House Dust - Where does it all come from?!

I'm expecting my health care liason and my insurance adjuster this morning and even though I'm not feeling well, I can't stand the idea of having anyone over when my home is not "clean" and in order.

I just did some dusting and the white cloth that I used was almost black when I was done. My home care cleaning lady dusts every week, and the week that she's not here I do a really thorough dusting because they aren't allowed to move things and have to dust around stuff. So dusting is done pretty regularly, yet there seems to be piles of it each time I go to dust!

I live on the 7th floor. I don't have kids. I don't have company trapsing in and I take my shoes off at the door. I just don't know where it all comes from. Grrrr!

Here is some links on what household dust is made up of:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art40174.asp

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...0774.En.r.html

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/40430

I didn't read the links someone posted on here but most of dust is from the human body. Pretty gross I know! People are constantly loosing old dead skin, that's one reason dogs can follows peoples' "scent" so well. living in a dusty city or town doesn't help either. We have crops around our entire town and I've noticed the dust to be really bad. Especially when the farm equipment comes out!!!

Outdoors, the atmosphere is filled with various kinds of dust, from windblown soil to pollutants. Ash from volcanoes, ocean salt, pollen and minute bits of decaying organic matter make up outdoor dust, which can circulate globally. The entire environment, from plants to animals, is constantly shedding dead cells. Industrial plants and vehicles add to particulate matter in the air, and seasonal fires add more ash.
Though the air in our homes appears clear and clean, unless you are using an air purifier or some other means of filtration, the air coming in from outside brings in a tremendous amount of dust. However, thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s just part of what makes up house dust.
It is estimated that humans lose 30,000 – 40,000 dead skin cells each and every minute. Furniture fabric, bedding, and clothes release fibers every time they are used or disturbed. Pets also contribute to house dust by shedding skin cells and hair. If your home is carpeted, there are even more fibers being released into the air.
While dusting and vacuuming can take care of dust thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s already settled, an air purifier can help filter atmospheric dust from the air. If allergies are a problem, be sure to vacuum up dust from underneath beds, around baseboards, and in hard-to-get areas where attachments might be necessary. Vacuum cleaners fitted with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters will keep the dust and mites from recirculating through the appliance.

Oh I know what comprises dust. What I don't understand is how an apartment that has one person in it can acquire so much of it in a week! One would think that the less people in the home, the less dusty it would get. After all seeing that dead skin and dust mites make up the bulk of it, one person can't possibly shed that much skin to cover an entire apartment with a layer of dust.

I'll have to have a talk with my cats about them either keeping their dust to themselves, or starting to help out with the chores!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'll have to have a talk with my cats about them either keeping their dust to themselves, or starting to help out with the chores!

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Good luck with that! Let me know if you have any success!

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

Good luck with that!

Let me know if you have any success!

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Me too, I have tons of dust and its just me and Trout!

This is why I fantasize about having a home with NO CARPET! Just wooden floors, and only removable, machine-washable pillows on the furniture... the dust would still appear, of course, but at least it wouldn't hang around in the carpets and furniture!

Our place is unbelievably dusty. I literally have to dust everyday. I guess most of its coming from outside coz our windows are open 24/7 during this heat.

Yea dust is also comprised mainly of human skin, yet people think pets are dirty

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

This is why I fantasize about having a home with NO CARPET! Just wooden floors, and only removable, machine-washable pillows on the furniture... the dust would still appear, of course, but at least it wouldn't hang around in the carpets and furniture!

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Trust me, hard wood floors are not the answer! I can vacuum and swiffer daily and there are still cat hair tumbleweeds!!! I've only got 2 cats!

Linda, when you figure out how to keep dust down--PLEASE share it with me.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'll have to have a talk with my cats about them either keeping their dust to themselves, or starting to help out with the chores!

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Princess "helps" me.. or so she thinks! More she rolls around in laundry while I fold it, chases the broom while I sweep, bats at my hand when I dust or scrub, etc. Oh yeah, she is real helpful!

Oh goodness.... I *JUST* finished telling my significant other about "where dust comes from" the other day.

I felt like I was on jeopardy giving the explanation.