You make the bedsheets, scrub the floor, dust the room, and leave to work. Yet, dirt magically seeps into the closed house, and your dream of returning to a spotless bedroom remains unfulfilled. We’ve all been there, standing in front of a dusty bedroom, baffled over the mystery. To understand the problem, let's take a look at what could be causing this phenomenon.
Your bedroom dust comes from many aspects, mainly focused around you, your lifestyle, or damaged domestic equipment. From your skin cells to leaking ducts in the ventilation, many factors cause dust, including, but not limited to:
- Clogged air filters
- Leaking ducts
- Dead skin cells
- Textiles
- Pet dander/hair/airborne particles
You may only effectively begin cleaning after finding out how exactly each problem contributes to the issue and the ways of countering them. Maybe you're curious about the health concerns dust can bring. There's still lots more to cover! If you'd like to find out more, keep reading ahead.
What Causes Dust in a House?
Clogged Air Filter
When you start locating the points of infiltration, begin by close inspection of the ventilation system. An HVAC filter or even your AC filter gathers the dust circulating in the air around. Should the filter get clogged with more dust than it can hold, any form of domestic cleaning would be ineffective. You would be going full circle with the same dust.
Infrequent cleaning of filters may also contribute to allergens. The dirt provides the sites for debris, fungi, and bacteria to thrive on. Clogged AC filters may also promote the growth of mold and mildew. All of these pathogens eventually pollute the air quality and subsist as dust on your furniture.
Leaking Ducts
Apart from the filters, ventilation ducts may also suffer damage and leak. This will cause the systems to work in reverse. Instead of sucking dust out of the room, they will suck dust inside from behind walls and attics. Symptoms of a leaky duct include dust on the vent registers, grill, or surrounding furniture and high utility bills.
Cleaning Tools
Perhaps you are a clean freak who always stays put with the cleaning schedule. Yet, you end up with messy tabletops. It is likely that you are using the wrong kind of cleaning equipment. Dusters, for instance, are only short-term cleaners since they merely disperse the dust around. The same is true for dry rags and cotton towels.
Textiles
From the socks you left off on the sofa to the dresses hanging in the wardrobe, all forms of textiles harbor dust in their fibers. Some of the typical sources include:
- Curtains: As curtains are a barrier between the dust incoming from the window and the room, fabric fibers may soak in dust particles. This is especially common if your curtains are dark in color, thick, or made of cotton.
- Carpets and Rugs: The one trustworthy place for all dust from the air, dirty shoes, or animal paws to hide in are carpet fibers. This gets worse when the carpet also houses allergens ranging from pet dander to dust mites.
- Closets: Cloth fibers shed and gather as dust here. Moreover, these are also common refuge points for dust mites.
- Pillowcases: As per a research study, pillowcases were found to hold 17 times more bacteria than a toilet seat! That owes to the number of dead skin cells shedding off our skin each night we go to sleep. Thus, dust accumulates in the form of these cells.
Miscellaneous
- Surfaces: One can visibly spot dust over flat surfaces, for instance, cabinets, chairs, tables, etc. The more the surface area, the more places for it to land.
- Pets: Pet dander from domestic animals, mainly cats and dogs, also gathers as dust on surfaces. This is basically skin flakes shedding off the animal’s skin.
- Hair: Human hair is dead skin cells and is equally likely to assemble as dirt.
- Contaminants: Pollen, soot, or other airborne particles may also exist within the surroundings as dust. Many of these may enter the room owing to poor ventilation again.
How to Control Dust?
If an HVAC filter is not damaged beyond repair, you should develop a regular cleaning regime for it. Turn off all ventilation supplies and use fast running water to deep clean. Remember to let it dry before reusing, or you would be welcoming mold and bacteria. If you have a disposable filter, immediately consider a replacement.
As per the guidelines of the US energy star program, air filters need replacement after three months. For AC filters, this duration comes down to a month or two for the cooling seasons.
Right Choice of Filter
Getting the right kind of filter makes all the impact. Each air filter is associated with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating that determines the size of particles it can deal with. Therefore, contact a contractor or research the different MERV ratings to evaluate your precise needs.
Fixing Leaks
For leaky ducts, you may perform a DIY if you think you’ve got the skill. All it takes is a duct sealant, tape, or caulking. However, we’d suggest you take the long route to escape reinstallation. Hire a professional to perform a thorough assessment of the system. Depending upon the severity of the damage, the professional may carry out cleaning, reassembling, or complete replacement of the equipment.
Dealing with Textiles
One can’t empty a bedroom of fabrics, but they can be maintained, cleaned, and stored.
- Avoid open closets and instead shift to transparent doors.
- Keep items stored in garment bags, boxes, and containers. For efficiency, make these transparent.
- Dust off pillowcases and sheets each night before going to bed. Wash sheets frequently and avoid reusing unwashed sheets.
- Carry your upholstery items out in the sun and shroud them across a bench or a wire. Grab a bat or a racket and give them a tough beat to kick off those dust particles as well as the fibers they hide within.
What Is the Best Tool to Dust with?
For regular dusting, you need something that attacks the dust, sticks onto it, and carries it along for proper disposal. Look no further than a soft, microfiber cloth. As compared to other materials, it holds more dust and is easily reuseable with a simple wash.
Bonus Dusting Tips
- Declutter the room of excessive surfaces.
- Switch the thermostat from Auto to On. This way, the AC vent may consume the dust particles while you clean.
- Vacuum carpets regularly.
- Invest in an air purifier with the HEPA filter. HEPA is a mechanical filter infamous for its 99% removal of dust, pollen, and airborne particles.
Does Opening Windows Reduce Dust?
Word often goes around that opening a window helps circulate the air in a room, acting as an outlet for dust. However, it is, in fact, counterproductive to the intention. An open window is more like an open invitation for dust, debris, and outdoor allergens to seep in, accumulate in the curtains, or multiply within the house boundaries.
Is It Better to Vacuum or Dust First?
Dusting is bound to leave behind particles afloat on surfaces. Thus, always dust first so that all residue left behind can then be taken care of by the vacuum. If you’ve got the time and resources at hand, try vacuuming an extra round before even beginning the cleaning process. Not only will this make the job easier, but it will also ensure maximum efficiency for cleaning.
Can a Dusty Room Make You Sick?
Yes, a dusty room can make you sick. This situation is especially the case because of dust mites and the substances they release. These are pests often found in combination with dust. They are responsible for releasing many domestic allergens in their surroundings.
Over and over again, trials and research have declared dust mites as integral contributors to intense allergic situations. Moreover, studies have shown great concern regarding their adverse effects on respiratory health. In conclusion, your sickness due to dust could be anything from mild skin irritation to asthma or something as terrible as lung cancer.
Is It Bad to Sleep in a Dusty Room?
Since dust poses many health concerns, actively inhaling dusty air is dangerous. It gets worse concerning sleep because millions of human skin cells are shed every hour. Here, the mattress receives a large share when we sleep. In fact, an average one used for about 5-6 years hosts at least a million or more of these pests.
Thus, sleeping in a dusty room promotes the many skin allergies or respiratory health problems associated with dust.
The Takeaway
Now you know there is no sorcery behind your dusty bedrooms but just simple lifestyle habits. On an ending note, we would like to reiterate that dust, if left unattended, can be seriously detrimental to the quality of life. Use the information you have learned to your advantage and work towards making your bedrooms dust-free spaces.
Before you go, do you have other dust concerns? Do you need additional ways to prevent dust from accumulating in a room? We can help! To find out more, check out our post here.
Do you use furniture polish? You might be allowing dust to settle on your furniture! If you want to find out more, check out our post here. Until next time!