Household dust is a rather horrifying cocktail of organic and inorganic particles that most people would rather not think about.
That cocktail commonly includes dead skin cells from humans and pets (dander), hair and fur, dust mites, insect droppings and dead-insect particles, soil, pollen and other organic outdoor particles, microplastics, bacteria, mold, and fabric fibers. Dust can also include compounds from smoke and soot particles generated by burning candles, smoking, or cooking.
This delightful combination of particles lingers in the air and collects on the surfaces and in the crevices of your home. Although dust is a natural by-product of being a person and having stuff, it can trigger allergies and asthma or worsen underlying health conditions for sensitive groups, particularly those with underlying respiratory diseases.
That’s especially true when dust becomes airborne or gets stirred up. “Dust is full of proteins that can trigger allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to them,” said William Checkley, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, in an email interview.
Some of the main culprits of dust-related allergies are dust mites, pet dander, mold, smoke by-products, and cockroach droppings, said Russell Buhr, a pulmonologist at UCLA Health and assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine, in an email interview, though allergies are individual and vary by phenotype.
Dust mites, which cling to upholstered furniture and bedding, are particularly allergenic, and they’re incredibly common. Roughly four out of five homes in the United States have dust-mite allergens in at least one bed, according to the American Lung Institute. These microscopic critters feed on the dead skin cells found in dust and thrive in warm, humid environments because they absorb water through the air in order to survive.
Even people who don’t have specific allergies to components of dust (such as dust mites) can have respiratory issues stemming from dust, said Barbara Mann, a pulmonologist at Mount Sinai–National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute. “Because dust is so small,” explained Mann, “it can evade our upper airway defenses and get into our smaller airways, which can cause irritation, increased mucous production, and airway inflammation.”
So yes, dust can be a pesky part of everyday life, especially for people with allergies and respiratory conditions, but that’s all the more reason to reduce your exposure in the first place. Luckily, there are a handful of preventive measures you can incorporate into your routine that will cut down on the dust in your home.
