Who you gonna call? Dust busters!
When it comes to keeping our homes clean for good indoor air quality, we often focus on vacuuming carpets, washing bedding, and cleaning other fabrics. But did you know that dusting surfaces regularly is just as critical for reducing dust and pollutants in our home environments.
Dust may seem innocuous, but it contains many undesirable components that impact air quality over time when allowed to accumulate, including:
- Skin cells, pet dander, textile fibers: These can trigger allergies and asthma
- Pollutants tracked inside: VOCs, vehicle exhaust, pollen, pesticides
- Dust mites and their droppings: A major allergy trigger!
- Mold spores and bacteria, like actinomycetes/actinobacteria: Can cause infections or inflammatory reactions (get the specialized guide on Actino here if you think this is an issue for you)
Given the many sensitive particulates floating in household dust, it's important to dust surfaces often to prevent buildup and maintain your healthy home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).
Here's the plan, friends:
🧹 Mini dusting sprees 2-3x a week (focus on bedrooms)
📖Target ceiling fans, bookshelves, blinds, behind and under furniture (but don’t forget your vertical surfaces—dust sticks to walls, too)
🌬️QUICK sweepings trap dust before things get stirred up
🤧Prevent mold growth and lower allergy triggers
🧽Grab Swiffer wipes or microfiber cloths and get wiping
🪭Change your air filters before the end of their useful life (timing depends on your system and filter, but checking monthly and changing at least every 3 months is a good general rule)
A regular dusting routine with Swiffer wipes or microfiber towels actually attracts and traps dust before it gets stirred up and recirculated through indoor air, without just transferring it from surface to surface.
Plus, dust is a food source for mold and the mycotoxins that are produced by molds are even smaller than a particle of dust and often get captured there and make a cozy home. Capturing dust lowers the chance of you breathing in the toxic soup.
If you need more targeting cleaning techniques, check out the Actino Guide, below. Did you know Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker now believes Actino causes CIRS, not mold?