For millions of Americans, the world is a scary place, filled with normally harmless substances that their bodies recognize as enemies. Of all the enemies, one is virtually inescapable: house dust.
What makes lowly house dust such a plague to allergy sufferers is that just one speck contains a host of things that cause an allergic reaction; dust mites, human skin particles, animal dander, parts of cockroaches, mold spores, food particles and other debris.
Ever wonder what really is in the dust on the dresser on that fan blade.
Rather than a single substance, house dust is a varied mixture of potentially allergenic materials. The particles seen floating in that shaft of sunlight may contain fibers from different types of fabrics; cotton lint, feathers, and other stuffing materials; bacteria; mold and fungus spores (especially in damp areas); food particles; bits of plants and insects; and other allergens peculiar to an individual home. You see dust is just not dirt.