As the weather starts to warm up, everyone is tempted to open the windows and let in some fresh air. But did you know that opening windows can increase the amount of dust in your home?
TIP: Say goodbye to household dust for good! Learn about why my house is so dusty and how to fix it
Does opening windows reduce dust? Opening windows does not reduce dust. It allows dust particles to enter your home due to mold spores, pollen, sand, dirt, and even fragments of insects like mites and flies. All these sources can increase particulate matter or PM2.5 – matter that measures 2.5 micrometers or less.
Does Opening Windows Help with Allergies?
For people suffering from seasonal allergies due to pollen or other allergens, the answer is not so clear cut. For most types of seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, opening your windows will actually make the symptoms worse by letting in high concentrations of pollen and other airborne triggers.
By opening windows during a hot humid day, you are increased the likelihood of dust mites. They will flourish causing allergy symptoms like sneezing, coughing and watery eyes.
Also, be mindful that depending on how polluted your city’s outdoor air is, you might be bringing in more harmful particulates than you’re getting rid of things like mold spores, dust particles due to pollution or vehicle exhaust fumes being just some examples of what could enter your home through an open window!
Depending on where you live and the current weather conditions outside it might not do much for reducing allergens indoors at all.
How to Prevent Dust from Entering from the Outside
The best way to keep dust from entering your home from the outside is by simply keeping your windows closed. This should reduce any potential pollution sources as well as allergens making their way indoors.
However, if you live in an area with heavy pollution or near busy streets, you might want to invest in an excellent quality air purifier that works best close to windows or screens. Not only will this help remove allergens and pollutants, but it will also help improve indoor air quality during freezing weather too.
If you’re looking for more natural ways to filter out outdoor dust particles, consider adding plants to windowsills or balconies. Certain varieties such as climbers like money tree or ivy are great at trapping dust particles from outside and can also act as an extra layer of defense against pollen and other airborne triggers found outdoors.
Where does Dust come from when the Windows are Closed
One of the most common sources of dust indoors is through tiny cracks around windows and doors. This can also be due to gaps in caulk or weatherstripping around window frames. Additionally, dirt from shoes and pet paws can quickly spread throughout your home and stir up particles that settle on surfaces or linger in the air.
People who smoke indoors can also create a lot of extra dust too. The tobacco smoke itself can leave behind a sticky residue which will attract more particles to it over time due to gravity. Additionally, anything that gets crushed like materials or fibers from carpeting can create further dust problems if these materials become airborne.
Finally, some types of dust come from biological sources – such as dead skin cells or pet dander – both of which are inevitable in any indoor environment with people or pets living there!
Housework projects such as sweeping floors can also cause an increase in what’s known as housekeeping dust – bits of drywall and other fine debris that’s not always visible or doesn’t settle quickly enough to keep in check.
