Dust is a fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth, waste lying on the ground, resting on surfaces, or carried in the air. Dust in homes consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by weather and pollution. Dust in homes contain small amounts of plant pollen, human and animal hairs, textile fibers, paper fibers, minerals from outdoor soil, human skin cells and may other materials which may be found in the local environment.
 

Where Does Dust in Your House Come From?

Dust comes from two places really. Outdoors and indoors. We are an important process of getting the outdoor stuff indoors. We bring it with us when we enter a house through soil particles or tiny particles suspended in the air when we open the door and walk in. Indoors, dust comes from pieces of your carpet or your furniture, your bedding, or anything like that that starts to decay. There are organic contributors as well. Skin flakes and the dander off your pets, and other insects or bugs might be in your home.
 

Dust and Health Problems; Dust Mites, Allergies & Asthma

Dust can cause allergies. Dust allergy symptoms are similar to those of pollen allergies and include red, itchy, watery eyes, a runny, itchy, stuffy nose and sneezing. Dust allergies make it difficult to breathe and may trigger asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest and shortness of breath. Dust may also make you feel itchy all over. Symptoms often worsen during or immediately after vacuuming, sweeping and dusting. The process of cleaning can stir up dust particles, making them easier to inhale. It can take somewhere between twenty minutes and two hours for dust mites to settle back down. Keeping dust to a minimum will prevent so much of it. Dust mites are microscopic arachnids whose primary food is dead human skin cells, but they do not live on living people. House dust mites are present wherever humans live. Positive tests for dust mite allergies are extremely common among people with asthma.
 

Ways to Reduce Household Dust & Keep it Out of Your Home

There are a lot of things you can do to reduce dust in your home. You should change your bedding once a week because dust mites love to dwell in sheets. Clothing stored in closets shed a lot of fibers, so keep your closet neat and store clothing you’re not using in garment bags or sealed plastic containers. Remove clutter from floors and surfaces as they collect dust. Clean area rugs and pillows outside. Feather dusters only move existing dust around and cause it to settle elsewhere. Use a damp cloth or moist towel to wipe surfaces. Clean from top to bottom, cleaning the highest surfaces first and working down will capture dust you may have missed. Clean or upgrade your air filters and change them regularly. Have people remove shoes at the door to prevent mud and dirt getting tracked into the house and groom your pets regularly. Sealing up any cracks with caulk will help prevent dust from entering the home from outside.
 

Processional House Cleaning in Boston, Brookline, Lexington, Cambridge, Suffolk, Middlesex, & Norfolk County Massachusetts

After you’ve taken all the steps to prevent dust from entering your home you can give Nadia’s House Cleaning a call for regular house cleaning services to keep your home sparkling fresh!