What You Need to Know About Dust for Every Season
Whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall, make sure you know how dust can impact your home, health, and seasonal allergy symptoms, and what you can do about it.
This is how to keep your home dust free year-round!
Dust in the Winter
Winter is not thought of as a dust season, and it’s certainly not associated with the seasonal allergies, allergic reactions, and allergens that come in the spring. But when it comes to dust, especially house dust, mold, dust mites, and many other allergens, winter can be difficult.Winter creates a particular challenge for dealing with house dust because we are often shut in our houses, sealed away from the outdoor air. This means that as you sit in your home, there’s a good chance that you will be breathing lots of house dust particles; particles that can’t escape through open windows like they can in the spring, summer, and fall.
Heaters and furnaces can also push airborne dust that contains lint, fibers from fabrics, animal dander, pollen left over from the fall, and many other allergens, leading to allergic reactions. When there is less ventilation, these pollutants become even more concentrated.
Because you can’t open windows when the outside temperatures are frigid, you should reduce airborne dust and allergens by using air purifiers throughout the home. These appliances are important throughout the year, but they are especially important during winter when you can’t open the windows.
Be sure to change the air conditioning and heater filter often as well, as it will help reduce the amount of dust floating inside.
You should wash your bedding more often in the winter, and regularly clean with a damp mop to sweep away the dust that is tracked on the floor. Allergies to dust mites are another problem. This is another reason to wash your sheets frequently. Using warm water while washing is the best way to get rid of them.
You should also keep floor mats on the inside and outside of the home to reduce dust particles and allergens like pollen from being tracked inside.
Dust in the Spring
Spring is a particularly bad time for dust because of pollen allergies. Spring is also a time for airborne dust and allergens in the home, often caused by an increase in activity throughout the home.In some cases, spring cleaning can cause dust that has settled in the home to be stirred up and tossed into the air, causing even more allergy symptoms and issues with sneezing and coughing.
If you are already suffering from hay fever, springtime dust can be severely aggravating. All of this can lead to allergy symptoms including a runny nose.
To prevent spring dust and allergens, you should first be strategic with your spring cleaning. For example, instead of cleaning with a dry duster, always use a damp cloth. This way you will collect the dust on the cloth, whereas a duster will simply kick the dust into the air.
When the pollen levels are high, vacuum the home twice a week. While it’s great to open the windows after a long winter, you may want to consider closing them if pollen levels are high.
You should also avoid high-pollen areas if you are severely allergic, as you can collect pollen and allergens on your clothes and bring it inside, which will contribute to dust levels in your home.
Dust in the Summer
In many areas, summer is one of the driest times of the year. This means that dust can become a significant problem during the warm season, creating challenges for your health and making your home dirty and dusty. It’s not just dust on the furniture that causes allergic reactions, but dust floating in the air can also be a health concern. Houses are also closed in the summer while people run the air conditioner, trapping dust inside.In many arid western states, dust storms become a common occurrence in the summer. These are basically storms of high winds that travel across dry areas and pick up dust and sand as they go. They can eventually distribute this dust into the air and leave a layer of dust on roads, sidewalks, and cars.
Dust storms lead to reduced visibility and cause some people to breathe in dust particles, which is obviously a serious health issue. Even in areas not considered particularly dry, low moisture in the summer can create conditions that cause dust.
To prevent dust and seasonal allergies in the summer, you need to take a strategic approach.
You can start by keeping the dust out as much as possible. Keep windows and doors shut when dust or other allergens are high or a dust storm is coming. If you feel you need to open the windows, only open the side that is not exposed to the wind. For example, if the wind is coming from the West, open windows on the East side of the house.
While people won’t have jackets and heavy boots to remove, you should make sure everyone removes their shoes and sandals before they come inside to prevent tracking dust indoors.
Dust in the Fall
Spring is often seen as the peak of allergy season and hay fever, and summer is usually the most dusty, but fall certainly has its fair share of seasonal allergens. September through early December sees many culprits that lead to dust, including ragweed pollen and mold spores from decomposing leaves.Fall seems to have a little bit of everything; you’ll see dust in the early months, while the later, colder months are a lot like winter, with people sealed inside with little to no ventilation.
To have healthy indoor air and less dust in the winter, you first need a good air purifier with a high efficiency air filter. There is a wide variety of particles in the air, and nothing traps them better than a high-quality air purifier with high efficiency air filters and a strong motor.
In the fall, you’ll likely bring out clothes that have not been worn in months. Before wearing them, run them through the wash to remove any dust that may have accumulated over the past summer.
You may also take out warmer sheets and blankets, so make sure these are cleaned as well before you put them to use.
If you are raking leaves or cleaning the yard in the fall, be sure to dust off your clothes before you go inside.
Excellent Air Purifiers for Any Season
Now that you have reviewed what you need to know about dust for every season, you can prevent dust seasonal allergies, and Oransi can provide top-quality air purification. Our units use the most advanced technologies to create highly effective particle removal; the result is cleaner air for you and your home.Contact our staff today and we’ll help you choose the right air purifier for your specific needs!
