Dust is pretty much everywhere. You go outside – dust. You go into your office or your car – dust. More importantly, it is also around your home, whether it sits on surfaces or it floats in the air. Dust is more likely to be in the air when there is movement around. Not only does it trigger allergies and makes breathing difficult, but it is also annoying.
There are more options to rely on when learning how to remove dust from air. But at the same time, it is just as important to tackle the cause. You need to understand what dust is, not to mention where it comes from. Then, what do you do once you reduce the amounts of dust? You have to find a way to prevent it from returning. So, what do you need to know about air dust particles?
Understanding the main sources of dust
There are more sources of dust and the bad news is that most of them are around your household. For example, dead skin cells represent one of the most common issues. Poorly maintained bedding, clothes and even furniture can bring dust, not to mention your pets and fiber materials.
Half the dust inside your home comes from the outside though. It may have various causes. Opening windows in the morning to aerate can bring some dust in, not to mention going in and out or walking your dog. Pets are also responsible for a good amount of dust. The other half is produced inside by things that almost never make it outdoors.
On another note, it also depends on where you live. Do you live in a hot or arid area? Dust is more likely to hang around than in a wet area. A bit of drought and some wind can take dust everywhere around your house, especially if your windows are open.
Disclosing the worst effects of dust
Learning to remove dust is not all about the annoyance. Dust particles can, indeed, be annoying. They are everywhere and cling to your hands and clothes. You drop a bit of food on the furniture and you can no longer have it because it is dusty. That glare in your television set could be gone if you dusted it.
But then, heavy amounts of dust will not just bother you, but they can also come up with a series of health-related problems. While it looks harmless at first, dust will affect your respiratory system. Lungs can, indeed, help you get rid of dust, but heavy amounts can overwhelm them.
Inhaling dust may have some longterm effects, depending on how much of it you inhale and how long you are exposed to this pollution for. There are more factors to consider, such as breathing – through the mouth or nose. At this point, an air purifier may seem the most optimal option to tackle this problem.
Dust is even more dangerous in work due to heavier levels and longer exposure. Inhaled dust will scar internal tissues and may even reach into the blood stream. Some of the most common respiratory affections caused by dust include silicosis, siderosis, hard metal disease and coal pneumoconiosis. Plus, think about all the allergies as well.
You do not have to be a genius to understand it. Dust mites, dust from the air, feather dusters and other similar particles are annoying and dangerous. Now, how do you get rid of them? How do you purify your air? Are air purifiers for dust suitable to overcome this problem?
How air purifiers can help against dust
Air purifiers employ a few different technologies. Most of them will be able to remove dust, especially visible particles. Some of these technologies target fungi and bacteria by altering their DNA to prevent multiplication. Some others focus on other things, such as mold spores. All in all, most of them can remove dust, but only the best can tackle small invisible particles.
The operating principles in an air purifier for dust are similar, regardless of the technologies used. The air is sucked in, taken through a cleansing procedure and released back into the room. It will mix with contaminated air, so the dust concentration will be lower. The process is continuous and goes on until the concentration is close to zero.
The best air filters on the market carry the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) technology. Such filters will remove close to 100% of airborne particles – usually over 99.97%. They can tackle mold spores, odors, dust, fungi, bacteria and so on. They will eliminate both visible and invisible particles, which is a serious plus.
Pay attention when checking out dust air purifiers though. A true HEPA filter is what you have to look for. You can also find like HEPA filters, which are efficient, but not as good as true HEPA filters. The purifier will need time to clean the entire room. It should be run continuously for a bit and more importantly, make sure you purchase an appliance with the optimal coverage area.
Consider the longterm maintenance of air filters too. For example, you might have to replace the air filter or perhaps you can clean it.
All in all, apart from air purifiers, there are a few other ideas that can help you reduce the amounts of dust in your home.
Other ways to remove dust from the air
There are a few other tips and tricks to reduce air dust.
A fabric softener is one of them. Use it. Things like your TV set or your computer will be a magnet for dust. Fabric softener will reduce the static cling, so the dust stays away. Apart from using it for your laundry, you can also use it to clean certain parts of the home, such as wooden tables or shower doors.
You may also consider looking at your furnace filter. If you have an old school heating or cooling system, an electrostatic filter could be one of the best ways to eliminate dust. The only problem is that such things do not come cheap.
Bad sheets tend to collect lots of dust too – especially from fabrics and skill cells. Change the bedding on a weekly basis to reduce dust and keep dust mites under control. Furthermore, baby wipes are pretty good at removing dust too.
Frequently asked questions
It is perfectly normal to end up with a few question marks while trying to figure out the best way to remove dust from the air.
Do air purifiers get rid of dust?
Yes, they do. In fact, unless you feel like vacuuming and wiping surfaces on a 24/7 basis, an air purifier is the best way to remove air dust. It can run round the clock and it needs less than half an hour to improve the air quality. However, it will need more hours to clear all the dust from a room. Most air purifiers can deal with dust, but it is highly recommended to opt for one with HEPA filters, as they can trap around 99.97% of all particles and can also eliminate bacteria and fungi.
Why is there so much dust in my house?
Causes for dust are extremely diversified. Some of it comes from the outside when you aerate the room, go in or out. Some other dust comes from old fabrics from your sofa, bed sheets or clothes. There is also dust coming from your pet’s hair, not to mention your dead skin cells. The hotter the area you live in, the more dust there will be around. For example, there is less dust in homes in wet and rainy areas than in homes in the desert.
Is it normal to see dust particles in the air?
Yes, it is, but under specific conditions only. Those light particles you see are usually large molecules of dust, aerosols, microbes or viruses. They are not normally visible to the naked eye. When the light is incoherent, the reflection is not visible. Therefore, they are mostly visible in direct sunlight.
Final words
As a short final conclusion, there are more ways to learn how to remove dust from air. An air purifier is by far the most efficient and convenient one. It can run round the clock and keep dust and other particles and allergens away from your air. Again, there are a few homemade solutions to overcome dust too, but they are mostly about general prevention.
No matter what you choose, knowing where dust comes from, and how it can negatively affect your quality of life will also help in the process. If you can prevent the main causes, this whole venture will become much easier in the long run.