Where Does Dust Come From?
What does dust consist of, and why does it collect into large dust bunnies in corners?
Dust consists of tiny particles, which occur as a result of ordinary activities in our homes. Some of the most important sources of dust are cast off skin cells, sand, animal hair, crumbs, pollen, textile fibres from clothes, furniture, and carpets plus particles from cooking fumes, cigarette smoke, etc.
Dust can hover in the air for long or short periods of time, and it is easily stirred up from the floor, etc. When it settles again, it is not always in an even layer. Some surfaces attract more dust than others – weak electrical charges of stereos, TV screens, and computers attract extra quantities of dust.
When dust particles are affected by air flows, they collect into dust bunnies, which "move" across the floor, collecting more dust. Dust bunnies accumulate in places, where neither people nor air flows can remove them such as in corners or under beds. In rooms with ordinary activity, the quantity of dust varies from 0.05 to 1 mg/ m3. In rooms with much activity and smoke, there is much more dust.