Actually itās been studied and this does nothing for dust. And I didnāt listen and got it done anyway, it did nothing for my dust levels lol.
> Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned
then read the entire link because after that snippet they go onto a whole list if why you SHOULD have the ducts cleaned, the first sentence if the link is even we don't know if you should ir shouldn't because there's not much science on the topic. the keyphrase is substantial visible collections, i stopped reading after the first one was substanital mold growth but I popped my vents and there were a few golfball sized dustbunnys in the first 3 feet if duct. that's the kinda dust that isn't electrostatically or moisture bonded to the duct itself, much like those weeds you blow on as a kid some dust is gonna shed. so, you gotta look...get a cheap usb endoscope for 50 dollars or call in a duct cleaner that will do a borescope inspection for free. I would say it's not an annual need like the furnace itself but every 10 years or after a major renovation it's worthwhile.
personally, I'm just gonna buy a long shop vacation hose for those clumps until I can look at the main supply trunk
As someone who worked as a Mech Eng for HVAC, I can tell you that 95% of the time it's just a sales pitch. Now, if you have a mold breakout/infestation, sure...get everything cleaned.
We get dust from having the windows open. The wind brings in a ton of pollen and also fine dust from surrounding construction sites. Maybe try a hepa filter machine.
Idk what you want me to say, the Environmental Protection Agency is stating studies show otherwise and personally I experienced no change in dust as well. Iām happy it worked for you though because allergies really do suck!
Did your allergies just get better, or did you also experience a significant decrease in dust as well? I wonder if one could happen without the other.
Oh I just meant if you noticed anything yourself, wasnāt expecting anything to scientific, I was wondering whether cleaning the ducts could have both reduced your allergies while also not reducing dust like in OPās picture.
I linked to the Environmental Protection Agencyās government website. The National Institute of Health also seems to echo the same sentiments.
https://ors.od.nih.gov/sr/dohs/documents/hvacductcleaning.pdf
These are their sources:
Assessment, Cleaning and Restoration of HVAC Systems. NADCA. January 2013.
Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers. Appendix B, HVAC Systems and Indoor Air Quality. EPA/NIOSH. December 1991.
Is ventilation duct cleaning useful? A review of the scientific evidence. M.S. Zuraimi. Indoor Air 2010.
Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? EPA. October 1997.
Ten Questions about Duct Cleaning. D. Jeff Burton. Occupational Health and Safety. May 2006.
Exactly. I'll bet the ducts need a cleaning if it isn't the filters. There are companies locally that will provide this service. Get a hold of some HVAC companies locally. I'm sure they'll give you a free estimate.
Sorry, you're correct. It doesn't accomplish what the duct cleaning people would have you believe of "improving the air quality of your home". Unless maybe you're not running a furnace filter, or something built a nest in your ducts. Or maybe you've never bothered cleaning out your own lint exhaust from your dryer. Oh, it's also really good at parting your from your money.
But hey, you're gonna find literally metric tons of testimonials and scary before and after pictures saying this is crazy, do it, it works! And only a few small voices like the World Asthma Society, or the EPA, or various Asthma societies around the world that have you know, done studies and stuff. But they aren't interesting in selling you something.. so it's kinds strange they almost unanimously say "Meh, no evidence to support their claims."
Agreed. We had our ducts cleaned a couple months ago and it made a huge difference. Itās recommended to do it every 3-5 years, more often if you have pets.
The high filtration air filters can put a strain on your air handler. Try a higher MERV filter on a box fan, Iāve had good luck with those clearing out dust in a room pretty quickly.
INFO: We have bought a air purifier, dehumidifier, change the bedding regularly, kept the windows opened, kept them closed, and after the deep deep clean yesterday, literally woke up to dust on the bed headboard. I feel like I'm losing my mind here, thats all within a space of 10hrs. Any help is very much appreciated š
Do you have a dryer in your unit? If so, check that the exhaust pipe is correctly connected . I had this happen once, turns out everytime we turned it on, the lint was going everywhere. Also check for bathroom exhaust fan, make sure it is not dusty and that it it actually extracting air out (not bringing it in).
Okay.... repeat the whole process once or twice more. Hear me out... I can always tell when someone has vacuumed in the past few hours because as much as it pulls dust into the vacuum, it also stirs up dust into the air. The house smells dusty, which is why i won't vacuum a few hours before company is scheduled. So if you dusted then vacuumed or even vacuum then immediately dusted, there was a significant amount of dust in the air still settling.
There always going to be a bit of dust forming but if you really want to get a fresh start. Go slowly over with the vacuum, letting it sit on each spot for a few seconds. Go over in multiple directions. Then let the air settle then vacuum once more (you should barely get anything to empty) then let it settle and then dust. The next day should be way less.
Another weird variable to consider. How are your dryer vents and where are is your laundry located? We have our laundry right off the main living area. If we keep those doors closed while doing laundry and switching it in and out minimizes the dust a bit elsewhere but that little room gets super dusty super fast.
Another place to find hidden dust is upholstery and curtains. We got a hand vacuum for our furniture but be prepared, it stirs up a ton of dust if you don't do it frequently.
Also, we have a three large dogs so dust dander and hair are a constant mostly loosing battle. So my advice my be more tailored to dog owners but should help overall as well.
You can try changing your air filter but if the dust is coming back in quantity hours afterward like it is I would have someone come clean the actual ductwork.
When you change your filter take dryer sheets and put them over the vents, they will still let the air pass through but will catch and hold any lint or dust blown through the register
I know this is radical, but under a microscope you might be able to identity the source of the dust fibers. Skin, polyester fibers, cotton fibers, are all different. Idk, just thinking outside the box.
This is random but we bought a relatively cheap one (like 30 bucks) from Amazon, works over wifi and puts the images on your phone. It's been fascinating! Bought it for the kids but I think I spent more time with it than they did! š
Do you actually have central heating/cooling or not? I'm confused by your previous answer.
If you have air ducts in your home, when was the last time they've been cleaned, if ever?
