If you have a dusty house and you have tried everything to get rid of those pesky dust particles but haven’t been successful in banishing them from your home. Then you may find that there is a reason behind that.
HHaving some dust is normal for a house. Dust is everywhere and made up of a variety of little things, however, too much dust can be an indication of something amiss within your home.
Moreover, if you want to reduce dust accumulation and get your home looking and feeling as clean as possible, then you will want to read on about what may be causing the dust build-up and what you can do to prevent dust from taking over your home. So, if you want to know the answer to the question “why is my house so dusty?” read on.
The Effects of Having a Dusty Home
Dust is made up of fine particles and solid matter, as defined by Merriam-Webster. Dust is made up of dirt, human skin flakes, and fabric fibers, but it can come from a whole host of things that has the potential to flake and fall around adding to what is already there.
It may not be the first thing that people think of, but dust can be harmful to many, especially if it is excessive dust and the person has been around it for a long time. Constantly breathing in airborne dust particles is not good and has the potential to cause health issues.
Respiratory Problems
People who already have respiratory issues like asthma will react badly to dust, which could cause asthma attacks and other breathing problems. Others who do not have these types of issues can still get itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and have sneezing and coughing fits.
Websites like Healthy WA have stated that even though exposure to dust particles does not make asthma develop in people, breathing in a lot of dust over the years is believed to cause a reduction in lung function as time goes on, and can be partly responsible for disorders like chronic bronchitis as well as disorders with hearts and lungs.
What Ages Are Most at Risk?
Dust will affect specific people more than others, and when tackling any level of dust, it is appropriate to use the right equipment. If you are someone who is most at risk of being affected badly by dust, you should wear the right PPE for the task at hand.
- Babies and young children – they should be kept away from dusty areas and have their beds cleaned frequently to make sure no dust particles are settled on their fabrics.
- The elderly – they may have lung and heart issues already due to their age or underlying health problems. It can be hard for them to clean, so bringing someone in to clean for them is essential to help reduce the effects that dust will have.
- Breathing conditions – anyone with a breathing problem will have an aversion to dust. If they suffer from asthma, COPD, emphysema, or they are a smoker, they will need to keep their homes clean and check their indoor air quality to make sure that they are not breathing in any dangerous tiny particles.
Reasons For Excessive Dust
There are reasons why your house is so dusty and why it is affecting you so badly. From loose windows to an inefficient HVAC unit that is not able to stop the dust from floating around your home.
Dust lurks in the oddest of places and particles settle in areas that cannot be seen by the naked eye. This is why this list down below may be able to help you see what you could be missing so you can improve air quality and remove the excess dust from your home.
Air Conditioner
Your HVAC system is bringing in the air from the outside, and despite the fact that it is run through an air filter, it will still collect all that debris and push it into your home through the air ducts over time. This can be made even worse with an old HVAC system and filter as it will have gathered a lot of dust the longer it is used in your home, making those tiny particles into a big problem.
Dust Mites
The partial answer to “why is my house so dusty?” may come in the form of dust mite waste. Sounds disgusting and it is. Mites can produce around twenty droppings a day and the smaller these droppings are, the further they can be inhaled into someone’s body according to the website House Dust Mite. These mites can also cause a dust allergy over prolonged periods.
Dust mites will hide in carpets, bedding, and upholstered furniture. Carpets and other furniture can trap dust particles in their fibers making them a breeding ground for collecting dust. With deep cleaning methods such as Encapsulation-Carpet-Cleaning, dust mites, and their allergens can be trapped and removed, leaving carpets looking clean and fresh. It is also possible to reduce dust mites by vacuuming regularly. A dehumidifier can also reduce the amount of moisture in the air in the home, making dust mites less hospitable.
Humidity
The humidity in your home will have a significant impact on the dust in your home. Low and high humidity will have its own levels of dust production. If the air is too dry then the air can produce more dust, but when it is at high humidity levels it can feed the mites and produce mold spores.
This will change with the seasons, so be aware of the changes in temperature to make sure that you have the ideal indoor humidity levels.
