Dust is a dangerous allergen, a source of respiratory diseases; it accumulates on objects, causing harm to the respiratory organs. It affects everything: the operation of electrical items, the appearance of furniture, the air, and most importantly, a person’s well-being. Where does dust come from? Is there a cleaning method to keep the room clean longer?
What is dust
Dust is the smallest particles from 10 to 0.01 microns. Small-sized dust particles continually move in the air, medium-sized ones gradually settle, and large ones immediately land on the surface of objects.
How does she appear in the house?
Main factors of education:
- biological;
- technogenic.
The first includes: dead particles of human skin, hair, animal fur. This factor also includes wool blankets, socks, and feather pillows. Dead biological particles are a breeding ground for dust mites.
The technogenic factor appears under the following conditions:
- Repairs generate a lot of debris and, accordingly, dust.
- If the apartment is on the ground floor. Then small dust particles from soils and roads easily penetrate into the home with the help of the wind through open windows.
- If the house is located close to factories, factories, quarries.
More than half of the dust is of natural origin. Their sources are located in different parts of the planet.
These include:
- Salt of the World Ocean. Its particles are found everywhere, even in areas where there are no seas.What happens is that the surfaces on which the water leaves its mark dry out, leaving behind salt. It is carried by the wind over very long distances, where it settles as dust.
- Volcano particles. The wind carries them similarly.
- Cosmic dust. It comes to us along with meteor showers. An interesting fact is that because of this, the Earth becomes heavier by about ten tons per year!
Where does dust come from in a closed room?
When leaving on vacation, having previously cleaned their home to a shine, upon arrival people return to a space almost covered with cobwebs. How does this work? Here's the thing - cleaning doesn't change the composition of the air. This is what happens - dust particles constantly fly in the airspace, gradually each of them slowly settles on objects, then when they settle, the air will be cleared. The furniture will be covered with a large layer of dirt.
What's in house dust?
Scientists have named the exact composition. It contains 35% mineral particles, 12% textile and paper fibers, 19% skin flakes, 7% pollen, 3% soot and smoke particles. The remaining 24% is of unknown origin.
Impact on human health
House dust is a strong allergen. When a person inhales oxygen, tiny particles of dust enter the respiratory system. This is a huge harm to the body, which leads to a runny nose and cough. If you do not take any measures, then there is a high probability:
- viral diseases;
- eye diseases;
- skin reactions;
- kidney diseases.
It is known that mites live in dust, which in themselves are harmless, but their waste products can cause asthma in some people!
Mold fungi are also found in dust. Due to their low weight, their spores float in the air.A person can easily inhale them, which leads to allergic reactions.
Places where dust accumulates
She is driving, but there are places where dust is in large quantities.
Oddly enough, dangerous garbage is found in hard-to-reach places: in corners, small crevices, behind cabinets, under baseboards, under the bed - where it is difficult to clean with a mop and rag. A huge amount of dirt accumulates in blankets, carpets, pillows, mattresses, children's toys, computer equipment, especially in the processor.
Few people remember the rug at the front door. Shoes are wiped on it several times a day, and it is cleaned very rarely. This should not happen, because it is the rug that accumulates dangerous pollution from the street.
However, things like blankets and carpets have a positive side - they prevent accumulated dust from rising into the air.
Scientists conducted an experiment, as a result of which it was revealed that there is much more dust in rural houses than in urban ones. Despite this, it is natural and is considered less dangerous. After all, the city has quite toxic air, polluted by emissions from factories and factories.
Another interesting fact is that dust accumulates much more in old buildings than in new ones.
Ways to combat dust
You will never be able to completely get rid of it, but you can always reduce the amount. The only way is cleaning.
Dry cleaning
It is suitable for those people who do not have small children or animals in their home and where the pollution is not very significant. It is carried out with a dry cloth or brushes.
Includes:
- wiping from horizontal surfaces;
- from upholstered furniture;
- from the floor.
It is recommended to do dry cleaning every two days.
Wet cleaning
This is a high-quality method of dealing with dirt. Includes:
- wiping horizontal surfaces with a damp cloth;
- cleaning carpets with wet brushes;
- washing floors.
Dust can be removed easily and quickly using these methods. The main advantage is air humidification. Thanks to this method, cleanliness will be maintained for a long time.
It is worth noting that frequent wet cleaning can damage some furniture materials and floor coverings. Therefore, these two types of home cleaning should be combined. The best option would be to do it wet once a week, and dry it every two or three times.
