Household dust not only affects the aesthetics of a home but also has the potential to worsen asthma and allergies for some individuals. Therefore, it is a matter of both cleanliness and health. If you happen to live in an area with poor outdoor air quality and where dust easily accumulates indoors, how can you prevent your home from quickly becoming covered in dust?
According to a report by “Lifehacker,” prevention and regular maintenance are key to minimizing dust in your house as much as possible, thus reducing the impact on cleanliness and health. Here are five methods to achieve this:
Regularly (every few days) vacuum the floors to reduce dust accumulation throughout the house. Also, vacuum furniture (both hard and soft surfaces), curtains, and blinds as pet dander and dust tend to gather in these areas quickly.
If outdoor air quality is poor, especially during wildfire seasons or days with severe air pollution, keeping windows closed is crucial. This helps minimize the entry of dust, pollen, and other particles into your home.
Air purifiers can help filter out dust, pollen, and other particles from the air, releasing clean air back into the room. Choose an air purifier primarily designed to reduce dust in the home, which can also aid those with asthma and allergies.
Ensure that the air purifier you purchase is equipped with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a pre-filter, as well as an activated carbon filter to eliminate odors and gases.
One of the best ways to reduce indoor dust is to pay attention to systems that allow dust to enter and circulate in your home, such as air conditioning.
Change your air conditioner’s filter at least every three months. If you have pets, live in a dry and dusty area, or are in an area affected by wildfire smoke, consider changing it every one to two months to improve efficiency and air particle filtration.
Check the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of the filter. A higher MERV rating indicates higher efficiency, while a lower MERV rating means lower efficiency.
Additionally, clean all fans, vents, and filters that allow air in and out of your home (and surrounding areas), such as dryer vents, bathroom exhaust fans, and air conditioning vents, and maintain them regularly.
Setting up a shoebox or rack at the entrance to store shoes can reduce dirt and dust from entering and spreading throughout your home. If you have a covered area, it’s even better to store shoes safely outside.
A previous report by George Washington University in the United States revealed that various harmful chemicals from everyday products are released into the air daily and settle in household items or floors with dust. If the living environment is not clean, carcinogens in dust can seriously threaten people’s health.
Therefore, do not underestimate the health threat posed by dust. Regularly cleaning household dust is essential to prevent its accumulation.