Why Do Bathrooms Get So Dusty? Facts You Should Know

About 73% of bathroom dust comes from air vents, windows, shoe soles, door holes, and clothes.

Why Do Bathrooms Get So Dusty? Bathrooms become so dusty due to faulty HVAC filters, damaged humidifiers, broken exhaust fans, holes in the windows, air pipes, frequent use of toilet papers, towels, and carpets.

It is difficult to clean the dust from the bathroom. This article explains the real reasons that make bathrooms so dusty and easy methods to fix this issue.

 One of the most common causes of dust in the bathroom is the leaks or gaps present in the air duct system.

It is the mixture of different materials that join effectively to ensure that the musty air efficiently moves out.

If the system stops working, it can result in the restroom look dusty.

The cause of a dusty environment is the improper sealing of the joints of the air duct.

The air flows through these pipes, the gaps between leaks out the dusty air.

Another reason is the fullness of air ducts. The air ducts that full of dust due to uncleanliness over a period.

It will result in the leakage of dust into the atmosphere. 

It also depends on the thinness of air filters. The air filter that has low MERV values do not trap the dust particles inside the ducts.

The evaporator coil present in the system becomes dirty. It will recirculate the dusty air back to the restroom.

You can fix this problem by using an air purifier that fights best with dust.

Broken exhaust fan

 The bathroom that contains exhaust fans is also a cause of dust build up in it. They are used to remove the air, dust particles, and odor.

You can check its functionality by holding a paper in front of it. You can see if it’s accurately sucking the air and dust out or just blowing away the air.

The extractor fans that only blows the air need fixation, and you can also buy the new one. The fans of the extractor ignore mostly for cleaning purposes. 

You should check that the grills and fan are clean. After the cleaning, check the working of the extractor fan. You need to fix it if it’s not accurately working. 

 Carpet or rugs used inside bathrooms

 The carpet inside the bathroom is also a cause of dusting. You can see it when you do vacuum cleaning.

This dirt sits down on it and results in dust build-up. Vacuums that have an insufficient trapping system of dust can also bring back dust in carpets.

For this purpose, you need to use high-efficiency particulate air filters.

They trap about 98% of dust and debris.

There is a misconception that carpets transfer dust to the atmosphere. But carpets trap the dust particles and do not release them unless there is movement on the rugs.

White residue presence

The bathroom contains a vanity. There is a lot of cosmetic and hair products present in it. When you use this product, a small amount of them falls out on the surfaces.

These substances also spread in the atmosphere through the air. It looks like white dust or powdery-like residues.

This white powder may be due to cosmetic use or due to the mist. The water that lands on the surfaces have mineral content in it.

When the fog dries off, it can leave behind the mineral residues.

The humidifier used inside it converts the water droplets into vapors by heating.

This mist lands on the counters, cabinets, hard surfaces leaving behind white dust. This dust is not harmful and can be easily wiped out. 

The hardness of water also increases or decreases the dust content. 

You can fix this problem by using a demineralization cartridge. They can entangle the mineral droplets before they become dust.

You can also install a warm and cold mist humidifier. They help you out to decrease the dust that builds up due to hard water. 

The air in the atmosphere 

Air is the main factor of dust accumulation; it is the causative agent of dust spreading in the atmosphere.

Most of the dust is airborne circulates particles of dry matter. It is hard to clean them. They are present everywhere with open or closed windows.

It also causes harmful effects on health due to the particles size of dust present in it.

The particle that has a smaller size of less than 11 um affects the respiratory system.

The particles of larger size cause eye infections and other allergic reactions in the skin.

You can elevate this problem by reducing the amount of incoming air. You can do this by installing an air duct system.

Use of low-quality towels

 Towels are another reason for dust in the bathroom. They build from low-quality fiber that ripe off easily.

The Pima cotton makes these towels. The towels contain a lot of dust, makeup, dirt, dry skins, etc.

 They provide the medium for bacterial growth. The towels are the dampest thing due to continuous use.

They also retain dampness for a longer time. Microfiber towels capture most of the dust particles and hold them.

When you rub them, they collect all the dry skin that sticks with them. The towels are the ideal place for nesting the dust.

Malfunctioning in HVAC Filters

The most frequent cause of dust is the HVAC filter dysfunctioning. You need to check them after every one month.

If the number of occupants is higher and you have pets. 

The filters of the HVAC become clogged, then it does not show work properly. 

You need to check the sealing of filters. If there is a gap present, then it affects their efficiency.

The gaps occur due to different factors such as age, poor handiwork, or development in a dusty environment. You need to check the clefts or leakage.

Firstly inspect the flow of dust particles in the duct system, then see the leakage in pipes. You can see it more efficiently by using a flash.

The accuracy in size of filters also affects their functionality. The seasons affect the working of HVAC filters.

The damp air settles excellently, and dust tangles in the filters easily. The drier air is hard to trap because the drier air means more dust particles in it.

These filters consider as the first line of protection for dust. For this purpose, you need to install a humidifier.

Dust due to shoes

Shoes are one of the factors of dust on the carpet. They attach different particles that increase the dust.

It considers as the most traffic area of the house. The chance of dust in them also increases due to their continuous use.

You can treat this problem by fixing separate shoes for bathroom use only. In this way, you can also protect your floor from dirt.

 Blinds or curtains

 The slats of blinds also gather a lot of dust. The slats are the ideal place for dust gathering. The fabric of curtains collects dust in them.

The opening and closing of them create a lot of dust in the atmosphere. You can fix this by continually cleaning them by using a vacuum or by using microfibre cleaning. 

Cracks in the window of the bathroom

The window that installs for ventilation is also a source of dust. The leaks present in the windows allow dust and small particles.

The location of the window also affects the dust concentration inside it. You can fix it by applying color caulks to it according to the shade of your room.

 Use of Toilet papers

 Toilet paper is another culprit for the dust. Soft toilet paper used inside it for cleaning purposes is a source of dust.

You can also see it while ripping it off from the toilet roll. It releases a lot of small debris into the air.

It can also pose a harmful effect on health due to the use of chlorine bleach. You can treat this problem by using high-quality paper that remains strong after wetting or ripping.

Single bathroom in the whole house

The houses that contain only one bathroom faces a lot of dust problems. Humans and pets also increase the dust.

The fur release from pets attaches with the bathroom shoes or rugs. The human also increases dust after showering the dead skin releases from rubbing the towel.

It assumes that dust is mostly the dead skin. It increases the number of dust mites and causes different skin infections.

You can fix this problem by vacuuming and brushing your pets to reduce loose hairs and dead flecks of the skin. 

What is the link between humidity and dust in the bathroom?

The bathrooms have the most humid atmosphere as compared to other rooms. The dampness is the result of excessive water use in them. 

There is a direct link between humidity with dust and mold generation.

The drier air means that there is a large number of dusty particles. You can fix this problem by attaching an excellent humidifier.

It converts the drier air into moisture. This moisture results due to the absorption of water by the dust particles.

These particles become floated. Due to this, the particles become too heavy to roam around and unable to become airborne.

It is essential to maintain a good humidity level inside the restroom that ranges from 37-50%. It helps them to settle down, and you can remove them.

The humidity level is lower during cold weather. There is more dust accumulation due to low moisture.

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