Vertical cleaning method
This means cleaning from top to bottom. That is, dust is first removed from the surfaces of tall objects, gradually moving to low ones. For example, first of all you need to remove the surfaces of chandeliers, then cabinets, then tables, and so on. In rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom, you should start with the dirtiest items - the gas stove, range hood. This must be done to prevent dust from falling on already clean objects. This method can save time and keep things clean for much longer.
The same principle should be used during general cleaning. The furthest rooms are cleaned first so as not to carry dirt throughout the house.
Pet hair care
Those who keep pets in their apartments are familiar with the problem of excessive hair in the apartment. Surprisingly, it turns out that it is also present in the homes of people who do not have pets. Microparticles enter the apartment through an open window, clothing and shoes.
Everything would be fine, but allergies arise due to animal fur.It, like an allergen, strikes along with the dust particles that form from it. Its influence can be avoided by using air purifiers and high-quality ventilation systems.
Floor cleaning
Parquet and laminate flooring require careful and proper cleaning. The preservation of the color, properties and appearance of the material depends on it.
When wet cleaning, do not use hot water; water should not drain from the mop, otherwise the floor will swell. After each wash, be sure to wipe the coating with a dry cloth. For thorough cleaning, add fabric softener or shampoo to the water, this will reduce the amount of dust, remove it and reduce the occurrence of dirt for a while. Once every three days it is worth carrying out dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.
Household chemicals
To effectively restore order, it is recommended to use chemicals. Their use will improve the result of cleaning the apartment several times. They include the following tools:
- For cleaning floor coverings.
- For cleaning textiles.
- For dish washing.
- For cleaning glass.
- For cleaning furniture.
It is important to use gloves when applying products, because household chemicals can negatively affect the skin.
The composition must not contain:
- Chlorine
- Phosphates
- Ammonium
If there is an alternative to using environmental products, then it is more rational to use them.
Processing of upholstered furniture, carpets, pillows
These pieces of furniture in the house require careful care, because over time they accumulate a huge number of dust mites, causing severe allergies and other health problems.
There are antistatic treatments for carpets. With its help you can get rid of a huge number of unpleasant things.Firstly, the carpet will stop electrifying and, accordingly, attracting dust. Secondly, antistatic treatment has water-repellent and dirt-proof properties.
Upholstered furniture can be treated from dust with special shampoos for washing vacuum cleaners and manual cleaning. It will remove not only dust, but also stains. Regular powders can also remove dust. It must be diluted in water to form foam. When washing, you can use a brush or cloth.
Feather pillows accumulate a lot of dust and mites; it is recommended to change them every two years. But there is a way to extend their service life. Pillows must be taken to a dry cleaner, where they will thoroughly remove dust.
Removing dust from chandeliers and ventilation grilles
With the help of ventilation, air enters the apartment. Keeping it clean is essential! To do this, you need to clean the ventilation duct and change the grille every six months.
Proper cleaning is carried out in several steps:
- Remove the old grille.
- Using a knife or spatula, remove plaque and dust from the canal walls. It is better to do this with gloves.
- Vacuum the channel with a hose without a nozzle.
- Install the grille.
Chandeliers require careful maintenance; they are located at the top, accumulating dust. An easy way to remove dirt from them is to use a spray gun. It is important to turn off the electricity in the apartment before starting work!
The cleaning algorithm is simple:
- Lay newspapers on the floor so as not to spoil the coating.
- Prepare water and detergents.
- Spray the solution onto the chandelier, paying attention to hard-to-reach surfaces
How to prevent dust in your home
Although it is impossible to get rid of dust forever, there are several ways to significantly reduce its accumulation in the room.
Unnecessary things
People, under the influence of impulse, tend to buy unnecessary things. It’s a shame to throw them away and useless things are stored at home, taking up a lot of space, accumulating layers of dust, which leads to health problems. The only successful way out of this state of affairs is to throw away the trash. The easiest way is to take it to a landfill, try to sell it, or offer it to friends.
Properly organized collecting
Collecting is a common hobby. Its subject is different things - stamps, toys, coins. A collection means collecting a large number of things. They cause inconvenience and harm the order of the apartment. To avoid this, you need to choose the right storage locations. Things should not get in the way, so as not to accumulate dust, and not lie scattered, otherwise they may get lost. If a person collects large items, it is worth highlighting a closet or pantry. It’s easier with small things; they are put in boxes designated specifically for storage. For example, special albums are sold for collecting coins.
