Do Humidifiers Help With Dust?

Are you finding yourself in a dilemma where you cannot choose whether you want to get a humidifier or an air purifier, or both?

Well, it is really a tough call. However, things can get more manageable if you consider what you are looking for.

And in terms of that, you might wonder do humidifiers help with dust or not?

Humidifiers can help lower the amount of floating dust in an indoor room. These devices will add moisture to the air, making the dust particles heavier. And when they become heavier, they will settle in the ground.

So, does that mean you can get a humidifier for dust allergies?

Also, how much can humidity control help with dust? Read through if you want to know all about these!

Table of Contents

Do Humidifiers Help Eliminate Dust?

First, you need to understand how much dust floats in the air.

And you can get an idea regarding that by learning that the average home collects about 40 pounds of dust every year.

All of that dust comes into the indoor space through the air. That means the dust particles are pretty much everywhere in your home right now.

The thing is, dust is nothing but fine particles of solid matter.

And just like dirt, dust can be a mix of clothing fibers, bits of dead bugs, bacteria, hair, pollen, soil particles, and microscopic specks of plastic.

Now, all these particles are so light that they will start to float around when there is a slight amount of airflow.

And when they float around, they can quickly get from one space to another.

Eventually, they can end up in your nose and in your lungs.

However, the good news is that getting a humidifier can help control the dust level of your home.

How Do Humidifiers Help Eliminate Dust?

When you turn the humidifier on, you are basically adding moisture to the air.

And when the air starts to collect humidity, it becomes lighter and less dense.

However, the increased amount of humidity in the air will make the airborne dust soaked with moisture.

When the airborne particles become soaked with moisture, they become heavy.

Yes, just like a cloth becomes heavier when you make it absorb water. Once that happens, they lose the ability to stay afloat.

So, eventually, the airborne particles fall to the ground.

What Happens When You Have Too Much Dust in Your Home?

Exposure to dust inside your home can have an adverse effect on your health.

Although the dust problem might not seem that severe initially, you will start to notice different health complications over time.

Too much dust can lead to the following-

Allergic reactions
Respiratory problems
Asthma
Lead poisoning, if the dust has lead in it

Other than that, you will face issues in your home too. For example, there will be a high chance of mold growing inside the house.

Also, indoor air quality will take a significant downfall.

And you might already know this, but you will face some severe health complications when the air quality drops too much.

Symptoms of Dust Allergies

Anything that can cause an allergenic reaction in your body is considered to be an allergen.

And as stated earlier, dust is basically a mix of different fine particles and organisms.

So, dust can definitely cause allergenic issues.

However, not all types of dust exhibit the same reaction. You might find your body triggering a severe allergenic reaction after being in a room that has a particular type of dust.

On the other hand, you might not face any issues at all.

Nonetheless, dust mites are the culprit causing different types of allergenic issues.

Some of the most common symptoms include –

Runny nose
Sneezing
Stuffy nose
Itchy nose, throat, or mouth
Red and water eyes
Itchy eyes
Coughing
Itchy skin
Post-nasal drip

On the other hand, if you are suffering from asthma, you will face the worst possible symptoms of dust mites.

Among all, these are the signs that you will be dealing with –

Difficulty in sleeping
Shortness of breath
Whistling when exhaling
Wheezing while breathing
Chest tightness
Chest pain
Difficulty in breathing

Whenever you face these issues, you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

And you should take proper steps in terms of controlling the quality of the air in your home.

Humidifier Vs Air Purifier: Dust Control

If you are stuck between an air purifier and a humidifier for controlling dust, you need to know which does what.

And that is exactly what we are about to explain in this segment.

Humidifier

The main task of a humidifier is to add humidity to the air. It does that by emitting water droplets into the air.

This device is highly efficient in offering relief from dry skin, dry throat, and nasal congestion issues.

And in dry seasons, all those problems can take a severe turn if you do not take proper steps.

Nonetheless, besides adding humidity to the air, humidifiers can help with controlling the amount of floating dust.

As you know by now, the floating particles become heavy after soaking in the moisture.

After that, the airborne dust particles settle to the ground.

So, the humidifier can also help with dust-related allergies and breathing problems.

However, you need to note that humidifiers cannot trap dust.

And the dust particles that settle in the ground after soaking up moisture can get airborne again after drying up.

Air Purifiers

As the name suggests, air purifiers purify the air. Most of these devices will rely on a filtration unit.

The intake fan passes the air to the filter and makes it collect all the pollutants from the air.

Depending on the type of filter, the air purifiers can collect up to airborne particles that are 0.3 microns in size with 99.97 percent efficiency.

In comparison, the dust particles are generally 5 microns or smaller.

That means good air purifiers will not have trouble trapping the dust particles that float around in the indoor air.

One thing that makes air purifiers different in this case is that they can trap dust.

That means the dust particles that they will take care of will not be able to get back into the air. This makes air purifiers better than humidifiers.

Can I Run Humidifier and Air Purifier at the Same Time?

One of the best possible ways to control the pollutants in the indoor air and make it more comfortable is to run an air purifier and humidifier simultaneously.

The air purifier will take care of the floating particles in the air. That includes dust, mold, pollen, allergens, and other fine particles.

On the other hand, the humidifier will add moisture to the air and eliminate dry air problems.

That includes dry skin, Chappy lips, dry throat, and nasal congestion issues.

So, if you want to take the air quality level of your home to the next level, you should use both the air purifier and humidifier at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does humidity clean the air?

The right amount of humidity can help to clean the air. Dust particles will have trouble staying afloat when the air is filled with moisture. And they will eventually settle on the ground. However, a high level of humidity is bad. That can increase the rate of toxic and harmful chemicals in the air.

2. Do Humidifiers Help Eliminate Dust?

Humidifiers can help to lower the amount of dust in the air. These devices do that by making the dust particles heavy. And once the particles become heavy, they cannot stay afloat.

3. Is Humid or Dry Air Better for Rooms?

Too humid or too dry air is not good for the home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 30 to 50 percent relative humidity is the best humidity level for homes. And if you want to monitor your home’s humidity level, you can get a hygrometer.

Final Words

So, do humidifiers help with dust? Yes, these devices can help with dust.

But they are not that efficient in controlling the dust in your room. They just make it hard for the dust particles to stay afloat.

Therefore, it is better to combine a humidifier with an air purifier for the best effects.

Last Updated on February 4, 2023