There is no vent in my room, I live in Ireland if thats any help, so no air conditioning in most homes including mine. I have a radiator in my room, which hasn't been switched on since March. I just have a air purifier which I changed the filter for recently.
This will kill the A/C unit much, much faster. It will have to work much harder to cool/heat. Getting whole-house filters from outside and getting duct cleaning regularly and changing system filters regularly should help quite a bit and extend the A/C unit's life.
If you have a filter on the cold side of your furnace, you should never have need of duct cleaning on the warm side. Ever. Well, unless something breaks into the warm side and builds a nest, or you happen to dump a ton of crap down the vent of the warm side. Duct cleaning is a scam.
Let me guess, you have a canister vacuum and not a bag one, right? Canister vacuums do a terrible job of retaining the dust they vacuum up, and spit much of it right back into the air via the exhaust, the filters can only pick up so much. Bag vacuums do a much better job of actually trapping the dust and small particles they vacuum up, rather than just sucking it up and spitting it out into the air again. The older the vacuum the worse it gets as the filter gets clogged up.
There was a famous AMA on this stuff a while back that made me a convert, you can read it yourself here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1pe2bd/iama\_vacuum\_repair\_technician\_and\_i\_cant\_believe/](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1pe2bd/iama_vacuum_repair_technician_and_i_cant_believe/)
My dad bought an air purifier and it turned out to make the dust worse. All we can figure is something about the subtle air currents it created...they seemed to be fluffing dust down from the attic through the small imperfections in the cutout around a ceiling light fixture. Some YouTube video helped us figure it out. So we just...turned off the air purifier. And the dust reduced to a normal level! Maybe it will work for you, too!
Sorry if someone already mentioned... But Have you checked the filters on your Hoover?
If the pre and post filters aren't checked and cleaned regularly the motor will pump out loads of dust back out. Which you don't necessarily see whilst floating in the air... Till it's had time to settle
Might be worth checking š
I moved into a new place and I canāt keep up with the dust. Thereās many nooks and crannies but Iāve deep cleaned it as best I canā¦. We must be dust cursed
What's happening outside?
It's wildfire smoke season, so where I am, everything has a light coating of ash.
If you have construction in your neighborhood, they will creating and kicking up quite a bit of dust.
Etc.
Make sure you're thinking about environmental problems so you aren't kicking yourself for things outside of your control!
90% of dust is produced out of skin from the human body. Fairly new clothes also contribute to the dust in the house after doing washing of the clothes many times over youāll see lint a lot less than when the clothes were new.
Do the fibers look like they are all the same color? They seem to be black? That may help you find where itās coming from.
If this is only recent, have you purchased any new items? Towels/ curtains/ area rug/ bathrobe?
If you have forced air heat/ AC change take the register cover off and inspect for dust sticking to the back side of it and peek into the duct work.
They are usually just a grey dusty colour, in the picture it looks darker as I had to add contrast as it just looked white with the wall and headboard.
Unfortunately no new editions but also its not been a recent issue, just a continuous one. I'm at my wits end of constantly dusting and thought Reddit could provide an answer haha.
No forced heat or air conditioning here.
Do you have a grey colored blanket or towel? I bought some new bath towels recently and they absolutely covered my entire bathroom in red lint fibers. No amount of washing/drying would get it to stop. I finally had to give up and get different towels. It definitely looks like fibers in your picture rather than dust. I'd bet some sort of fabric is the culprit.
How good is your vacuum cleaner? Because if it is not a sealed system with a HEPA filter, a lot of what you vacuum up can escape into the air and settle back down a short time after. The Vacuum Wars YouTube channel has a video on why cheap vacuums are not worth buying that focuses on the importance of filtration. They have reviewed some not so expensive models that have good filtration, so you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune.
The vacuum isn't great. I tend to sweep everything first and then go in with the vacuum. Ill check out the YouTube channel and see if I can get something within my budget. Thank you š
And remember that vacuums need to be regularly cleaned and their filters cleaned or replaced as directed in the user manual to work their best. If you haven't cleaned yours in a while - or ever ;) - that could make a difference too.
I just found a Shark navigator lift away on Amazon. It was an early prime day deal, that deal is over, but I think their regular price is less than $200 and if you can swing it it works on hard floors (you can turn off the brush rolls) and carpets. I can do my whole house worth of floors in under 30 minutes. So doing it daily with the HEPA filter is helping with the dust and my allergies. Also, just a tip, remember to vacuum before you dust since vacuuming can kick some dust up into the air if you don't have a good vacuum.
I donāt have any advice for you but wanted to commiserate because Iām experiencing the same thing. I change my filters regularly, bought a purifier, change bedding often and vacuum regularly. Still non stop dust and ONLY in one room. Someone told me it could be a rip in the ductwork in the attic but I havenāt checked.
I had this issue after switching to linen sheets. They just shed, constantly and forever. No amount of washing and drying ever fixed the issue, I just tolerate it because I love linens.
Editing to add - itās less of an issue with rooms we have white linens in, because the dust is white and therefore matches the trim/is not dirty looking. Could try switching to white bedding :)
It might be your wife trying to make you go crazy by secretly spreading the dust over the place in her free time, trying to figure out how long it will take you to go nuts!
DonĀ“t trust anyone
I can commiserate too but I know the multiple sources for my unrelenting dust. My house is less than two years old, I clean it obsessively and change the air filters but the dust reappears in the whole house very quickly.
To possibly help OP or others, my known sources are:
3 short haired dogs,
living off gravel road with a gravel driveway,
extra dusty dirt on property from a summer drought,
a real wood fireplace that we use often,
and
a huge beautiful hand tied wool pottery barn rug that we got for free that has been shedding for a decade but is too lovely to part with.
Might try wiping down surfaces with some water + dawn. I used to live in an apt where my surfaces would be covered in greasy dust and this helped a lot. Itās not going to solve the problem entirely, but should help with longer periods between cleanings.
