Small Houses Are Dustier? 10 Reasons People Don’t Realize

It doesn’t take much dust to be noticeable in a smaller house.

The best way to combat this is to set a cleaning schedule so that you touch on each room at least weekly if you don’t have much time in a day, schedule time to clean different rooms on different days.

That way, you may not notice dust building up as much as you used to. If you don’t have a set schedule, at least do some cleaning when you first notice the dust.

Here are 10 reasons why small houses get dustier than others:

1. Harder to Clean

You may not have as many rooms or as much space to clean as someone with a larger house.

However, cleaning a smaller home can be more difficult.

For one, you might not be able to get into all of the corners, especially if some rooms are small or have an awkward shape.

You’d need special tools, like dusters or small vacuums, to reach all cracks and crevices.

Consider the layout of your house and where you notice the most dust. Then, look for cleaning supplies that can help, such as a duster with a longer handle to reach tough corners.

It may also help to hire a professional cleaning service at least once. Watch what they do to figure out how you can keep your house clean on your own.

2. Moving Furniture Is Impractical

There might be a bit of dust behind your living room couch or behind your bed.

Moving furniture out of the way to clean isn’t as easy when you live in a small house.

You can’t just push your couch to the other side of the living room. If you have special cleaning tools, they may be able to reach behind your furniture so that you can get rid of dust.

Otherwise, you may need to reassess where you’ve put certain things. Maybe you’ll decide to redesign the furniture layout in your living room.

Or you might remove the extra chair because you never use it.

Then, moving furniture will be easier when you need to clean behind certain items.

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3. Stuck in the Carpet

Dust can get stuck in your carpet, especially if the carpet is thicker.

As you vacuum or walk over the carpet, you may loosen some dust and release it into the air.

Of course, the vacuum should also capture any dust on your carpet. However, your vacuum may not be of the best quality, so it might not do the best job.

In that case, upgrading to a better vacuum might be enough to solve your problems.

You could also vacuum more often so that dust doesn’t have as much time to settle into your carpet.

Another option is to remove the carpet entirely and live with wood floors.

4. The Wrong Upholstery Fabrics

You might want to look at the fabrics used for your furniture and drapes.

Fabric furniture and many drapes can attract dust you won’t notice.

But if you go to sit on your couch, dust may overwhelm your nose. When you open your curtains in the morning, the dust could also be a problem.

When it comes to furniture, consider getting leather or wood furniture instead. Those materials won’t hold dust as much, so you won’t have to clean them as often.

You can also look into different materials for your curtains or eliminate them.

Of course, removing curtains isn’t ideal if you get almost too much sunlight at certain times.

5. Wearing Shoes Inside

If you wear your shoes inside, think twice about doing that.

When you wear your shoes inside, you can track dirt and debris into your house, making the space even dustier.

Yes, this is also a problem for people with larger houses. You may leave more dirt and debris in a single room when you have a smaller home.

Consider getting a second pair of shoes you only wear inside if you don’t like going barefoot. You can leave your outdoor shoes by the door and swap out pairs as you come and go.

Ensure any visitors you have also remove their shoes when they get inside. Then, you can keep excess dirt and dust from spreading around your home.

6. Having Pets

I don’t know about you, but I think of my pets as part of the family, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a source of excess dust in your house.

If your pets have fur, that fur can get everywhere and attract dust. Dogs and cats that go outside can also track dirt inside the house when they return after doing business.

You shouldn’t have to get rid of your pets to have a clean house. You may want to brush your furry friends more often and try to do so outside to keep the fur from getting all over your home.

And when bringing your pets back inside, rub off their paws, especially when it’s muddy or wet outside.

You can also get special boots for your dogs to wear, and you can take them off when they come inside.

7. A Moist Bathroom

You might want to check your bathroom for signs of mold or mildew.

Not only can they affect your breathing, but they can also lead to more dust in your house.

Wet surfaces are an amazing place for dust to congregate inside. So make sure you clean up and dry off any counters and walls after you take a shower.

You can also do this in the kitchen to keep dust from accumulating. Also, don’t be afraid to turn on the exhaust fan during and after your shower to keep the bathroom from getting too moist.

If you have a similar fan in your kitchen, turn it on while cooking. Then, you can keep the space relatively dry and reduce the chances of dust building up.

8. Poor Air Filtration

A similar problem to investigate has to do with your overall HVAC system.

Dirty and cheap air filters won’t work either, so they won’t trap as much of the dust that gets into your air vents.

That means the dust could get to other parts of your house when it otherwise wouldn’t. Fortunately, switching out the filters and upgrading to a better HVAC system might fix your issue.

You can have this same problem if you live in a larger house. Consider that many small homes are more affordable, which can be great if you’re on a budget.

If you save money on your house, you may also try to save elsewhere.

Don’t let the lower price of some filters reel you in; it’s not worth a dustier space.

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9. Leaky Doors and Windows

Another thing to consider is whether your doors or windows seal properly.

If they aren’t, dust probably won’t be your only concern.

You might have to use more energy to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If that’s a problem, consider that one or more doors or windows are leaking.

Not only can it let the air out of your house, but it can also let air (and dust) into your house. Then, you may face more dust than you ever have before.

Luckily, you can fix this problem by sealing the leak. Call a door or window professional to inspect your home and find the leak so that they can repair it.

10. High Traffic Areas

Consider if you have a smaller house in a more populated area. If so, you may have to deal with dust due to more traffic from your home.

Homes on a busy street may have more dust simply due to more passing cars and pedestrians. This is particularly true if you live near a gravel road or have a gravel walkway.

You may also have more dust if you run a business out of your house that brings in clients. For example, maybe you teach private piano lessons and have students approach you.

Your students and their parents can track in dust and dirt from their shoes.

This doesn’t mean you can’t run a business from home, but you may want to implement policies to reduce dust, like not allowing shoes inside.