Nothing should strike fear into the hearts of allergy sufferers quite like a fine layer of dust. Regardless of what your pet allergen(s) may be, it is nearly guaranteed that you will find dust also triggers an allergic response. This is primarily because dust is comprised of a complete array of allergy and asthma inducing substances. Here's a quick list of the most common allergens and irritants that are readily found in dust:

• Dead Skin Cells (irritant): You shed 30,000-40,000 dead skin cells per minute, which means that dust mites, who feed on sloughed skin particles, have a non-stop feast of fallen flesh.
• Dust Mites (allergen): It may sound horrific, but your bed, furniture and carpeting are inhabited by hundreds of thousands of dust mites. As the mites go about their daily travels, they leave a trail of feces and corpses (the mites only live for 30 days).
• Fibers (irritant): Garments, upholstery, carpeting and other textiles in your home give off piles of tiny fibers that collect in the corners and form wads lovingly referred to as "dust bunnies".
• Pet Dander (allergen): Everywhere that Fido and Fluffy go, they are sure to leave their own dander, saliva and urine residue-and all of these are allergens.
• Pollen and Spores (allergen): An alarming amount of pollen is brought in on shoes, clothes and even your hair. If you have seasonal allergies, you can bet that your allergy foes can be found indoors as well-in a pile or dust.

From here the list goes on and on. So, needless to say, by cleaning up the dust in your home, you can cut down on the number of allergy symptoms you experience year-round.

Is dust a sign of a dirty house?

Not at all.

Most all household problems can be targeted at the source, but in the case of dust, most problems arise from people. Dead skin cells, fibers from clothing, pollen, insecticides, and mold spores getting tracked into the house are all naturally caused by the inhabitants of that home. On the same note, it is important to realize that a dirty or unkempt house can exacerbate dust problems, though.

Average house cleaning may not be enough to rid your home of allergy-causing dust, and sometimes the usual methods of cleaning actually throw dust into the air only to settle on your belongings all again. So cleaning harder may not be as important as cleaning smarter when it comes to removing dust.

7 Whole House Tips That Will Cut Down on the Sneezing and Wheezing Factor Associated with Dust:

1. Keep Tabs on Humidity:

Monitor your indoor humidity levels and make sure to keep them below 55%. If possible, try to avoid using vaporizers or humidifiers (especially in bedrooms) and in bathrooms, make sure you use ventilation fans during showers or when cooking, to cut down on the amount of moisture in the air. Repair all water leaks and wipe the area with a cloth soaked in a water/bleach solution, then dry the area thoroughly. Pay off: You will drastically cut the number of irritating mold spores, dust mite feces and cockroach allergens that invade your lungs when you vacuum or relax on the couch.

2. Bare Your Floors:

Remove wall-to-wall carpeting (especially in bedrooms and bathrooms) if possible. Regardless of whether you stick with your carpeting or not, consider purchasing a vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA vacuums are now being made by many different companies with a range of prices that can fit any budget. Just remember that it can take over 2 hours for dust to settle after a thorough sweeping, so make sure that you vacuum when the allergic individual isn't home, or while you are wearing a N95 mask for protection. Also, it's a bad idea to vacuum bedrooms at night, because you will stir up all the muck and then be stuck breathing it in all night long. Pay off: You won't have such a hard time breathing because of all the dust mite feces, animal dander, stray bits of pollen and mold spores that your carpeting is laced with.

3. Don't Share Your Bedroom:

This statement only applies to pets. It is prudent to keep pets out of bedrooms at all times, regardless of whether you have developed an allergy to them or not. If you are allergic to other elements, you can develop an allergy to your pet if you are sunk into their dead skin cells, saliva and urine residue. If you can't part with your pet, at least teach them not to sleep on your bed. Provide them a bed of their own in your room, away from your bed (and launder the bed bedding regularly). Pay off: No more itchy eyes and tickle in the back of your throat when you make your bed, because you will cut down on the number of animal allergens in your bedding.

4. Encase Your Space:

Cover your mattress and pillows with "dust mite proof" encasings. Wash all bed linens weekly using hot water and avoid going to bed with damp hair from the shower. Pay off: No more waking up with swollen eyes and stuffy nose because of the out of control dust mite populations living in your bed.

5. Keep Food Items Under Wraps:

Don't leave food items out and uncovered on countertops overnight. Dispose of all food debris in a tightly sealing trashcan. If you suspect that you have cockroaches or mice, set out some traps. If the traps confirm your suspicions consult a professional exterminator who will utilize integrated pest management (IPM) methods (which is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest control). Pay off: Eliminate the chance of experiencing or developing the severe allergy and asthma attacks associated with mouse and cockroach allergen - and cut down on the opportunity for mold to take root indoors.

6. Put Your Furnace to Work:

Install a High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter (HEPA Filter) in your furnace instead of your usual furnace filter. Most all HEPA filters can be slid into the existing filter slot on your furnace, so usually no additional installation is needed (like those made by Dynamic Air Cleaners, the filter slips into the existing slot and is plugged in). Be sure to change the filter every 3 months and turn the fan for the furnace or air conditioning unit from "auto" to "on". This turns your duct work into a "whole house" air filter even when the heat or air isn't running. Have your heating and air conditioning units inspected and serviced every 6 months. Pay off: breathe easier now that you've removed the lion's share of dust and allergens (dust mite, mold, animal, pollen) from your air.

7. Chat Up Your Allergist:

A board-certified allergist is your best resource to determine the best way to avoid having dust aggravating your allergies. Pay off: find out once and for all what particular elements you are allergic to so that you are better able to avoid contact with them.

These 7 tips can make a long-term impact on your dust allergies, making it easier on your health when you put your feet up indoors. Even if you are able to put a handful of them into practice, the results will help to improve your allergy and asthma symptoms and possibly even prevent the developing of sensitivities to new allergens.