Does dust keep building up in your home? A dusty home isn’t just unpleasant, but also unhealthy – high levels of dust can lead to allergies and respiratory issues. There are a few potential reasons why your home might be so dusty. Below are five possible explanations.
Poor air circulation
Good air circulation can help prevent dust from settling. There are lots of different ways in which you can keep air moving in your home.
Opening windows is one of the simplest ways to keep air moving. This can help blow dust through your home, especially if you’re keeping windows open in multiple rooms and leaving doors open. Of course, opening windows isn’t a great solution in winter when you want to keep your home warm. In some locations, you could also end up letting more dust in by opening windows (something discussed later).
So, how else can you keep air moving? Fans are another way to improve air circulation and stop dust from settling. Ceiling fans are a good solution that can be used all year round – spin them on full speed anti-clockwise in summer to cool the room, and spin them slowly anti-clockwise in winter to push warm air down and maintain airflow.
A HVAC system will also provide ventilation. Such systems are able to keep air flowing throughout your home and have filters and exhaust fans for catching dust and pumping unclean air out. Just make sure that your HVAC system is regularly cleaned out, which leads to the next common cause of a dusty home…
Dirty HVAC
A lot of homeowners rarely service or clean their HVAC system. This can lead to filters and ducts getting dirty, resulting in polluted, dusty air being pumped around your home. You could also find that your air conditioning and heating aren’t as effective, plus you could end up paying higher energy bills.
There are professionals that you can hire to carry out air duct cleaning. This could help to remove dust in your system so that you’re pumping clean air around your home. Air ducts should be cleaned every 3 to 5 years, while filters should be changed more regularly.
Unclean carpets
If you have carpets in your home, these could also be contributing to a dust problem. Carpet fibers can trap dust, which is kicked up every time you walk over them.
Cleaning your carpets regularly can get rid of this dust, but you may want to consider doing more than vacuuming, especially if you have a deep-pile carpet. Using a carpet cleaning machine can help extract dust and residue deep from within your carpet. You can buy carpet cleaning machines or hire professionals to clean your carpets.
Of course, another solution could be to remove your carpets and opt for hard floors instead, Alternatively, there are carpets that you can lay that attract less dust.
It’s important to note that rugs can also be dust magnets. Make sure that you’re also cleaning rugs regularly by shaking them off outdoors and vacuuming them.
Outdoor pollution
The dust in your home could potentially be coming from outdoors if you live near a busy road, construction site, or factory. Every time you open your window, you could be letting in more dust.
While not opening your windows can be a way to prevent dust from getting in, this will also limit ventilation. You may, therefore, want to consider other solutions.
Hanging up breathable voile curtains could help to catch dust while letting in light and continue to let in air. By choosing washable curtains, you can easily clean them whenever they start to get dirty.
Another solution is to consider using air purifiers in your home. These won’t stop dust getting in, but will actively help to clean their air in your home – sucking in air and removing contaminants.
Pet dander
Dust can also be more of a problem if you have pets. Animal hair can be a big source of dust, while sawdust from animal cages can also contribute to dust issues. Such dust can be a major source of allergies.
There’s not much you can do to prevent this type of dust if you have pets. However, as with preventing dust from outdoors, you can always use an air purifier to help clean the air in your home. A purifier will remove animal hair from the air and reduce overall dust levels in your home.
Conclusion
Dust can have many sources. If you truly want to fight dust in your home, consider improving air circulation, cleaning your HVAC, cleaning your carpets, and using an air purifier.
