What is Dust Made of?
Dust is made up of pretty much anything, but generally in homes and workplaces it is mostly skin, dirt, and fabric fibres. Dust also contains bacteria, mold, and dust mites, all of which pose a health risk. Dust mites are microscopic insect-like pests that feed on the dead skin cells that make up a large portion of dust. Many people who have an allergic reaction to dust are responding to the fecal matter and body fragments of dust mites.
Since dust comes from so many different sources, you can’t effectively prevent dust from forming, but you can stop it accumulating with regular, thorough cleaning.
Why Do Certain Spots Accumulate More Dust?
So, why do some areas end up covered in dust and others not at all? Since dust is made up of very light particles, it won’t settle on a surface that is regularly being used because the traffic of the area unsettles the dust. Additionally, dust attracts dust, so an area that is already becoming dusty will pull even more dust to it.
Areas That Collect the Most Dust
- Light fixtures
- Ceiling fans
- Electronics that aren’t moved and touched regularly, such as televisions
- Blinds
- Baseboards
- Tops of cabinets, doors, and windows
- Unused shelves
How to Reduce & Remove Dust
Follow these steps to help reduce the amount of dust that accumulates in your workplace.
Change air filters regularly to ensure that dust is being caught as it hits the filter.
Clean all surfaces–yes, even the ones you don’t see. Wiping down those out-of-the way surfaces frequently will reduce dust and improve air quality.
Keep air circulating. Do as much as you can to keep a steady airflow through your space. Use HVAC systems, open windows when possible, and set up fans.
Use Microfibre cloths instead of dusters. Microfibre picks up dust like a magnet, while most dusters just spread the dust around instead of picking it up and removing it.
Need a little help keeping dust at bay in your commercial space? Anago of Vancouver is here for you!