Dust Bunny – Friend Or Foe?

They seem pretty harmless….those dust bunnies.  They sit under your bed, watching you watch them. 

The thing is those balls of dust living under my bed aren’t just gross but they can be toxic.  It doesn’t stop here.  My basset hound Murphy’s dander can be harmful too. Chemicals from around your home and from the outdoors can wind up indoors causing harm without you knowing it.  Even in low doses, these chemicals can make it indoors and be toxic, compromising your health.   Dust is made up of all sorts of gross stuff like this, including human hair and skin, fungal spores, and tiny particles and fibers.

All of these things can trigger asthma attacks in you, older adults, or young kids just like it does to my little sister, Olive.    Asthma can make it harder to breathe and get air into your lungs.  A lot of the times, Olive has to sit out playing volleyball or soccer.  It’s not fair.

What can I do as Olive’s big brother?  Try preventing the asthma triggers.

First, I make sure there aren’t any armies of dust bunnies building in my room by vacuuming it regularly.   Murphy, the basset hound, probably needs to have a bath and be groomed outdoors weekly, especially during the spring.  If I see a film of dust on my electronic equipment, it’s time to wipe it down and get rid of the dust on it. 

Yea, Olive can be a pest sometimes but she’s my little sister and as her big brother, I have to watch out for her.

Learn more about asthma and its environmental triggers at: www.epa.gov/asthma

Joseph is a 9th grader who likes hanging out with his friends and playing the violin.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.