Dust is fine, dry, particulate material that easily becomes airborne. Dust comes from both natural soils outside a building, and from sources within a structure. 

 

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Dust includes particles of “just about everything,” according to researcher William J. Bray. “Household dust is composed primarily of things like human skin and hair, waxes, pollen, mold, fungi, lichen, tiny particles of wood, paint, fibers from fabrics such as wool, nylon, rayon, acrylic, foam rubber, (drywall), plant and vegetable matter (and) insect parts.” It also includes paper fibers, pollution from vehicles, industrial sources, particulates emitted by oil and natural-gas furnaces and “even tiny bits of metal debris from door hinges or any place where metal and friction meet,” he says.

Large particles will settle onto surfaces relatively quickly, but finer dust and associated pollutants can stay airborne for long periods. For some individuals, this can increase the potential for developing a condition known as multiple chemical sensitivity.

Dusting is really dust removal. Successful dusting means capturing particles without allowing them to escape into the air to settle elsewhere or be inhaled by occupants. Several tools are available which do this well. Microfiber cloths capture and hold fine particles, as do chemically treated dust cloths, and even water-dampened cloths.

Some dust removal tools, such as wands made of wool or feathers are faster to use, but are less capable of holding dust as well as the cloths mentioned above. Still, they may work sufficiently well where the build-up of dust is minimal and a certain amount of dust in the air can be tolerated. Black ostrich feathers tend to be more effective than other feather dusters because their fine plumage creates an enormous surface area to hold dust, but the delicate feathers can break off easily, creating litter that must be removed. Genuine wool dusters are often better than synthetic versions at holding dust.  

Vacuum cleaners remove dust and debris from floors, of course, but it’s self-defeating to vacuum with a mediocre machine that spews fine dust back into the air. Vacuums should be judged largely by how well their filtration systems prevent this from occurring. To keep the vacuum cleaner's filtration features working well, be sure to replace the dust bag before it gets filled to capacity. Likewise, your home’s air-handling system should have sufficient filtration to remove fine dust from the indoor air it circulates.

Reference: William J. Bray, contributor, MadSci Network