Why Dust is Accumulating in Your Home and How to Prevent it
You may have read on all the tips and tricks in the books and in the internet to keep your home thoroughly clean. But does it bother you that even when you strictly followed the rules and guidelines, your home still gets dusty just after a few days from cleaning?
All the effort that you put in, the cleaning solutions that you did, the natural ways to clean your home can sometimes leave us in frustration especially when there’s still dust everywhere. The air quality, no matter how many times you try to do something to improve it, the quality is just temporary. The dust, after a few days, settles in and you would be sneezing again in no time.
So, why is dust accumulating in your home? And, how do you prevent it from happening?
Check the Dust Hoarders
Do you know what dust hoarders are? These are things or stuff in your home that harbours more dust than you can see. Think about carpets, stuff toys, couches and other more fabric-made stuff. But there are other things that you may have overlooked as they are not usually part of your daily routine. HVAC Filters
These are filters found in your air conditioning units or systems, heaters, fans and other ventilation systems in your home. The question is if cleaning the filters is enough or periodically replacing them would be necessary. Either way, what is important is for you to do regular maintenance. There are more benefits that you can gain in doing so:
- Improve the air quality inside your home – this will be an important gain for a family who is suffering from allergies, asthma and other respiratory disorders. The air that will be circulating then inside your home will be free from dust, allergens and other particles.
- Reduce energy costs – if dust clogs your filters it makes them work harder than what they normally do when clear just to circulate air inside your home. This would entail more energy to consume and as a consequence your electricity bills can go up. It is believed that your power costs can go down by 5%-15% in a year if proper maintenance of your filters is done.
- Extend the life of your HVAC system – this relates to having your filters work harder when clogged. The more that they are operating beyond their capacity can cause overheating and break downs. If not resolved, the damage can be irreparable and you will have to acquire another unit as replacement.
Air Ducts
There are arguments about cleaning air ducts. Some argued that air duct cleaning has never been proven to prevent or reduce health concerns. They added that the dirt in air ducts usually adheres to the duct’s surface and thus cannot be circulated into the home. There are far greater contaminants than dirty air ducts. But, as a safety precaution, you can consider having your air ducts cleaned when:
- Mold growth in different parts of your HVAC system is evident.
- Ducts have become home to rodents and insects.
- There are holes in your air ducts.
You also have to consider the cost that cleaning your air ducts will require. They are expensive but if it’s a necessary thing to do to improve the air quality in your home then it could be a worthy investment. Carpets
This has long been known as the culprit for most dust allergies. The more that they are walked on by people and animals that have come from the outside, the more dirt particles they absorb which creates dust. Vacuuming carpets when not done properly can actually cause more dust. Dust may only be transferred to your other things such as furniture, from your carpets.
Others have already taken out carpets into their home equation and turned to hard wood floors or tiles instead which are also easier to clean. Window Blinds
Dust can accumulate within the folds or slats of your window blinds. So it is best to wipe them with a damp cloth and ensure that you slide the cloth in between the slats to remove the dust stuck in between. Beddings, Curtains and other Fabric-made furniture
Did you know that dead skin, if combined with other particles can create dust? Your beddings and other fabric-made furniture can be the catchment of all of your dead skin. It would be all the more dreadful if you have pets loitering around the house.
Your beddings and furniture will be a haven for dust mites that love to feast on dead skin. Constant cleaning or change is necessary.
How To Prevent Dust From Accumulating
Now that you know the possible culprit of accumulating dust in your home, here are ways to reduce and prevent dust from accumulating: Declutter
The more stuff that you have lying around your homes, the more surfaces there are that dust can adhere to. This will also mean for you many stuff to clean. Use less fabric-lined furniture
As what we earlier said about cloth being a haven for dust mites, you can think of replacing them with wooden or leather furniture so it would be easier to clean too. No smoking
Smoking adds more particles for dust to feast on. So, you have to be firm in your house rule that there is no smoking inside the house. Use air purifiers
This can also improve the quality of the air inside your home but remember to clean the filters regularly. Cleaning the walls
This is often a step we miss after we do an intense dusting. As a final touch, it’s best to wipe away the dust with water. Take off your shoes inside the home
Your shoes are dust carriers and sometimes they carry inside your home more than just dust. This might not be a common practice but this will be more beneficial to you if you do.
Kiss The Dust Away
On the top of the list to keep dust from accumulating inside your home is to keep your homes clean. Don’t put off for another day or week or even month your home cleaning schedule. The more dirt and dust that accumulate, the harder it will be to clean. Just stick to your regular cleaning routine plus these tips that we shared, you can kiss the dust away.