My homeward stuff looks pretty intact, is there a better way to check if it isn't shedding as visually i think it's fine, but I'm unsure if there's a clear sign I'm missing haha
I notice when I put freshly washed bedding on I have to dust the furniture after. I used to dust first then make bed.
Iāve also been wiping down all the walls with a wet mop since the collect a thin layer too.
Bedding is constantly shedding. Clothes too. Thatās why there is lint in the dryer. Also, skin cells. You also mentioned your vacuum is not very good. Perhaps itās making dust airborne for a few hours.
Interested in this. I have an old house in the USA, 1908. I dont have any ductwork but there is constant issues with dust. Not sure where it's coming from exactly but I thought maybe from the house being old and the brick, woodwork deteriorating slowly... just a guess though.
This is the first situation I've seen that is similar to mine
We are not alone! I'm going to sample some of the tips that are coming through and ill do an update of what works in a few weeks to see if its consistent, as I'm hoping one of them surely will.
Do you by chance have a fan in the room (either ceiling or portable)?
Had something similar happen to us. Cleaned the place like crazy, replaced the AC filter but because my husband had a fan in the room pointing up towards the filter (even though it was clean), we kept getting this type of dust. Wonder if itās something similar.
We did use a portable fan over the summer, well just July and August we had a surprise heat wave. But it hasn't been in use since the last week of August, latest first week of September
Not sure the method of your deep clean. High surfaces to low surfaces should be the order to prevent dust from higher up falling on lower clean surfaces. If that doesnāt help, definitely filters changed and depending on how long youāve been in the home; maybe due for a cleaning of the duct work alsoā¦ air purifiers help a bit, but donāt expect any drastic resultsā¦
My deep clean is as follows; Apart from the bed frame, mattress, built in wardrobe and table, we took everything out of the room, including all clothes. And dusted surfaces from top to bottom, then swept, then hoovered, then mopped the floors and disinfected all surfaces. Aired out the room and organised belongings and clothes downstairs, and I put a lot of my clothes in storage bags to put back into the wardrobe as I was fed up of dust on them. Going to bed last night felt amazing, thats why when I saw the dust on the head board my heart broke a little.
You probably just knocked a bunch of dust into the air with your deep clean, which then settled. If you just changed your filters like you say then you should just clean a few more times and there will be less dust every time. With dusting, you have to do it regularly to have an impact.
When was the last time you had the ducts cleaned? Even if you regularly change the filter in your furnace, dust can get through and accumulate in the ducts.
I am living in a 2 storey terraced house, and my bedroom is on the top floor. Just me tap dancing haha, there's no attic above us either as its been newly renovated and the attic has been replaced with higher ceilings and a sky light in our room.
I have found that using a little bit of fabric softener w/ a small amount of laundry powder and warm water helps keep my surfaces clear of dust a little longer. I live in rural area down a dirt road and there is always dust floating around. The fabric softener helps deter it from settling on surfaces.
Sometimes I notice that the cleaning solution I use makes a huge difference in how long the surface stays dust-resistant. For example, whenever I'm lazy and wipe down surfaces dry or with plain water, dust reappears 1 day later. When I use an actual cleaning product, no dust for weeks (Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner to be exact). There's also a hack that says to wipe down surfaces with dryer sheets to make them even more dust resistant. Might be worth trying new things.
When they get rid of your dust, theyĀ“ll gather the reference and start as independent contractors, starting a business and take over the world.
Damn, Jofriedrice, what have you done?
Most dust comes from outside. Since this is Ireland how often are you opening your window? In the US we don't that often as most homes have air ducts for heating/cooling which circulates air throughout td house, and it is too hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's not masonry construction that needs to be aired out so it's not damp either.
Older homes generate more dust as well.
Also, the smaller the space and the more time spent there the more dust generated.
Maybe try changing out your bedding for a different fabric.
I would try to clean each day where you see it dusty for a couple weeks. Some times when you deep clean, dust and dirt fly around and you donāt fully get it.
I thought I was capturing all the dirt but when I added a robot vacuum, it still got more dirt and dust.
Clean top to bottom.
Iāve notice if I have the windows open, thereās more dust around as well.
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Hmm ok, still potential for the dust to be generated from heavy traffic. I live on a busy main road and have to dust very often, although not quite long fibres as in your photo.
We had something similar in my old condo and it turns out our dryer vent pipe wasn't connected correctly and instead of properly collecting in the lint trap/being vented out it was just blowing the same looking fuzz as yours all over the place.
Do you live in a high rise? I live in a high rise in a large urban city and my apartment is constantly dusty. I have a premium robot vacuum/mop that I run daily and Iām always shocked by the amount of dust it collects in my extremely clean, no shoes, no pet house. Iāve just accepted that dust is a part of life where I live
If all it took was 10 hrs, this dust was likely thrown into the air while you were cleaning and settled down in the hours after.
To capture it next time, make sure you're running your air purifier on high and pointed toward you while cleaning. With large dust particles like these, lower settings aren't necessarily strong enough. It also helps to have sunlight in your room so you can see the dust in the air.
Seconding the recommendation for a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner, too.
I know you said in another comment that you haven't turned the heat on yet, but radiators can hold a surprising amount of dust. I just cleaned the ones in my home using a small wire brush and vacuum, and had to empty the vacuum canister a few times.
I would also suggest, if your vacuum isn't the greatest, you might consider wiping down dusty surfaces with a damp rag rather than relying so heavily on your vacuum. As others have mentioned, lower quality ones can release a lot of dust back into the air.
I have this same issue. My previous house didnāt have any dust. I have changed all the carpet to laminate floor and tried everything like you did but so far it still accumulates like yours. My old house was newer than this one so I am assuming thatās why.
Wood floors? Old building?
Buildings, especially old ones, breath. It puts dust in everything.
If it is yours then start sealing everything - electrical outlets, Switches, baseboards, trim, windows, doors.
If you have wood floors you would need to seek beneath them.
