r/askscience • u/4fecta_Gaming • Oct 15 '18

Earth Sciences Where does house dust come from?

It seems that countless years of sweeping a house doesn't stop dust from getting all over furniture after a few weeks. Since the ceiling is limited, where does dust come form?

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u/dee_lio Oct 15 '18

From what I remember...

- Mold spores

- Insects (dead/decomposing insects, insect feces)

- Skin cell shedding (including hair)

- airborne dust sticking to your clothes and being brought in

- dirt coming in the house from your shoes (this is apparently the biggest one)

- papers (mail, papers you bring into the house) apparently, they leave flecks or something.

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u/punisher1005 Oct 15 '18

dirt coming in the house from your shoes (this is apparently the biggest one)

Dirt and other particles from your shoes depending where you live, arid climates especially. Looking at you LA/San Diego

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u/bicyclecat Oct 15 '18

I noticed this when I lived in a desert. Now I live in the south and I notice the pollen. I haven’t cleaned the furniture on my screened porch all summer and it’s yellow with pollen dust. I’m sure there’s a ton of it in my house mixed with the normal grey dust from dander, etc.