Pet Dander
You love your pet, but if they are a long-haired cat or dog, then they can shed everywhere which will accumulate a lot of dust over time. Pets can collect dust on their fur and add to the dust problem in your home.
It is amazing how fur can trap dust and spread everywhere as soon as they frolic around the home. Plus, they will jump on sofas, beds, tables, etc., meaning that the dust settles in many different places. Similarly, if pets are not trained properly, they end up peeing on the floors, which can collect even more harmful bacteria along with dust. This is why pet parents prefer to shop grass petpads online Nature’s Loo or similar pet shops near them. That way, they can train the puppy to pee on the grass patch which can be disposed of later. However, vacuuming can be the best option if you have problems only with pet dander.
Tracked Indoors
Dust can attach itself to basically everything, and even when you are outside it still has the potential to latch onto your clothing and be brought into the home. The wind blows pollen and outdoor dust onto you, and if you live somewhere with a lot of dirt, there is more of a chance that will get tracked into your home and settle on your furniture, making your house dusty and gritty.
How to Reduce the Dust in Your Home
If you feel at your wit’s end with carpet dust and air dust, and have been asking people “why does my house get so dusty?” and they can’t offer you an explanation, then hopefully the above can shed some light on the reasons why.
Try Out Different Dusting Techniques
If your current dusting technique isn’t helping you, you are going to need to change how you dust your home. You may want to change your dry cloth to a damp microfiber cloth to capture the dust particles more efficiently as the moisture of the cloth will capture as many bits as possible.
Always start from the top down, so wipe fan blades, then the ceiling to the walls as dust will stick to vertical surfaces, don’t forget to move the cloth around your moveable decor too. Dust appears in many different places, so sweeping from the top down will help you get rid of all the dust floating around that you may have not noticed before. Thorough cleaning will help you on your way toward a dust free home.
Vacuuming
A good vacuum cleaner is essential in a home, especially if you have a cat or a dog who sheds a lot of pet dander around the place. When you vacuum regularly you are able to help improve your indoor air quality and stop more dust from sticking everywhere. Dust gets caught in carpet fibers so banging any loose rugs and carpets outside first and then going over them with a vacuum will be best.
Use Air Purifiers
When the sun shines through our windows, it is evident that we can see the dust floating around our homes and getting caught in places, so using an air purifier will help draw out any contaminants. If you use them in conjunction with your heating and cooling system, your HVAC air filters won’t be clogged with this dust. You may want to take a look at HEPA filters too as they are good at trapping these particles.
Clean Your Air Conditioner/Furnace
If you have a furnace or an HVAC in your home then you need to make sure that it is cleaned regularly. You may have opted for auto-delivery of the fuel (maybe from a site similar to Snow’s Fuel) in order to keep your workload minimum and enjoy a warm winter throughout. However, if you aren’t cleaning it properly, you are just welcoming more work.
If you run your furnace which has accumulated a lot of dust, then there is a chance that it will circulate that dirty air throughout the house and it can even end up with leaky ducts, over time. A condition like this often requires the assistance of professionals. So, if you aren’t ready for all this hassle, clean your furnace on a regular basis.
Bathroom Care
As mentioned before, high humidity can cause dust mites and promote mold growth, so opening a window during/after you shower, running the extractor fan when you are in the bathroom, and cleaning down your sides after your shower, will help you keep your bathroom free of mold and stop dust from getting stuck to your walls.
If your bathroom is old and the fixtures have started to get rusty, it can be beneficial to consider replacing a few things here and there. Moreover, old fixtures as well as stained flooring and walls can also make your bathroom look dusty and unclean. If you are planning to improve your washroom’s condition, you can consult a bathroom remodeling expert available in your neighborhood so as to maintain hygiene.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has answered that all-important question – “why is my house so dusty?” and given you some ideas on how to dust properly for a clean and healthy home. Remember to make sure your air conditioning unit has its air filters cleaned and changed when needed, and keep your HVAC systems away from cheap filters.