Where Does All the Dust Come From?

Today one of my clients mentioned have recurring dust issues in her home.  I have had those issues too and it takes some detective work to get it under control. It's a constant battle that I am beginning to conquer.  

Before I replaced my leaky vacuum cleaner, the day after I dusted the dust had returned.  Even now I find that whenever I've been moving things around, bringing in new items (like Christmas decorations from the garage), or doing laundry (using the dryer and folding clothes), that more dust shows up on my glass tables, etc. We don't open our windows very often because we do live near a high traffic area but
just coming in from the driveway can bring in some road dust, especially when the central air is doing it's job pulling air into the system.  

Regardless of the source of dust, I find that sometimes I have to change out my air conditioning filter more often than the recommended schedule of 30 days. OK, so I'm a perfectionist about this issue. I have allergies. My cleaning calendar is greatly contributing to less dust to deal with AND helping me remember to check that filter.  If you have a dusty house and suffer from allergies it might help your condition if you change your filter more often.  You can tell easily if your filter is dirty by comparing it to a new one. It isn't supposed to be visibly dirty, loaded with dust, and dark in color. If it's even a shade off of the new filter than it is time for it to go!  We don't invest in expensive filters because the temptation to use them longer than 30 days is too great.  OK, we are thrifty but we don't buy the cheapest filters either. I used to have one that was washable but it took too much of my time and I was never sure that it got clean. We now buy packages of three filters at a time.

Some cleaning tips here: A cleaner filter is going to allow your central air system to suck more dust right out of the air before it can settle elsewhere. This is KEY. Dusting your metal or plastic intake vent is important too as it can block the dust from getting into your filter. I remove the vent once a month and clean it on the floor of the tub using my shower head, a little detergent, and a soft brush. The dust (which is white colored like the intake grate and tough to see) likes to "cake" on the metal so a sponge is not effective. Perhaps all this can help you with your dust issues too.  Let your central air system work for YOU and help you keep your house cleaner!

Regarding dust from the dryer: even though ours is vented to the outside, I think we have a leak somewhere in the dryer itself (after all, it is older technology) so Nathan has been trying to find it. I am committed to replacing this dryer sometime in the New Year. It's costing me too much time chasing residual dust that I believe is escaping.  Regardless, since my allergies are less active I do feel that I am winning this battle!
Stay tuned...