Open doors and windows can let dust creep indoors. The best solution is to seal windows and doors or other cracks and crevices that are possible dust entryways. Dust also hides in cloth and clutter. Regularly washing carpets, textiles, and stuffed animals, as well as cleaning garages and attics, can go a long way.
Common Causes of Dust. Dust is an accumulation of pollen, dead skin cells, pet dander, mold, bacteria, dust mite droppings, and other particles. Outside air can add to indoor dust in your home, too.
Dust is often caused by pets or furniture that's not been cleaned regularly. If you have a pet, make sure to vacuum and clean their bedding on a regular basis. And if you have any upholstered furniture, be sure to vacuum it regularly as well. Poor ventilation can also cause dust to accumulate over time.
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.
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.
Skin flakes and mold. Considering the average household collects around 40 pounds of dust per year, that's a lot of food for mites.
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.
Around 60% of the dust inside your home actually comes from outside*6. Pollen and soil, as well as outdoor pollutants, are carried into your home through your shoes, clothes, and hair. As you'd expect, they also come in through cracks, windows and doors*7.
Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts or go down after cleaning. This is because much of the dirt that may accumulate inside air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.
Health Impacts
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). Dust comes from two sources. First, dirt and dust can be carried in from outside on shoes or blown in through windows and doors.
Reduced cleaning – Like air filters, dehumidifiers not only reduce the home's humidity levels but dust as well. This means that you don't need to dust as often. Odor control – If your home smells musty, there's a big possibility that there's mold or mildew present.
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.
In some studies, sneezing, coughing, eye irritation, lung tissue swelling, asthma and throat infections were found to be more prevalent among individuals exposed to occupational dust. Moreover, the symptoms associated with impaired lung function may lead to occupational lung diseases (6, 7).
Vacuum Regularly
Many people don't realize that sweeping actually kicks up more dust than it removes. When you're trying to figure out how to reduce dust in your home, you need to pick up the vacuum cleaner. Heavy-traffic areas should be vacuumed two or three times a week.
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.
Keep your device away from moisture or areas with high humidity. Place your device at least 6 inches from walls, furniture, or other items while in use. Place your air purifier near the most likely source of indoor air pollution. Consider investing in an air purifier that shuts off automatically with a timer.
Even if you clean regularly, your house can still be dusty due to various factors like outdoor pollution, pet dander, and inadequate air filtration. Ensure you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, change HVAC filters regularly, and seal windows and doors to minimize dust entry from outside.
All you need is vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of soap to recreate my grandmother's dust-repellant spray recipe. The coating the spray leaves helps more dust propel off surfaces and onto the floor, which means you'll have to clean those hard-to-dust places a little less.
Inexpensive, washable vent filters may offer an improvement. However, stubborn dust issues may benefit from the addition of a HEPA air filter.