How to Prevent Dust in Your Home
It seems like you just cleaned yesterday, and yet there’s already a noticeable layer of dust blanketing your furniture, floors, and other surfaces. Where does all of it even come from, and how can you prevent dust in your home?
Wait, Where Does the Dust Come from in the First Place?
Let’s start here because to effectively combat this nasty issue, it helps to know where dust comes from.
Dust is a combination of a number of types of particles, namely dead skin cells, fibers from carpeting and clothing, soil, dust mites, hair/fur from your pets, pollen, and soot. There can even be tiny bits of plastic in it! This means, then, that a good amount of your dust is created right inside your home.
Dust is normal and inevitable. However, that doesn’t mean we should always look the other way. Despite how innocuous it may seem, in actuality, dust can be dangerous. This partly depends on the size of the dust particles. Larger particles can carry microscopic liquids and solids that can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Smaller dust particles are perhaps more concerning. These can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream.
Over time, excessive exposure to dust can hurt your respiratory system, prompting coughing/wheezing, eye irritation, and hay fever. If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or chronic obstructive airways disease, the results can be even more damaging. The same can be said for otherwise healthy people with weaker immune systems, including infants and the elderly. Down the road, you can find yourself battling bronchitis, lung cancer, and other severe illnesses.
Now that you know where dust comes from and why you need to care about its presence in your dwellings, what can you do to prevent dust in your home?
5 Ways to Prevent Dust in Your Home
Fortunately, there are many simple but powerful ways to keep your home a little more dust-free.
1. Groom Your Pets Regularly
“That’s going to get expensive!” you’re saying, but here’s the thing: Even regularly combing your pets yourself can cut down on the dust in your home. By grooming and de-shedding them using the appropriate brush, you’re going to cut down on the hair, fur, and dander that can make its way to the surfaces of your home. If you can brush them outdoors, all the better! (More on this in a moment.)
You might also consider throwing bedding, clothes, and other fur-covered materials into the dryer first. It should catch much of the hair and dust and trap it in the filter.
2. Clean Regularly and Properly
How frequently you clean your home depends on a number of factors. For instance, if you have pets, you’re going to want to mop and vacuum more often than someone without animals in the house. The same can be said if someone in the household has allergies or asthma.
As a general rule of thumb, though, wash your bedsheets once a week, because dust loves collecting in there. Vacuum the mattress to help combat dust mites.
When cleaning hard surfaces — like bedroom furniture — steer clear of dusters that claim to “trap” particles. While this might be the case, those dust particles are still going to fall off and land right back on whatever surface they came from. Instead, opt for a damp cloth, and finish it off with a dryer sheet. Running a dryer sheet — which has anti-static coating — across surfaces helps to fight the dust off for longer.
3. Use a Humidifier
Low humidity indicates dry air, and the drier it is, the drier your skin is going to be. This means more dead skin cells producing dust. It can also accelerate the rate at which the paint in your home cracks and flakes. Ideally, the humidity in your home should be between 30% and 50%.
But your technology shouldn’t end here…
4. Bring an Air Purifier Inside
A high-quality air purifier is going to be one of your strongest allies in preventing and fighting dust. What’s the difference between an air purifier vs humidifier, though? While a humidifier adds moisture to the air, an air purifier cleans the air.
Look for an air purification system that utilizes multiple layers. For instance, Sans has a three-layer filtration system comprised of a pre-filter, medical-grade HEPA 13 filter, and an activated carbon filter capped off with pulses of UV-C light. Dust doesn’t stand a chance.
Importantly, opt for an air purifier that uses a replaceable HEPA 13 filter, not a washable one. Handling a HEPA filter after it’s done a lot of (nasty) work can expose you to countless health risks.
While you can’t really control the air you breathe outside, an air purifier allows you to take control of the air you breathe inside.
5. Stop Outdoor Dust from Coming Inside
While much dust is produced right inside of your home, research says that roughly 60% of it comes from outside. If you live in an area prone to wildfire smoke, this number might be even higher. This means we need to be more mindful of the barrier between the home and the outdoors.
Firstly, check around all of the windows and doors. Can you feel a draft? Can you see light through the cracks? If light or air is getting through, then dust is as well. Repair or replace the insulation around the doors and windows. Pay attention to the space between the doors and the floor, too!
Next, if dust is a major issue in your home, consider keeping your windows closed more often. Dust can easily work its way through screens.
Third, try to have shoes designated for indoors or outdoors only. If you’re working in the garden or running errands, remove those shoes in the garage or at the front door, if possible.
Dust is pesky, indeed, but it can also seriously impact your health. Follow these tips and you’re on your way to a (relatively) dust-free home.
Ready to take the next step with air filtration? Shop with Sans today.