What Kinds of Dust Do You Study

"I am doing a 7th grade science fair project on dust. Could you please tell me what debris your scientists come across most frequently in dust studied at your company? How do they collect their dust samples? Thank you. – Emily and Parents from West Virginia"

Hi Emily and Parents from West Virginia! Thanks for thinking of us for your project – we’re sort of fanatic about dust so you came to the right place.

House dust, defined as dust on horizontal surfaces above the floor, consists mostly of ingredients generated by humans. The two main ingredients of house dust are shed skin and cotton fibers.

House dust can be collected in several ways for study. One way is to place a clean surface within the home and observe what collects on it over a period of time. Another is to vacuum existing surfaces with a small vacuum which uses paper bags to collect the dust. The dust collected in the bag can then be examined for its contents.

We use research like this to help us develop products like Pledge® that remove dust and other allergens to help keep your home clean and healthy. To learn more about the kinds of dust and allergens that Pledge® helps fight, you can visit http://www.pledge.com/allergens/ 

We hope this helps you with your project!