How to get rid of dust in your apartment for a long time and clean less often

Dust in the house is a problem that we face every day. Its accumulation spoils the appearance of the home, leads to allergies and other health problems. You cannot get rid of dust in your apartment forever, but there are special methods of cleaning and air purification that will help to significantly reduce its volume. These are exactly what we will talk about in our article.

Dust in the house can be found on any surface; how to deal with it, read our article

What if these are respiratory infections?

Taking into account the Covid epidemic, treating premises for respiratory infections is no less important. There are a bunch of devices that operate on the principle of a recirculation filter with simultaneous irradiation of the air being passed through with hard ultraviolet radiation in the UVC region. Such devices effectively reduce the number of viable viruses and bacteria within a radius of 4 meters around them, which is more than enough for a standard room. On the other hand, it's probably pretty pointless. The chances of avoiding complete infection are small among members of the same family, and to reduce the viral load and make the course easier, it is quite enough to regularly ventilate the room. This will reduce the number of viral particles that hang in the form of airborne aerosols in the air. Using a mask, or better yet a respirator, when in contact with a patient will also be useful.

We fight dust using modern technologies

There are a number of devices that are positioned as tools for improving the atmosphere at home. One such device is a humidifier . Simple models convert water into steam by heating, more expensive models use ultrasound.

Increasing the moisture content in the air to 50-60% reduces the likelihood of colds and leads to a slight decrease in dust concentration. However, such a remedy cannot be called effective.

A robot vacuum cleaner can be much more useful in this regard - a compact autonomous device that can clean (and even wash) the floor surface automatically. The advantage of this solution is that with such an assistant, less effort and time is spent fighting dust. The robot copes well with the task of maintaining cleanliness if you carry out general cleaning once a week.

Air washing . This device removes dust and other pollutants from the indoor atmosphere mechanically. A fan blows air into the device, where it passes through a drum that rotates in a container of water. At the same time, water retains dust, and purified and moisture-saturated air is returned to the room.

This device can be an effective tool in the fight against dust. It should be taken into account that cleaning this pollutant does not make the air fresher. You can saturate the atmosphere of the room if you open the window for ventilation, but then attempts to combat dust will be reduced to zero and each time you will have to start the fight all over again. Or the house must have high-quality ventilation, which provides a constant flow of fresh air from the street, already cleared of dust.

It is also worth knowing that by trapping dirt from the air, such sinks can become a source of biological contamination. The fact is that high humidity at room temperature is an ideal environment for the proliferation of various harmful microorganisms (including mold and mildew).

Air purifiers . This device includes a fan and a HEPA filter. During operation, the device “drives” air from the room through the filter, thereby cleaning it from internal pollutants. Unfortunately, the results of its work are immediately devalued at the first ventilation through the window - fresh air with street dust enters the room.

Recipes

Rotavirus as a gift

Okay, with everyday cleaning everything is more or less clear. What to do if we are talking about bacterial or viral contamination? Children often get sick with interesting infections, after which all their relatives, friends and relatives hug the toilet. To figure out what the right thing to do is when someone vomits at a children's party, let's take research in a hospital setting. They are the most detailed. In the hospital, it is important not to drag the pathogen from one patient who is bleeding Vibrio cholerae to another who is still only coughing. There is just an interesting study with a very detailed simulation of vomit of various viscosities and splashes, followed by cleaning. Each participant was given the task of clearing a room simulating a medical facility of induced vomit. They approached the creation of vomit masses creatively and made several sets of different viscosities from protein mass, water, sodium phosphate and the fluorescent dye fluorescein. After the experiment, they assessed how much the participants and the room glowed in ultraviolet light. If the participant ended up smearing the dye all over himself and the entire room, then the result was considered unsatisfactory. The result showed that washing with traditional rags is a bad idea. Paper towels showed the lowest level of contamination of themselves and surrounding surfaces. Therefore, if you are suddenly faced with a similar situation, the best option would be to put on gloves, throw paper towels over everything, wipe it down and throw it away. Of course, simply wiping will not harm the same rotavirus. Professional disinfectants are usually not available at home, but the simplest, cheapest and most effective option is a powerful chlorine-based oxidizer. An aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite is most often sold under the brand name “Belizna” in any supermarket. Any organic matter is instantly oxidized by it. If you work with chlorine-containing products, do not forget about safety. In concentrated form, they can cause burns to the skin and cornea. Combinations of sodium hypochlorite and alkali such as potassium hydroxide are often sold. For disinfection needs they are completely unnecessary. If regular hypochlorite eventually breaks down into water, table salt and volatile chlorine, then the sodium hydroxide will remain on the floor and will have to be washed off or neutralized. Also, never try to mix sodium hypochlorite with acids. As a result of the reaction, you will instantly receive a lot of chlorine gas, which can cause burns to the mucous membranes and lung tissue. You should also take care of your hands if you work with aggressive chemicals. At a minimum, the use of gloves is mandatory. If you are allergic to latex, take nitrile ones. If you work without gloves with detergent surfactants, then it is highly advisable to apply protective agents before starting work to reduce the risks of contact dermatitis and skin injury. The same Ceramide SkinSaver is perfect for this task, even if you are not atopic. A barrier of oils with ceramides will work equally well on normal skin. Or look for something similar from the range for people with atopic dermatitis. The traditional option of wiping surfaces with a dilute hypochlorite solution is safe and effective even when used in hospitals, according to meta-analyses like this study. At home it will be more than enough.

