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Usually you won't see these floaters - they are too small. But, once they settle and accumulate on, let's say, dark lacquered furniture surfaces, you will certainly see them. The best cleaning practices won't completely eradicate the dust, though.

The vacuum cleaner does offer some help. Nevertheless, this device is only as good as the filter bag inside. The popular varieties of vacuum cleaners work on the principle that they suck air from the outside, force it through a dustbag and then guide it back into the room via an exhaust.

The dustbag system is a trade-off between the ability to catch fine particles and the suction power. A bag with very fine pores catches many pollutants but reduces suction power. On the other hand, a bag with larger pores may give the vacuum cleaner an impressive suction power but can't filter fine particles. In other words, you won't have much hope catching the very fine particles - just the size that is most dangerous to your health. Recently some vacuum cleaners came onto the market that employ different systems of catching dust. Manufacturers claim that they can remove most microscopic particles.

Let's do some housekeeping. Good idea. This should reduce the levels of potentially harmful pollutants. Yes, but keep in mind, cleaning materials and their fumes often contain toxic chemicals. Cleaning agents, disinfectants, insect repellents, air fresheners, paint etc. contain chemical compounds that, in the average, increase the level of a particular substance in indoor air by 2 to 5 times above that of outside air. The levels are many times higher shortly after certain activities and can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs; or cause headache, nausea and a toxic reaction.

Secondhand smoke (SHS), or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers,' so the US Environmental Protection Agency defines it. The agency estimates that approximately 3,000 non-smoking US citizens die each year as the result of passive smoking. Do I have to mention that secondhand smoke negatively influences indoor air quality? I just have.

Every step you take dislodges thousands of dust particles. The so-called house dust is the end product of slowly disintegrating material in furniture and bedding, or is made up of animal hair, insect droppings, fungal spores, bacteria and pollen.

Pollutant Sources

Human Activity

Even your skin is a source of airborne particles. In your lifetime you shed approximately 18 kg of tiny skin scales. The turbulence you create while just walking is enough to lift the dust off your clothes and off household surfaces.