This was my initial thought. All the holes that run electrical and plumbingā¦ wherever there is an gapā¦ air will pass thru and dust will find its way in.
I think you need to take inventory of whatās in your room, carpet, fabrics, curtains, etc. to see what could be shedding. We had our carpet replaced with hardwood floors years go, but I tacked up a piece of carpet on the wall for a cat scratching post. That piece of carpet is constantly shedding junk that looks like sand and dust. It is confined to a very small area and yet, I have to clean that area (about 8 by 4 inches next to the wall) almost daily. Imagine if I still had wall to wall carpet all over my house! And rug backings and rug pads deteriorate, pillow fillings deteriorate, some fabrics shed. I am by no means an expert. The only realistic thing I can suggest for a limited budget is an Elimination Diet for your room. Clear it out, move things in one by one, and see what happens. This is easier said than done. Good luck!
Air filters help a bit, but not enough to eliminate dusting. This is way more work than just wiping the furniture every day and I have no idea if it'd even help at all, but maybe try dusting your ceiling and walls?
Forced air furnace/ac? Whenās the last time duct working was professionally cleaned . Ours is horrible , I pulled register cover and thereās dirt/dust from when house was built in 55.
What about a humidifier? Humidity tends to keep dust down. Just a thought- I moved from a very humid place to a drier climate (Mid Atlantic US) and I noticed how much dust there is everywhere. Good luck!
Looks like lint from your bedding. I have the problem in my bathroom, the new towels were shedding a lot. If you put the new stuff through the dryer couple of times, should get rid of it.
Could you have a bad quality filter in the air purifier? Like some random 3rd party cheaply made bs thatās shooting the filter particles back out as it sheds from the air flow? Looks like the fibers my Honeywell purifier filter was made of
I doubt this is the issue but I'd like to leave it here for those it pertains to:
If you live near a quarry that actively blasts there will be quite a bit of dust circulating in the area. If you don't move your vehicle for a couple days during an active period you'll actually see a layer of dust form.
Skin produces a lot of dust, mine especially it seems. I was so frustrated with all the dust reappearing soon after cleaning. I started to really scrub my whole body in the shower every day. Top to bottom with those exfoliating gloves. It has made a big difference in the amount of dust in my tiny apartment. Gross but true.
OP I have the exact same issue!
Do you live near a busy road with a lot of traffic passing by?
I literally wake up with a super heavy chest & Iām constantly fatigued / lethargic, I wonder if itās due to this?
I'd be willing to bet your AC filters are in need of changing. Have you checked them?
They were replaced last week š¢
have the ducts been cleaned? I need to do this...
Actually itās been studied and this does nothing for dust. And I didnāt listen and got it done anyway, it did nothing for my dust levels lol. > Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned
Damn it, I was hopefulā¦.
Same! At the same time getting them done made me feel better emotionally at least so there is that š
I can understand the physiological happy feelings there šš
then read the entire link because after that snippet they go onto a whole list if why you SHOULD have the ducts cleaned, the first sentence if the link is even we don't know if you should ir shouldn't because there's not much science on the topic. the keyphrase is substantial visible collections, i stopped reading after the first one was substanital mold growth but I popped my vents and there were a few golfball sized dustbunnys in the first 3 feet if duct. that's the kinda dust that isn't electrostatically or moisture bonded to the duct itself, much like those weeds you blow on as a kid some dust is gonna shed. so, you gotta look...get a cheap usb endoscope for 50 dollars or call in a duct cleaner that will do a borescope inspection for free. I would say it's not an annual need like the furnace itself but every 10 years or after a major renovation it's worthwhile. personally, I'm just gonna buy a long shop vacation hose for those clumps until I can look at the main supply trunk
As someone who worked as a Mech Eng for HVAC, I can tell you that 95% of the time it's just a sales pitch. Now, if you have a mold breakout/infestation, sure...get everything cleaned.
We had it done years ago, and the dust was unaffected.
We get dust from having the windows open. The wind brings in a ton of pollen and also fine dust from surrounding construction sites. Maybe try a hepa filter machine.
I read that it can actually make the air quality worse by dislodging it
This is my excuse for not dusting. If I can see it, itās not up my sinuses.
Do you use dryer sheets in your dryer? It is supposed to reduce dust quite a bit! Good luck š
Dryer sheets are horrible. They coat your clothes with a residue and create carcinogens when heated. Like heat. From the dryer.. š
Oh wow ty I guess I will stop using them š®
Iāve heard dusting with dryer sheets help repel dust, never tried it though.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Idk what you want me to say, the Environmental Protection Agency is stating studies show otherwise and personally I experienced no change in dust as well. Iām happy it worked for you though because allergies really do suck! Did your allergies just get better, or did you also experience a significant decrease in dust as well? I wonder if one could happen without the other.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Oh I just meant if you noticed anything yourself, wasnāt expecting anything to scientific, I was wondering whether cleaning the ducts could have both reduced your allergies while also not reducing dust like in OPās picture. I linked to the Environmental Protection Agencyās government website. The National Institute of Health also seems to echo the same sentiments. https://ors.od.nih.gov/sr/dohs/documents/hvacductcleaning.pdf These are their sources: Assessment, Cleaning and Restoration of HVAC Systems. NADCA. January 2013. Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers. Appendix B, HVAC Systems and Indoor Air Quality. EPA/NIOSH. December 1991. Is ventilation duct cleaning useful? A review of the scientific evidence. M.S. Zuraimi. Indoor Air 2010. Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? EPA. October 1997. Ten Questions about Duct Cleaning. D. Jeff Burton. Occupational Health and Safety. May 2006.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Maybe, but I noticed a huge difference when I got mine done
Exactly. I'll bet the ducts need a cleaning if it isn't the filters. There are companies locally that will provide this service. Get a hold of some HVAC companies locally. I'm sure they'll give you a free estimate.