How to deal with dust?

To get rid of dust in your apartment for a long time, you need a set of measures.

Step one is to get rid of the “dust collectors” . In the interior of most apartments there are things that absorb dust particles: these are soft toys, fabric curtains, books on open shelves and other objects.

Separately, it is worth mentioning carpets (especially long-pile ones) and rugs. Every time you step on the carpet, a micro-cloud of dust rises into the air. If you remove the “dust collectors”, then this pollutant will simply have nowhere to accumulate - an open space, without the listed things and excess furniture, will allow you to achieve maximum cleanliness when cleaning.

Don't forget about the role of bed linen and curtains. Feather and down pillows not only collect dust, but are also ideal breeding grounds for dust mites. It is better to replace them with padding polyester, latex or bamboo. Regular washing and steaming of fabric curtains and covers for upholstered furniture will significantly reduce the dust content in the air. It is also recommended to use antistatic furniture spray.

Regular wet cleaning . It must be said that during the cleaning process only settled particles are removed, and it does not affect the mechanism of dust reproduction itself. Despite this, it is the most economical, simple and effective way to combat dust. Another point - the more people and pets live in the apartment, the more often you need to do wet cleaning (at least twice a week).

An important point - during the cleaning process you need to pay special attention to hard-to-reach places - the space under the bed, behind the refrigerator, electric stove, sofa and other furniture. It is in these places that the largest amount of dust accumulates.

It is recommended to store seasonal clothing in vacuum bags. They not only protect it from dust settling, but also save space in the closet. When air is removed, the bag decreases in volume by 3-4 times.

Use of modern household appliances . Vacuum cleaners with fabric containers are obsolete today. Even after cleaning, enough dust remains in the dust bag, and when you turn on the vacuum cleaner, it scatters around the apartment again.

If you are serious about putting your house in order, then it is worth replacing such a vacuum cleaner with a more modern model, in which a container with water is installed instead of a bag. The dirt that is sucked goes directly into the water, and after cleaning the water is poured out. The cost of “water” vacuum cleaners (as opposed to detergent ones) differs slightly from the cost of models with fabric bags.

Timely care of animals . It's simple here - the more often you bathe and brush your pets, the fewer particles of their fur will get into the air you breathe.

Air purifiers for home: top 10

The table shows the most popular models of air purifiers, according to customer reviews.

Air humidifier benefits and harms, how to choose a reliable device. Read our article on how to make a dehumidifier with your own hands.

Which air humidifier is best to choose for a child: tips and tricks here.

Let's take stock

House dust is harmful . It contains many harmful microorganisms, including viruses. It has a bad effect on the immune system and can cause allergies.

Dust can and should be dealt with . To do this, you need to get rid of unnecessary things, provide careful care for the animals, and regularly do wet cleaning.

There are many “anti-dust” devices, but not all of them are effective . For example, it makes sense to use air washers and humidifiers for this purpose only in conjunction with a modern supply ventilation system.

How is OXY beneficial in the fight against house and street dust?

• Protects against contamination . With it you can always keep the windows closed, blocking access to “external” dust and allergens;
• Creates a healthy atmosphere . Provides high-quality air exchange, preventing air stagnation and the accumulation of house dust;
• Compatible with other devices . OXY makes the operation of various types of ionizers and air purifiers more efficient.

