.
To cut to the chase, Dr Browning says we should be changing our sheets once a week, or every two weeks at the most.
There are thousands of portable air purifiers that can help, but the best room air filter for dust is a HEPA filter. Unlike home air filters for an HVAC system, highly efficient HEPA air filters work very well in a standalone air purifier. A HEPA air filter traps 99.97% of particles in the air.
Disadvantages of air purifiers include the cost of purchase and filter replacements and the need for regular maintenance. They may also be ineffective against certain pollutants, like larger particles or gases, depending on the filter type.
If you are allergic, wear an N95 filter mask while dusting, sweeping or vacuuming. (It can take more than two hours for the dust to settle after a thorough cleaning—so, if possible, clean when the allergic patient is away, and avoid cleaning the bedroom of an allergic person at night.)
As mentioned, bedrooms tend to get dusty because they often have more textiles than other rooms of the house. Items like pillows, blankets, and upholstered furniture are havens for dust.