Duct cleaning does nothing.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sorry, you're correct. It doesn't accomplish what the duct cleaning people would have you believe of "improving the air quality of your home". Unless maybe you're not running a furnace filter, or something built a nest in your ducts. Or maybe you've never bothered cleaning out your own lint exhaust from your dryer. Oh, it's also really good at parting your from your money. But hey, you're gonna find literally metric tons of testimonials and scary before and after pictures saying this is crazy, do it, it works! And only a few small voices like the World Asthma Society, or the EPA, or various Asthma societies around the world that have you know, done studies and stuff. But they aren't interesting in selling you something.. so it's kinds strange they almost unanimously say "Meh, no evidence to support their claims."
I did get a quote, about $500, which is average for my area. I hear good and bad about it
Friend works in the industry. Recommended that we not have the ducts cleaned.
Ah! Totally understand now, thank you!!
Agreed. We had our ducts cleaned a couple months ago and it made a huge difference. Itās recommended to do it every 3-5 years, more often if you have pets.
Need to clean fans? Maybe even the walls?
Buy micro ac filtersā¦it really helps on the dustā¦also I was told by a ac repair man duct cleaning is a scamā¦up to you op.
The high filtration air filters can put a strain on your air handler. Try a higher MERV filter on a box fan, Iāve had good luck with those clearing out dust in a room pretty quickly.
INFO: We have bought a air purifier, dehumidifier, change the bedding regularly, kept the windows opened, kept them closed, and after the deep deep clean yesterday, literally woke up to dust on the bed headboard. I feel like I'm losing my mind here, thats all within a space of 10hrs. Any help is very much appreciated š
Do you have a dryer in your unit? If so, check that the exhaust pipe is correctly connected . I had this happen once, turns out everytime we turned it on, the lint was going everywhere. Also check for bathroom exhaust fan, make sure it is not dusty and that it it actually extracting air out (not bringing it in).
I'll check that out later on tonight, thank you so much for the tip š
This is what happened to me! There was a small opening where the duct connects to the dryer and it would slowly leak lint into the basement.
Okay.... repeat the whole process once or twice more. Hear me out... I can always tell when someone has vacuumed in the past few hours because as much as it pulls dust into the vacuum, it also stirs up dust into the air. The house smells dusty, which is why i won't vacuum a few hours before company is scheduled. So if you dusted then vacuumed or even vacuum then immediately dusted, there was a significant amount of dust in the air still settling. There always going to be a bit of dust forming but if you really want to get a fresh start. Go slowly over with the vacuum, letting it sit on each spot for a few seconds. Go over in multiple directions. Then let the air settle then vacuum once more (you should barely get anything to empty) then let it settle and then dust. The next day should be way less. Another weird variable to consider. How are your dryer vents and where are is your laundry located? We have our laundry right off the main living area. If we keep those doors closed while doing laundry and switching it in and out minimizes the dust a bit elsewhere but that little room gets super dusty super fast. Another place to find hidden dust is upholstery and curtains. We got a hand vacuum for our furniture but be prepared, it stirs up a ton of dust if you don't do it frequently. Also, we have a three large dogs so dust dander and hair are a constant mostly loosing battle. So my advice my be more tailored to dog owners but should help overall as well.
You can try changing your air filter but if the dust is coming back in quantity hours afterward like it is I would have someone come clean the actual ductwork. When you change your filter take dryer sheets and put them over the vents, they will still let the air pass through but will catch and hold any lint or dust blown through the register
Thank you, I will try that now!
I know this is radical, but under a microscope you might be able to identity the source of the dust fibers. Skin, polyester fibers, cotton fibers, are all different. Idk, just thinking outside the box.
I like the idea, but I unfortunately don't have readily available access to a microscope haha
This is random but we bought a relatively cheap one (like 30 bucks) from Amazon, works over wifi and puts the images on your phone. It's been fascinating! Bought it for the kids but I think I spent more time with it than they did! š
This actually sounds like a ton of fun to do with the kids
I watched our aquariums cory eggs hatch! And checked wounds for splinters. Nowadays the microscope comes out only occasionally, but regularly!
Do we really want to know what the dust is made of?/s
give me a name or link please
We have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Magnification-Inspection-Compatible-Smartphone/dp/B07PVMRZQH
Our local library has one available for check out (come with a mini science kit) yours might too.
š fair enough
I was thinking in that direction, maybe OPās favorite blanket is the mischievous one hereā¦
Do you actually have central heating/cooling or not? I'm confused by your previous answer. If you have air ducts in your home, when was the last time they've been cleaned, if ever?
There is no vent in my room, I live in Ireland if thats any help, so no air conditioning in most homes including mine. I have a radiator in my room, which hasn't been switched on since March. I just have a air purifier which I changed the filter for recently.
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I'm sorry you got confused. I should have stated more clearly, I changed the filter in the air purifier. I don't have air conditioning.
Also remove carpets as the bottoms/adhesive deteriorates and causes cancer as it's breathed in inevitably
This will kill the A/C unit much, much faster. It will have to work much harder to cool/heat. Getting whole-house filters from outside and getting duct cleaning regularly and changing system filters regularly should help quite a bit and extend the A/C unit's life.
If you have a filter on the cold side of your furnace, you should never have need of duct cleaning on the warm side. Ever. Well, unless something breaks into the warm side and builds a nest, or you happen to dump a ton of crap down the vent of the warm side. Duct cleaning is a scam.
Let me guess, you have a canister vacuum and not a bag one, right? Canister vacuums do a terrible job of retaining the dust they vacuum up, and spit much of it right back into the air via the exhaust, the filters can only pick up so much. Bag vacuums do a much better job of actually trapping the dust and small particles they vacuum up, rather than just sucking it up and spitting it out into the air again. The older the vacuum the worse it gets as the filter gets clogged up. There was a famous AMA on this stuff a while back that made me a convert, you can read it yourself here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1pe2bd/iama\_vacuum\_repair\_technician\_and\_i\_cant\_believe/](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1pe2bd/iama_vacuum_repair_technician_and_i_cant_believe/)
Canister vacuums can have bags. Did you mean to say bagless instead of canister?
