What Do You Know About Dust?

Information taken from Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson (New York: Scribner, 1999)

1. True or false: Undisturbed dust under furniture hurts no one.
2. Which of these will cause dust to be airborne?
   1. walking
   2. dancing
   3. dropping shoes on the floor
   4. making the bed
   5. pillow fights
   6. a and b
   7. a, b, and c
   8. a, b, c, d, and e
3. When cleaning a room, which should be done first?
   1. vacuuming
   2. dusting
   3. tidying up
4. Which is the most effective way of dusting furniture and knick-knacks?
   1. a feather duster
   2. a slightly damp rag
   3. closing your eyes
5. What is the main component of house dust?
   1. the makings of a man (like Adam, made from dust)
   2. dust mites
   3. particles of lint from clothing
   4. crushed up potato chips left over from a superbowl party
6. What do dust mites eat?
   1. human skin scales
   2. animal skin
   3. organic material
   4. pizza
7. What do dust mites prefer in order to live most comfortably?
   1. mints on the pillow and a warm shower
   2. darkness, warmth and humidity
   3. cooler temperatures
   4. bright light
8. What percentage of the weight of a six-year-old pillow is composed of dust mites, dust-mite excreta, dead dust mites, and skin?
   1. .5%
   2. 3%
   3. 5%
   4. 10%
9. True or false: If you wake up sniffly, it is a good sign your bed is full of dust.
10. The best way to rid your bed and pillows of dust and allergens is:
    1. use allergen-proof pillow, mattress and box spring covers
    2. wash all bedding in hot water
    3. dry clean all bedding
    4. sun all bedding thoroughly
    5. throw away all bedding once every 2 years
    6. a, b, or d

Answers:

1. FALSE. Dust is inevitably disturbed and hence hurts everyone. Besides being unpleasant to look at, dust causes problems in computers and CD players, promotes unpleasant odors, and is an irritant to the eyes, nose, and lungs. All house dust contains allergens and is believed to be a major contributor to the alarming rise of asthma and other allergic diseases in recent years. The asthma rate has increased about 75% from 1980 to 1994. There is substantial reason to believe that tight houses and increased levels of dust are significant factors in producing these disturbing statistics.
   
2. (h) a, b, c, d, and e – Anything that causes a breeze will stir up dust.
   
3. (c) tidying up. Begin by tidying up the room, putting away anything that is out of place. A room should then be cleaned from top to bottom. The basic idea here is to avoid soiling what you have just cleaned when you move on to the next area of the room. There is an old saying of “floors first�, but this bit of housekeeping wisdom is a throwback to a time before vacuum cleaners. Women had to sweep their carpets clean, which sent all kinds of dust into the air which then settled on the furniture. Of course, dusting would have had to be done last. Not so now. Do the dusting and then lastly vacuum away any dirt that has settled on the floor.
   
4. (b) a slightly damp rag. Put just enough water on the rag to make dust adhere to the cloth. You do not want too much or the furniture may get damp and be damaged. Remember you are not trying to dissolve dirt on the surface, just remove dust. A spray-type dusting aid may also be used, but a small amount of water is just as effective. Do not use feather dusters. They don’t remove dust very well and send too much of it into the air.
   
5. (b) dust mites. They are actually tiny bugs!
   
6. a, b, and c
   
7. (b) darkness, warmth, and humidity – the conditions unfortunately found in most homes!
   
8. (d) The appalling answer is 10%!
   
9. True.
   
10. (f) a, b, or d. Allergen-proof covers prevent mites and allergens
    from passing through so you don’t breathe them in when you lay your
    head on your pillow or mattress. Washing will remove dust and
    allergens left by mites (including bits of deceased mites), but only
    heat will kill the dust mites themselves. Sheets, pillowcases,
    blankets, and mattress covers should be washed in hot water – over
    130 degrees. Sunlight will also kill dust mites, and airing and
    sunning furnishings and all bedding is a good idea. It also kills
    microorganisms and keeps things smelling fresh. Three to four hours
    of sunning and airing is effective.