How to purify air in a home from dust

As a homeowner, you should not allow dust and mold to accumulate in your home because they can harm your health.

Too much dust buildup can cause allergic responses like asthma, wheezing, bronchial infections, and other allergy-related problems.

Furthermore, dust contains tiny chemical particles like pesticides that can cause long-term health problems if you get exposed to them.

Therefore, it is helpful to purify air at home to get rid of dust. So, how do you do it?

You can keep the air clean in your home using different methods, as we’ve explained here.

How to purify the air in your home from dust

You can purify the air in your home using different methods. They include:

1. Use an air purifier

air purifier

An air purifier sanitizes the air in a room by eliminating pollutants, allergens, and toxins. An air purifier uses a fan and at least one filter to clean the air.

The fan sucks in the air while the filters capture pollutants when powered on. So, when you place the air purifier in your home, polluted air flows into it through the fans.

It is here that the filters capture and neutralize the pollutants and particles. Once done, it releases the clean air back into the living space.

While using an air purifier, remember the following:

  • Choose the best location. Preferably an area where the air purifier can have breathing space and allow proper circulation from all sides. Ensure to place the device at least three inches from the floor.
  • Point the airflow in the correct direction. In other words, place the unit to ensure that the clean air reaches the furthest corners of your house.
  • Keep all doors and windows closed. This is commendable to ensure that more pollutants don’t come into the room while the air purifier is working.

Ensure to change the filters regularly. Also, avoid turning off the unit to ensure optimal air purification.

If you are looking for an air purifier for dust, we’ve listed down the best options currently.

2. Vacuum your house thoroughly

Vacuuming a house at least two a week is one of the most effective things you can do to remove dust from your home.

The advantage of vacuuming your home is that it removes debris and dirt that roams the air when walking in your home or when there is a lot of air movement.

The dust then accumulates on surfaces. Therefore, consider vacuuming all rugs, sofas, and carpets. Also, pay close attention to the baseboard, window sills, and under the beds.

It is helpful that you use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. It will help ensure that vacuumed dust is not pushed through the filter and back into the air. The Kenmore DU2012 Bagless Upright Carpet Cleaner is worth considering.

3. Increase ventilation

You can purify the air in your home naturally by increasing ventilation. The advantage of ventilation is it reduces moisture levels in your home.

However, that does not mean opening a window and letting all the outdoor air pollution enter your house.

Builders working on a window
Image by: Flickr/Groupe BEATECH

Instead, consider installing trickle vents to purify and cycle the air. Also, you can use exhaust fans that will help carry pollutants outside.

4. Mop your rooms frequently

A better way to remove dust from the air without an air purifier is to mop your rooms frequently, at least twice a week.

Generally, dirt and debris accumulate on surfaces. When that happens, air movement inside the home kicks the dust and debris into the air.

Therefore, you can prevent this by using a damp mop to clean floor areas. Mopping is crucial because it cleans floor areas that you cannot vacuum.

You can use steam mops for the best results.

5. Dust hard surfaces

Apart from mopping, you can remove dust from the air in your home by dusting hard surfaces using a microfiber cloth or duster.

A microfiber cloth is excellent at trapping the dust that collects on surfaces. While you can do a feather duster to dust hard surfaces, it does not work well trapping the collected dust.

6. Remove shoes when getting into the house

Another functional way of reducing dust in your rooms is to control the amount of grime and dirt in your home.

One way of doing it is by removing your shoes whenever you get into your house. You should void wearing your shoes inside your home. This will curb the transfer of allergens and dirt from outside to your floors.

Eventually, the dust will end up in the indoor air, causing health effects like allergies. You won’t need expensive gadgets to purify the air in a home from dust.

7. Keep your windows and doors closed

One way dust and dirt get into the house is through open windows and doors. Keeping windows open allows a fresh breeze to blow through a house.

House with closed doors and windows
Image by: Flickr/Kerry James

However, the breeze comes with dust and allergens that settle on home surfaces and rise when walking around.

Therefore, try to keep your windows and doors closed to minimize the amount of dust and dirt that gets into your house.

8. Invest in an HVAC system

An HVAC system reduces dust in a home by circulating the air through air filters inside the unit. The air filter then traps the dust and removes it anytime the air passes through it.

Note that the filters in an HVAC system can accumulate a lot of dust while in use. You should switch them after 3 months or as the manufacturer’s instructions.

Your home can become too dusty if your air conditioning system and furnace filters are old and dirty.

Getting rid of dust made easy

You have several options to purify the air in your home and eliminate dust. You can use an air purifier, vacuum cleaner, or mop.

While these options work, you should also prevent the amount of dust entering your home by keeping the doors and windows locked and taking off shoes when you enter the house.

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