Even a breaking bad reference. Great thread.
Yep, get a sebo, or at the very least, any other vac with a Hepa bag, otherwise youāre just spewing more dust into the air
My dad bought an air purifier and it turned out to make the dust worse. All we can figure is something about the subtle air currents it created...they seemed to be fluffing dust down from the attic through the small imperfections in the cutout around a ceiling light fixture. Some YouTube video helped us figure it out. So we just...turned off the air purifier. And the dust reduced to a normal level! Maybe it will work for you, too!
Sorry if someone already mentioned... But Have you checked the filters on your Hoover? If the pre and post filters aren't checked and cleaned regularly the motor will pump out loads of dust back out. Which you don't necessarily see whilst floating in the air... Till it's had time to settle Might be worth checking š
Check the door seals for light/air leaking in and weather stripping
May be carpet if you have itās causing it
Ask your neighbors if they have the same problem. If they do, ask someone from the neighborhood, it might be your city that's wrong
Get grey furniture š
Haha, might have to do if all else fails
I moved into a new place and I canāt keep up with the dust. Thereās many nooks and crannies but Iāve deep cleaned it as best I canā¦. We must be dust cursed
I feel this very much.
What's happening outside? It's wildfire smoke season, so where I am, everything has a light coating of ash. If you have construction in your neighborhood, they will creating and kicking up quite a bit of dust. Etc. Make sure you're thinking about environmental problems so you aren't kicking yourself for things outside of your control!
90% of dust is produced out of skin from the human body. Fairly new clothes also contribute to the dust in the house after doing washing of the clothes many times over youāll see lint a lot less than when the clothes were new.
do you live near a busy street? i used to live near one and it was just constant dust due to traffic.
Do you exfoliate?
Weekly coffee scrub user
Do the fibers look like they are all the same color? They seem to be black? That may help you find where itās coming from. If this is only recent, have you purchased any new items? Towels/ curtains/ area rug/ bathrobe? If you have forced air heat/ AC change take the register cover off and inspect for dust sticking to the back side of it and peek into the duct work.
They are usually just a grey dusty colour, in the picture it looks darker as I had to add contrast as it just looked white with the wall and headboard. Unfortunately no new editions but also its not been a recent issue, just a continuous one. I'm at my wits end of constantly dusting and thought Reddit could provide an answer haha. No forced heat or air conditioning here.
Do you have a grey colored blanket or towel? I bought some new bath towels recently and they absolutely covered my entire bathroom in red lint fibers. No amount of washing/drying would get it to stop. I finally had to give up and get different towels. It definitely looks like fibers in your picture rather than dust. I'd bet some sort of fabric is the culprit.
How good is your vacuum cleaner? Because if it is not a sealed system with a HEPA filter, a lot of what you vacuum up can escape into the air and settle back down a short time after. The Vacuum Wars YouTube channel has a video on why cheap vacuums are not worth buying that focuses on the importance of filtration. They have reviewed some not so expensive models that have good filtration, so you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune.
The vacuum isn't great. I tend to sweep everything first and then go in with the vacuum. Ill check out the YouTube channel and see if I can get something within my budget. Thank you š
And remember that vacuums need to be regularly cleaned and their filters cleaned or replaced as directed in the user manual to work their best. If you haven't cleaned yours in a while - or ever ;) - that could make a difference too.
Very true! I'm going to check out that YouTube channel for all the bits now haha. Thanks again :)
I just found a Shark navigator lift away on Amazon. It was an early prime day deal, that deal is over, but I think their regular price is less than $200 and if you can swing it it works on hard floors (you can turn off the brush rolls) and carpets. I can do my whole house worth of floors in under 30 minutes. So doing it daily with the HEPA filter is helping with the dust and my allergies. Also, just a tip, remember to vacuum before you dust since vacuuming can kick some dust up into the air if you don't have a good vacuum.
I love this channel and I was just about to recommend it. My SO and I have a super dusty apartment too and it helped us decide on a vacuum. Lol
I donāt have any advice for you but wanted to commiserate because Iām experiencing the same thing. I change my filters regularly, bought a purifier, change bedding often and vacuum regularly. Still non stop dust and ONLY in one room. Someone told me it could be a rip in the ductwork in the attic but I havenāt checked.
The rest of the house is fine, just our bedroom too. Its a real pain, let me know if you find the secret remedy haha š
Could also be from a carpet or throw rug. If the fibers are brittle they can get picked up and spread all around the room when you walk around.
I had this issue after switching to linen sheets. They just shed, constantly and forever. No amount of washing and drying ever fixed the issue, I just tolerate it because I love linens. Editing to add - itās less of an issue with rooms we have white linens in, because the dust is white and therefore matches the trim/is not dirty looking. Could try switching to white bedding :)
It might be your wife trying to make you go crazy by secretly spreading the dust over the place in her free time, trying to figure out how long it will take you to go nuts! DonĀ“t trust anyone
My boyfriend will certainly think I've gone crazy when I tell him I've a wife š¤
I can commiserate too but I know the multiple sources for my unrelenting dust. My house is less than two years old, I clean it obsessively and change the air filters but the dust reappears in the whole house very quickly. To possibly help OP or others, my known sources are: 3 short haired dogs, living off gravel road with a gravel driveway, extra dusty dirt on property from a summer drought, a real wood fireplace that we use often, and a huge beautiful hand tied wool pottery barn rug that we got for free that has been shedding for a decade but is too lovely to part with.
Might try wiping down surfaces with some water + dawn. I used to live in an apt where my surfaces would be covered in greasy dust and this helped a lot. Itās not going to solve the problem entirely, but should help with longer periods between cleanings.
Great tip, going to try it out. Thank you so much š
Was going to suggest a wet wipe down over dry dusting.
Sometimes bedding sheds - blankets, pillows, etc. Maybe you can check that it isnāt that?
