Common household dust is an unhealthy cocktail made up of skin cells, textile fibers, hair, mold spores, insect parts, chemical pollutants and many other particles that you don't want floating in the air your family breathes every day. Reducing household dust and improving your indoor air quality isn't difficult if you follow these tips:
- Cut down on clutter. Devote a few minutes every day to decluttering counters, furniture tops, shelves and other surfaces reduce dust accumulations and make your home easier to clean. Keep closets well organized, place off-season clothes in dust-proof hanging garment bags and don't store anything on the floors where dust tends to collect.
- Clean more effectively. Instead of using a dry cloth when you dust, switch to an electrostatic duster or damp microfiber cloth that captures particles. Vacuum frequently with a machine that has HEPA filtration and a power agitator for carpets and follow up by mopping your hard surface floors to get rid of any remaining dust.
- Tackle dust-attracting textiles. Wash blankets, sheets and pillowcases in hot water once a week. Cover upholstered furniture, mattresses and pillows in washable covers and launder them regularly. Take non-washable textile items such as toss cushions, comforters and throw rugs outside once a week and shake them vigorously, and have them dry cleaned periodically.
- Filter the air when cleaning. Before you dust and vacuum, switch on your HVAC fan to help trap the dust particles that get disturbed when you're cleaning. Since it takes quite a while for airborne dust to settle, let the fan run for a couple of hours after you've finished and then set the thermostat back on "auto."
- Boost air filtration. If anyone in your household suffers from allergies, asthma or other breathing difficulties, ask your HVAC contractor about your options for installing a whole-house filtration unit. Depending on the type, filtration devices can help remove particulates, allergens, chemical vapors, mold, bacteria and viruses from a home's air supply.
For more tips about reducing household dust and improving the air quality in your Fort Wayne home, contact Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about reducing household dust and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “lanych/Shutterstock”