Sources of house dust
In the course of studying this topic it was revealed that the "dust" problem bothers not only the hosts, but also the scientists. The latter in the process of computer modeling found that most of the dust enters the house with air, and not with dirty clothes and shoes, as many of us could have guessed. It is in the air that inhabits a whole "vinaigrette" of various particles, which can consist of dead skin cells, soil particles and even toxic substances (lead, arsenic). Scientists have also been shown that two-thirds of this "vinaigrette" itself is of natural origin, the rest is a consequence of human activity.
Natural sources of dust are: salt of seas and oceans, volcanoes, soil, desert, cosmic dust.
- Salt of the seas and oceans. In any apartment in the Sverdlovsk region, it is quite possible to find salt, for example, of the Dead Sea. Surprised? But this fact has a scientific justification. At a time when the Dead Sea water hits rocks, small spatter remains on the rocks. A little later these sprays dry up, turn into salt and are carried by the wind around the world, where they also settle in the form of dust.
- Volcanoes. When the volcano erupts, the atmosphere is replenished with a huge number of small particles of rocks. They, like the crystals of salts, are carried with the wind to the most remote places of our vast planet. In addition, the "dust" danger is borne not only by active volcanoes, but also dormant, generating up to 14 million tons of dust annually. This is confirmed by the cities located near such volcanoes. For example, the city of Kagoshima. Its sidewalks, lawns and roofs of houses are constantly covered with a dense layer of dust, and therefore it is recognized as the dirtiest settlement in the whole world.
- The soil. The principle of movement of microscopic soil particles is about the same as sea salt and volcanic dust. It is the wind that carries the parched soil particles along the streets and buildings.
- Desert. Annually about 100 million tons of grains of sand from the Sahara, not without the help of rain clouds and wind, clog the countries of America, Europe and even Australia.
- Cosmic dust. Every year from space, along with meteorite rains, about ten tons of dust fall on our land.
Anthropogenic sources of dust are divided into safe and unsafe.
Safe anthropogenic sources:
- fiber fabrics;
- erased parts of carpets and upholstered furniture;
- particles of dead skin, hair, nails, as well as human and pet dander;
- pollen and spores of indoor plants.
Unsafe anthropogenic sources:
- cigarette smoke;
- particles of building materials;
- chemical agents (powders, aerosols, etc.);
- products of combustion of mineral fuel (coal, oil, wood), including exhaust gases;
- the smallest remains of worn out rubber wheels.
The negative role of dust in our lives
It is unlikely that anyone is pleased with the kind of dust that settles so quickly on various surfaces of the house, even after a spring cleaning. It can spoil not only the most beautiful and refined interior, but also the mood of all household members.
Adherents of feng shui, for example, believe that places of dust accumulation are also places of accumulation of bad energy, which negatively affects the well-being and psychological microclimate in the family.
- Home dust contributes to exacerbation of chronic diseases (asthma, allergy, diabetes, etc.).
- Dust can cause new diseases (viruses, bronchial asthma, hearing impairment, kidney disease, meningitis, etc.).
- Dust is a spreader of epidemics. She moves from house to house, carrying with her pathogens, bacteria, fungi and viruses. They pass through the respiratory tract into the human body and infect it with infection.
- Home dust is the habitat of more than 150 thousand dust mites. By themselves, they are not very dangerous to health. Allergy in rare cases is the most terrible outcome. BUT! The very fact that such nasty microorganisms live in our bed linen, in pillows and blankets, causes not the most positive emotions.
- Home dust destroys the effect on all the covers of our housing (wooden, rag, etc.). Small solid particles, which are part of the dust, rub against each other and objects of the home interior, gradually turning them into dilapidated rubbish.
- Dust is also harmful to household and computer equipment. Settling on their details, it worsens the operation of the instruments, in some cases causes corrosion and even closures. In addition, the accumulation of dust inside the equipment increases the noise of its operation.
Places of dust accumulation
Dust in our house, as we already noted earlier, dwells everywhere - both in the air and on various surfaces. However, there are places where it is especially crowded. Most housewives refer to such places carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture. It was not there! There you can find only 15% of the total domestic dust. Where is the remaining 85%?
- It turns out that most of the dust is collected on skirting boards and corners. And now think about it - do you often wipe with a damp cloth or vacuum the housing around the perimeter? Draw conclusions for yourself.
- The dust bag is all printed products, especially the one you rarely use.
- Soft objects are acting as dangerous items in the house, which means that your beloved children are at greater risk.
- To dangerous objects can also include household appliances, especially the remote from the TV. It is the breeding ground for mold fungi, toxic mold, yeast infection and bacteria.
- As for your slippers ... I'm sure that now you will go to disinfect them. Why? Because slippers can easily cause fungal infection of the nail plates.
- And now look into your dressers and dressing rooms. Your clothes are also a store of a lot of dust. I think, it is not necessary to say that things need to be washed in time. Every good host knows about this. I just advise you to hang things on your hangers and blow them more often.
Methods of fighting dust
It is impossible to drive dust completely out of your house. This does not mean that you should give up and forget about the order and coziness. There are ways in which the scale of "living" of dust can be reduced to a minimum. Agree, also a good option.
- Wet cleaning. Wipe dust from all surfaces with a damp cloth or a special wet wipe with antibacterial effect is best every day. It is quite normal that it is not always possible to do this, but it is very important to strive after such a regime.
- Elimination of dust collectors. It is necessary to wash regularly all traditional dust collectors (curtains, toys, bedspreads, etc.).
- A vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaner - the most common fighter for cleanliness in the house. Take into account that at the time when you use it, the dust actively rises into the air. For this reason, it is better to keep the windows open, avoid the presence of children and then perform a wet cleaning. Do not hurry to vacuum. For each square meter, spend one and a half to two minutes. Particularly consider the decorative elements of upholstered furniture: lines, buttons, etc., because dust dust mites are very popular here.
- Airing. Try to ventilate all rooms more often. In summer, dry the blankets, pillows and mattresses in the sun.
- Timely replacement of bed linen. Again we return to your sleeping place. Bed linen is better to change once a week. Before use it must be ironed.
- Air purifier. The air cleaner perfectly absorbs fine dust particles, cigarette smoke, various impurities and microorganisms. Such a miracle-assembly is simply irreplaceable, if your family has allergies.
- Cleaning companies. The constant appeal to such organizations has a significant impact on the wallet, but occasionally you can pamper yourself. Cleaning companies struggle not only with dust, but also with parasites that are in it.
On this "dusty" topic I propose to declare closed. Finally, I want to wish you success in your home affairs. Coziness and beauty of your home!