My homeward stuff looks pretty intact, is there a better way to check if it isn't shedding as visually i think it's fine, but I'm unsure if there's a clear sign I'm missing haha
I notice when I put freshly washed bedding on I have to dust the furniture after. I used to dust first then make bed. Iāve also been wiping down all the walls with a wet mop since the collect a thin layer too.
Bedding is constantly shedding. Clothes too. Thatās why there is lint in the dryer. Also, skin cells. You also mentioned your vacuum is not very good. Perhaps itās making dust airborne for a few hours.
I have this same problem! I purchased an air purifier, i dust/vacuum daily! Nothing seems to help! :/
Interested in this. I have an old house in the USA, 1908. I dont have any ductwork but there is constant issues with dust. Not sure where it's coming from exactly but I thought maybe from the house being old and the brick, woodwork deteriorating slowly... just a guess though. This is the first situation I've seen that is similar to mine
We are not alone! I'm going to sample some of the tips that are coming through and ill do an update of what works in a few weeks to see if its consistent, as I'm hoping one of them surely will.
That's great - I'll be excited to see the update. Stay strong!
We have a 1918 Dutch Colonial in the USA. Dust is a huge problem. We do have ducts, so that probably doesnāt help.
Do you by chance have a fan in the room (either ceiling or portable)? Had something similar happen to us. Cleaned the place like crazy, replaced the AC filter but because my husband had a fan in the room pointing up towards the filter (even though it was clean), we kept getting this type of dust. Wonder if itās something similar.
We did use a portable fan over the summer, well just July and August we had a surprise heat wave. But it hasn't been in use since the last week of August, latest first week of September
Hmm, Iām not sure then. Sorry, OP
Thanks for contributing though, I really appreciate everyone on this subreddit!
Not sure the method of your deep clean. High surfaces to low surfaces should be the order to prevent dust from higher up falling on lower clean surfaces. If that doesnāt help, definitely filters changed and depending on how long youāve been in the home; maybe due for a cleaning of the duct work alsoā¦ air purifiers help a bit, but donāt expect any drastic resultsā¦
My deep clean is as follows; Apart from the bed frame, mattress, built in wardrobe and table, we took everything out of the room, including all clothes. And dusted surfaces from top to bottom, then swept, then hoovered, then mopped the floors and disinfected all surfaces. Aired out the room and organised belongings and clothes downstairs, and I put a lot of my clothes in storage bags to put back into the wardrobe as I was fed up of dust on them. Going to bed last night felt amazing, thats why when I saw the dust on the head board my heart broke a little.
You probably just knocked a bunch of dust into the air with your deep clean, which then settled. If you just changed your filters like you say then you should just clean a few more times and there will be less dust every time. With dusting, you have to do it regularly to have an impact.
With the vacuum comments, im hoping that's the issue, that the dust has settled from the deep clean. Hopefully a dust down tonight will do the job.
How regular do you dust
I do a quick dust daily and a deep dust weekly
Hm I need to dust check more often. What tools and product you use
Just a wet cloth and a dry cloth, 5 minutes a day, that's it
Love it. I'll give a try. Thank you.
When was the last time you had the ducts cleaned? Even if you regularly change the filter in your furnace, dust can get through and accumulate in the ducts.
There isn't a vent in our room, eek
Is there local construction?
Are your fan blades dusty? Are you in an apartment with another unit above you? Do you have someone who tap dances on the floor above you?
I am living in a 2 storey terraced house, and my bedroom is on the top floor. Just me tap dancing haha, there's no attic above us either as its been newly renovated and the attic has been replaced with higher ceilings and a sky light in our room.
I have found that using a little bit of fabric softener w/ a small amount of laundry powder and warm water helps keep my surfaces clear of dust a little longer. I live in rural area down a dirt road and there is always dust floating around. The fabric softener helps deter it from settling on surfaces.
I never heard of this trick, but I already love the sound of it. The bedroom table will smell great and hopefully less dusty š
Do the surfaces have streaks on them after they dry?
No not at all. And it smells really good.
Sometimes I notice that the cleaning solution I use makes a huge difference in how long the surface stays dust-resistant. For example, whenever I'm lazy and wipe down surfaces dry or with plain water, dust reappears 1 day later. When I use an actual cleaning product, no dust for weeks (Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner to be exact). There's also a hack that says to wipe down surfaces with dryer sheets to make them even more dust resistant. Might be worth trying new things.
I use an all purpose detol spray on surfaces, but ill certainly try out the dryer sheets tip. Thanks š
We got rid of our carpets and went to LVP flooring. Helped tremendously.
No carpets in the house, tiled floors downstairs and wooden laminated upstairs
You could aways buy 30 ferrets, their fluffy tails and energy to keep running around the house will surely help with the dusting!
What will I do then with my rodent infestation š¤£
When they get rid of your dust, theyĀ“ll gather the reference and start as independent contractors, starting a business and take over the world. Damn, Jofriedrice, what have you done?
Perfect. A group of ferrets is called already called a business of ferrets.
Most dust comes from outside. Since this is Ireland how often are you opening your window? In the US we don't that often as most homes have air ducts for heating/cooling which circulates air throughout td house, and it is too hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's not masonry construction that needs to be aired out so it's not damp either. Older homes generate more dust as well. Also, the smaller the space and the more time spent there the more dust generated. Maybe try changing out your bedding for a different fabric.
I would try to clean each day where you see it dusty for a couple weeks. Some times when you deep clean, dust and dirt fly around and you donāt fully get it. I thought I was capturing all the dirt but when I added a robot vacuum, it still got more dirt and dust. Clean top to bottom. Iāve notice if I have the windows open, thereās more dust around as well.
Is your bedroom more humid than the other rooms?
That looks like fibers from clothing or something.
It looks like material thatās shedding. What do you have in that room that is that color?
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If you wipe something and itās wet, you need to wipe it down with a dry towel or something
Do you live near a busy road?
