It can be disheartening to do a thorough clean of your apartment, only to find that there is a layer of dust already settling on your books and window sills – sigh. Sometimes it might seem like you are forever cleaning, while at the same time asking yourself; “Why is my apartment so dusty?”
There is a good explanation as to why this is happening.
If you have noticed quite a few dust particles floating in the air, or that your apartment becomes dusty really quickly, then you will be glad to know that it doesn’t mean your cleaning skills are not up to scratch.
In fact, it has more to do with the environment. There are many reasons why dust may be attracted to your living space, for example, it may be coming in through the window or cracks in the walls, or it could be shedding from old furniture.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at why your apartment might be dusty. Hopefully, once you have finished with this article, you can stop pulling out those hairs due to stress!
Why Is My Apartment Really Dusty Even After a Clean?
Even though you might clean your apartment very thoroughly, it doesn’t always mean that the dust won’t return in a matter of hours. Whilst this is super annoying, there are ways you can avoid it. This is best done by knowing what causes it in the first place.
Whilst indoor items such as dead skin cells and textile fibers can cause dust to settle everywhere, outdoor items can also cause dust to welcome itself into your home.
Even if the windows are not open, dust can find its way in through tiny cracks on the walls, and also doorways when you are coming and going. Unless you’re a recluse who never leaves the house.
Carpets, the couch, bedding upholstery, and the like can also cause dust particles to settle through your apartment. Due to the fact that over time these items wear down, and become more likely to shed. Unless you buy new items, they will keep on shedding.
What Even Is Dust?
Most people assume that all dust is dead skin particles. Whilst that might sound disgusting, it is true, the majority of dust comes from dead skin cells. Well, they have to shed somewhere!
Despite this, there are other factors for dust that aren’t from a human. It is basically particles that are super fine and are from something that is solid. You could say it is the shedding of a solid substance.
This means that dust can come from fibers from textiles products like the couch or bed, pet dander (unsurprisingly), general hair from an animal, fibers from paper, particles from food, and also human hair. But that is just a small portion of what dust is made of.
There is also the dust from outside which unfortunately can make its way indoors. This can be from smoke, soil, pollen, and even cars. So, think about this the next time you keep your windows open all year round.
Apartment Dust: Let’s Break it Down…
Here are the main culprits that cause dust in your apartment:
Skin Cells And Hair
Even though it can seem quite disgusting, it is a well-known fact that skin cells make up the majority when it comes to dust. Us humans shed a lot of skin, and the more visitors you have, or more people living with you, the more skin that is shed.
Once something disturbs the accumulating skin cells, they find themselves airborne and settling on other surfaces. Not only that, other things from the body turn into dust too such as chipped nail polish, hair (which breaks down), and even products used like hair spray.
Textile Fibers
Another big contributing factor to dust is textile fibers from clothes, the couch, and curtains. Anything that may suffer from wear and tear will release dust into the local environment.
The material will break down and will turn into a layer of dust that sits in your apartment. Again, just like skin cells, they sit there undisturbed, but then they do become disturbed, they go airborne and settle somewhere else.
Outside Environment
Dust particles from outside can get into your apartment through open windows, doors, and cracks. This can be from pollen, smoke, soil, and even tree debris. They can attach to your clothes, hair, and skin.
Always be mindful of this when you come home, or if you are leaving windows open.
Your Pet(s)
Dander is flaky skin on your pet that, just like human skin cells, contributes to dust. Also, pet hair breaks down to cause dust. Remember to regularly vacuum the home to remove it.
Air Conditioning And Heating
An air conditioning unit traps dust if it is working in good condition. However, if you do not change the filter, it will do the exact opposite and cause a backlog of dust in your apartment.
Make sure that any HVAC system and AC unit is properly serviced and cleaned. This way you will stop extra and old dust from accumulating in your apartment, and it won’t bring dust from the outside in, either.
Pests
If you know you have a pest problem, sort it out as soon as possible. Not only can pests (fleas, carpet beetles, silverfish etc.) carry dust along with them, but they die which leaves their body to rot and turn to dust. They also leave disgusting, tiny droppings all over the place.
Food Dirt And Debris
When you bite into food and notice a few crumbs dropping, you probably don’t think twice about it. However, over time this will build up into a layer of dust.
Final Thoughts On Dust In My Apartment
Dust in your apartment can come from a wide variety of sources such as human skin cells, pet dander, fibers, and even the outside world.
While you can drive yourself crazy trying to clean constantly, it will be much more efficient if you try to minimize the amount of dust that makes its way into your home in the first place.
Keeping doors and windows closed on windy days, wiping your feet thoroughly, and cleaning your air-con filters will all help keep your apartment dust free.
For some more tips and tricks, check out this video below from Expert Home Tips. Make sure you watch it to the end where they explain one of the biggest mistakes people make when dusting.
