Understanding household dust
Dust is made up of various microscopic particles, and indoor dust can be a collection of bacteria, pollen, smoke, dirt, pet dander, hair, skin cells, and pollution. According to the Dyson Global Dust Study, it can be displaced by sitting on a sofa or turning on air conditioning. This means it's airborne before settling on surfaces, in corners, and under furniture.
Not only is dust unsightly, but it can contain allergens, which can trigger allergies. Reducing household dust is therefore important for our wellbeing. Some common symptoms of dust allergies include:
- sneezing
- itchy, watery, red eyes
- stuffy or runny nose
- wheezing or coughing.
In this article we look to answer questions on the importance of cleaning, washing, and purifying the air we breathe, as well as providing some hand tips to help get rid of dust.
Where does dust accumulate?
There are many areas around the home where dust can accumulate, including corners of walls and floors, skirting boards, the tops of photo frames and light fixtures, at the backs of wardrobes, and on window sills and shelving.
How to get rid of dust
Creating a regular cleaning schedule, improving indoor air quality, and dusting overlooked areas are key to reducing household dust.
Wash fabrics and upholstery
Dust, dust mites, and other particles cling to fabrics and upholstery. Washing bedding, blankets, curtains, and other fabrics on a regular basis, and using vacuum attachments to clean mattresses, couches, and other upholstery helps remove household dust.
Vacuum regularly
A vacuuming schedule helps to ensure that dust, dirt, debris, and pet hair are cleaned on a regular basis. Hard floors, carpets, and rugs are commonly vacuumed, but upholstery, mattresses, ceilings, and walls may be overlooked.
Vacuum slowly to allow the brush bar more time to remove and pick up dust. View our community guide on ‘Cleaning Common areas of the home’ for further insight.
Wipe down surfaces
It’s common to clean dusty surfaces with a wet cloth, but the most effective method for eliminating household dust, including dust mites and their droppings, is to vacuum them first.
Vacuum hard floors then use attachments for surfaces and fabrics. Afterwards, mop the floors and wipe down the surfaces with a wet microfibre cloth. This will attract and hold onto remaining dust.
Purify indoor air
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. Dyson purifiers capture 99.95% of dust and ultrafine particles. Some of our machines also link up to a smartphone app to deliver indoor air quality reports.
To further understand the type of pollutant that are common to households, view our Community guide on ‘What are the common household pollutants’.
Groom pets
Pet hair mixes with dust and other particles, and pet dander can trigger allergies.
Regularly grooming and bathing pets helps to remove dead skin cells, which make up dander, and reduces the amount of hair dropped on your floors.
If you have cats, keeping the litter box covered helps to reduce dust as well.
Use welcome mats
Welcome mats help to reduce outdoor dust and allergens entering the home.
An indoor mat near your front door provides a second opportunity to wipe off shoes and remove even more outdoor particles.
Adopting a “no shoes in the house” rule also prevents the spread of outdoor particles throughout your home.
Install hard flooring
Dust and dust mites can trigger allergies. If you’re finding that your allergies are constantly flaring up and you have carpets throughout your house, consider removing the carpeting and replacing with hard flooring.
Household dust, dust mites, and other allergens can get trapped between carpet fibres, even with vacuuming. Hard floors may be better to help relieve severe allergy symptoms.
Read the full article on improve indoor air quality, including some additional insight, by clicking on our ‘How to remove household dust’ link.
If you’d like to share your own tips on cleaning, feel free to add these below. Any other tips you’d like to share, please post them in our ‘Tips and tricks’ section on the Community homepage.