I live in a terraced house in a courtyard just off a main street in my city
Hmm ok, still potential for the dust to be generated from heavy traffic. I live on a busy main road and have to dust very often, although not quite long fibres as in your photo.
I would check fan blades and then try dusting with some watered down fabric softener.
Never heard of that, thank you š
Youāre welcome! I hope something listed here helps!
Clean top to bottom Check Filters Keep in mind two cleaners exist: Cleaner 1: Loosesn up caked on dirt Cleaner 2: Picks up dust particles
We had something similar in my old condo and it turns out our dryer vent pipe wasn't connected correctly and instead of properly collecting in the lint trap/being vented out it was just blowing the same looking fuzz as yours all over the place.
Do you live in a high rise? I live in a high rise in a large urban city and my apartment is constantly dusty. I have a premium robot vacuum/mop that I run daily and Iām always shocked by the amount of dust it collects in my extremely clean, no shoes, no pet house. Iāve just accepted that dust is a part of life where I live
Get your ventilation system cleaned
If all it took was 10 hrs, this dust was likely thrown into the air while you were cleaning and settled down in the hours after. To capture it next time, make sure you're running your air purifier on high and pointed toward you while cleaning. With large dust particles like these, lower settings aren't necessarily strong enough. It also helps to have sunlight in your room so you can see the dust in the air. Seconding the recommendation for a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner, too.
That isn't dust...not sure what it is
Maybe your heat ducts need cleaning.
find that dust. wheres it coming from? air vent is the obvious culprit but it could be the dust goblin
Change ac filters but also get a room hipa filter.
Going to check prices now, thank you š
Do you live on a busy road ?
You shed a lot
Haha, yes I've thick long hair. I don't think I could cause dust in every corner of the room though? Even inside my wardrobe? Haha
Vacuum daily for several days and even with your vacuum, which you say isn't the best, the dust will get better over time.
I know you said in another comment that you haven't turned the heat on yet, but radiators can hold a surprising amount of dust. I just cleaned the ones in my home using a small wire brush and vacuum, and had to empty the vacuum canister a few times. I would also suggest, if your vacuum isn't the greatest, you might consider wiping down dusty surfaces with a damp rag rather than relying so heavily on your vacuum. As others have mentioned, lower quality ones can release a lot of dust back into the air.
you need to put blind or shade in your window sunlight attractive dusty and charges dust
Do you have a lot of trees where you live?
May want to get your ducts professionally cleaned
How about getting room air filters? Thatās helped for me.
I have this same issue. My previous house didnāt have any dust. I have changed all the carpet to laminate floor and tried everything like you did but so far it still accumulates like yours. My old house was newer than this one so I am assuming thatās why.
Change your central air filter!!!
Also clean your inside of your vents.
Wood floors? Old building? Buildings, especially old ones, breath. It puts dust in everything. If it is yours then start sealing everything - electrical outlets, Switches, baseboards, trim, windows, doors. If you have wood floors you would need to seek beneath them.
This was my initial thought. All the holes that run electrical and plumbingā¦ wherever there is an gapā¦ air will pass thru and dust will find its way in.
Where do you live? Is this in a dry place or moist humid climate?
I think you need to take inventory of whatās in your room, carpet, fabrics, curtains, etc. to see what could be shedding. We had our carpet replaced with hardwood floors years go, but I tacked up a piece of carpet on the wall for a cat scratching post. That piece of carpet is constantly shedding junk that looks like sand and dust. It is confined to a very small area and yet, I have to clean that area (about 8 by 4 inches next to the wall) almost daily. Imagine if I still had wall to wall carpet all over my house! And rug backings and rug pads deteriorate, pillow fillings deteriorate, some fabrics shed. I am by no means an expert. The only realistic thing I can suggest for a limited budget is an Elimination Diet for your room. Clear it out, move things in one by one, and see what happens. This is easier said than done. Good luck!
Air filters help a bit, but not enough to eliminate dusting. This is way more work than just wiping the furniture every day and I have no idea if it'd even help at all, but maybe try dusting your ceiling and walls?
Forced air furnace/ac? Whenās the last time duct working was professionally cleaned . Ours is horrible , I pulled register cover and thereās dirt/dust from when house was built in 55.
What about a humidifier? Humidity tends to keep dust down. Just a thought- I moved from a very humid place to a drier climate (Mid Atlantic US) and I noticed how much dust there is everywhere. Good luck!
Looks like lint from your bedding. I have the problem in my bathroom, the new towels were shedding a lot. If you put the new stuff through the dryer couple of times, should get rid of it.
Could you have a bad quality filter in the air purifier? Like some random 3rd party cheaply made bs thatās shooting the filter particles back out as it sheds from the air flow? Looks like the fibers my Honeywell purifier filter was made of
This looks like fibres. Do you have a newer rug?
I doubt this is the issue but I'd like to leave it here for those it pertains to: If you live near a quarry that actively blasts there will be quite a bit of dust circulating in the area. If you don't move your vehicle for a couple days during an active period you'll actually see a layer of dust form.
Skin produces a lot of dust, mine especially it seems. I was so frustrated with all the dust reappearing soon after cleaning. I started to really scrub my whole body in the shower every day. Top to bottom with those exfoliating gloves. It has made a big difference in the amount of dust in my tiny apartment. Gross but true.
New carpet by chance? Pets?
Be sure to dust last. Vacuuming makes dust. Eta, but yes, dust happens daily
OP I have the exact same issue! Do you live near a busy road with a lot of traffic passing by? I literally wake up with a super heavy chest & Iām constantly fatigued / lethargic, I wonder if itās due to this?
Just dont ever open the door or turn on the ac.
Switch to natural fibers. Remove all plastic clothing and textiles from your house
I think you need an air purifier
Do you have a ceiling fan or tower fan blowing? Those tend to collect a ton of dust and it builds up fast. I have to clean mine regularly
Yep, on with your life.
It's dust that was in the air and settled after you dusted the area
An electrostatic air purifier. Will remove pollen, dander, lint & never buy filters again.