Supply ventilation OXY was developed to suit the characteristics of the Russian housing stock. This is an effective, affordable and in-demand product.

While you were reading this text, dozens of customers have already installed OXY and managed to appreciate all its advantages!

Air purifiers from dust with ventilation function OXY

The problem with the above devices is that they “work” only with internal pollutants. But the apartment is not an autonomous system: to keep the air fresh, it needs to be regularly ventilated, that is, external pollutants must be introduced into the house again and again.

There are plenty of sources of “internal” dust in any apartment. It would be logical to stop the access of “external” dust particles to make it easier to deal with internal ones.

For this purpose, OXY is best suited - a ductless supply ventilation with a filter, which provides a round-the-clock supply of fresh air, as well as filtering street dust and other contaminants.

OXY is a compact device in a housing with a built-in fan. To install it, a through channel is made in the external wall, through which fresh air will be supplied to the apartment. The performance of the device can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the fan speed. The installation work is 100% clean and leaves no dust or dirt behind. It is also important that drilling a hole does not require approval from the management company or other authorities.

The air flow from the street does not enter the house directly - it passes through the filter of the device. At the same time, dust, pollen and other external pollutants are retained. When filling, the filter is replaced with a new one. The cost is only 490 rubles.

The advantages of this solution include:

• No need for ventilation. With OXY, the windows can be kept closed (blocking access to noise, dirt and drafts), while there will always be fresh air in the house.
• Guaranteed protection from “external” dust and allergens.
• Comfortable microclimate. OXY 3 is equipped with a built-in electric heater, which in the cold season provides air heating to room temperature.
• You can order a custom wooden case.

And one more important point - OXY not only makes the air in the apartment clean and fresh, but also helps reduce the concentration of dust that we “produce” ourselves. It’s all about effective air exchange - fresh air is constantly supplied to the apartment, and “exhaust” air is removed through the hood along with the dust it contains.

Why is dust dangerous?

This amazing “cocktail” of substances of terrestrial and extraterrestrial origin is extremely interesting from a scientific point of view, but for the average person it poses a problem. The point here is not only the expenditure of time and effort on cleaning - dust can cause allergic reactions, respiratory diseases, and negatively affect the immune system.

It contains dozens of types of microbes. One thimble of house dust contains more than 5 million microorganisms. It also contains bacterial endotoxins, which are formed as a result of the death of various microorganisms.

A resident of a large city inhales about 6 billion dust particles in one day. If you count by weight, this will be 6-8 grams of the most dangerous (fine) dust, which has a size of 0.01 - 1 micron.

Fortunately, the human body has a defense system against the effects of dust particles. Once in the respiratory tract, its particles are retained on the mucous membrane. Here it is worth remembering that the surface of the mucous membrane is covered with millions of cilia, which are in constant motion. This movement is directed upward, towards the larynx, due to which the “caught” microparticles are removed from the lungs into the larynx. Their accumulation in large clots triggers the mechanism of coughing and expectoration, as a result of which they are excreted with sputum.

An important point is that this protection mechanism helps us only if the dust concentration does not exceed the norm. If there is more dust, it will no longer cope.

Furniture care products

When choosing dust control agents, you need to clarify for which surface they will be most effective. Otherwise, you may get a result opposite to what you expected.

• The polish is intended for the care of furniture. It contains components that do not allow small particles to settle on the surface. In addition, the product adds shine to both sanded and varnished surfaces. This will remove dust from the furniture for several days, and much less will settle on the surface.
• Antiseptic is an ideal product for caring for computers and televisions, because it is effective in cleaning electrified surfaces. It is better to choose sprays that can be used even while the equipment is running and those that do not require additional use of napkins.
• Furniture textiles, carpets, household items, and walls are treated with multi-component universal acaricidal sprays every six months. The product kills dust mites, reducing the activity of allergens.
• Impregnation for upholstered furniture is sprayed over the surface in order to cover it with a protective film that protects against the penetration of microparticles of dust and liquid into the upholstery. However, the thick coating that forms over time needs to be cleaned additionally.
• You can also use a spray bottle to spray a homemade product over the furniture. To prepare it, take a glass of water, a quarter of a glass of vinegar, a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and a few drops of essential oil.

These products are used only on a clean surface. Otherwise, the dust particles will stick together and form a dense coating.