Replacing natural fabrics with synthetic ones
A lot of dust is generated in organic materials. These include pillows and mattresses filled with feathers and down. Over time, more and more dust mites appear in them, causing itching and other allergic reactions. For this reason, the use of synthetic materials is more rational. Holofiber or comfortel would be a good option. They are not able to repel dirt and do not attract dust. Thanks to them, cleanliness will remain for a long time.
Effective tools for dust control
There are special devices, the use of which will reduce the amount of pollution in the air, which will have a positive effect on people's health.
Humidifiers
They cannot rid the air of dust, since they are designed to increase the level of humidity in the room, but they do have a cleanliness effect.
In dry air, tiny dust particles are in constant motion. A person in the room inhales this dust, causing harm to health. Humidifiers eliminate this problem. Dust particles in humid air settle on objects faster, while the air becomes many times cleaner. Humidifiers are recommended for people with respiratory problems.
Vacuum cleaners with aqua filters
They protect air from contaminants and have powerful suction. Their advantages:
- greater efficiency;
- ease of use;
- act quickly;
- the effect remains long lasting.
Such vacuum cleaners have a flask with water (filter). The debris that falls into it is moistened and quickly sinks to the bottom of the container. At the same time, the quality of work increases by 100%. The only disadvantage of the device is its high cost.
Ionizers
They increase the volume of air due to the formation of oxygen and nitrogen ions, while the dust also receives a charge. The latter quickly settles on the surface of objects. This creates a feeling of fresh, clean air. The main disadvantage is that after ionization, the room must be cleaned due to the formation of dirt circles on the ionizer, because breathing with a dusty device is dangerous to health.
Membranes for windows
Most dust enters homes through windows. Polluted air will affect the human condition.
Membrane windows are suitable for those who:
- has a respiratory tract disease;
- prone to allergies;
- lives in polluted areas, including near the road.
With membranes, dust will no longer enter the room, and the smell of exhaust gases and smog will disappear.
Air washing
Using devices that allow you to “wash” the air, you can achieve its humidification to a natural level. In this case, there will be no water oversaturation. The resulting effect is compared to the air after rain.
The device has a built-in fan for circulation. Contaminated particles pass through the built-in filter and settle to the bottom, and moist, clean air is distributed throughout the room. The only negative is the formation of bacteria in the filter.
Air purifier
They drive air through themselves, while removing harmful dust particles. Most of these devices have an ionization function. The device must be purchased by allergy sufferers and people with asthma. Its important advantage is the absence of side effects.
Polishes with antistatic agents
Using these products you can easily and efficiently get rid of dust on furniture. There are polishes that can mask cracks and scratches on surfaces. After using these products, objects acquire shine, a “mirror” effect. Polish often contains an antistatic agent. It helps to consolidate the cleaning result; after using it, dust will stick to objects much less, which will reduce cleaning time in the future.
How to improve the level of home ecology
An ecological apartment is the key to the health of its residents, because most people spend a lot of time in it.For this reason, maintaining a clean environment at home is essential. There are ways to help do this.
Ventilation
Fresh air is good for human health. People often sit in a closed, stuffy room, complaining of feeling unwell. Banal room ventilation can improve performance. To do this, you need to open the windows a couple of times a day, and if the weather outside is warm, then do not close them at all. In winter or autumn, only 15 minutes in the morning and evening are enough to ventilate the room.
The benefits of house plants
Indoor flowers are needed not only for beauty, but also to maintain the environment in the house. Plants have the ability to positively influence the environment. They are capable of absorbing toxic substances, radiation, and releasing materials for normal human respiration.
Those who care about their health should pay attention to the following types of plants:
- Chlorophytum. It has long green leaves that kill harmful bacteria. This plant is not even affected by pests.
- Cactus. Everyone knows about its ability to absorb strong electromagnetic radiation. The cactus should be placed next to computers and Wi-Fi routers.
- Geranium is a useful plant. It destroys pathogenic bacteria and deodorizes the air.
- Fern will perfectly purify the air.
However, it is worth considering that dirt accumulates on indoor flowers. They must be promptly cleaned of dust on the leaves. Thanks to this action, the plant will be able to clean the room several times better.
Is there any benefit from dust?
Everything in nature exists for a reason. Dirt is also beneficial. One of them is slowing down global warming.The fact is that dust absorbs part of solar radiation, having a beneficial effect on the climate. If it disappears, then rain and snow will disappear on the planet, and this threatens the death of the Earth.
An interesting fact is that dust participates in the formation of snowflakes, due to it, they have the correct geometry and become different from each other.
