What The Different Colored Dust In Your Home Means (And What To Do About It)

Having dust settle in your home is an unfortunate but common problem. If you think about the gross truth about what dust is really made of — things like skin cells and bacteria, pet dander, and pollen — an accumulation of it can start to make your home feel unkempt and dingy. If you've stopped to look at the dust you're cleaning, you've probably noticed that dust comes in various colors. Black dust in your home can be caused by burning wood, while brown dust or red dust can indicate dirt or dry rot. White dust means that you've got an excess of minerals in your water that is being dispersed by your humidifier, and yellow dust could indicate excess pollen entering your home.

Next time you break out the feather duster and start to deep-clean your home, take a look at the dust you're clearing — it might just tell you about your home's health. Keep reading to learn more about the common dust colors you might see and how to prevent dust from coming inside your house.

When cleaning your home, do you see black dust on your dust rag? The first thing to inspect is your fireplace. Soot produces black dust particles, and combustible sources like a fireplace or a burning candle can easily create this soot. Make sure your fireplace is properly maintained, keep candle wicks trimmed, and ensure that your HVAC filters are changed often (at least every three months).

Gray dust is a mixture of things that can be particularly irritating to your allergies. This dust is composed of things like pet dander, dust mite droppings, soil, dead skin cells, and clothing fibers that are blown throughout the air of your home and eventually settle. To keep your home clear of this dust and your allergies at bay, be sure to clean your home regularly with microfiber cloths and dust spray, use an air purifier to remove dust more efficiently, and wash your bedding at least every two weeks.

If you have a whole home or portable humidifier, you might find yourself with an accumulation of white dust. Hard water has excess calcium and magnesium; when used in a humidifier, those excess minerals land on whatever surfaces are available near it. To combat this, be sure to only use distilled water in portable humidifiers and keep them on a strict cleaning schedule, sanitizing with vinegar at least once a week. If you have a whole-home humidifier and have hard water, consider installing a water softener.

If you notice white dust and you don't have any humidifiers, you might have a white mold problem. While not as common as black mold, white mold can still be problematic. This type of mold loves to grow in highly saturated areas like furniture, clothing, and crawl spaces after flooding. If you suspect you have white mold, call a mold remediation specialist immediately.

Brown dust can mean one of two things — you either have an influx of dirt entering your house (which can be brought in via pets, shoes, and even packages), or you have a dry rot issue. Dry rot is caused by a wood-eating fungus. This destruction causes wood to break down, leaving piles of brown dust (or wood particles). If you find significant brown dust in common places for wood rot, like basements, bathrooms, decks, or siding, call a professional to repair or replace the rotted wood.

Red dust also indicates dry rot, so it's important to be observant when dusting your home. If you thoroughly investigate your home and don't find any signs of dry rot, then you might have an insect problem, as some termites and ants can leave behind droppings that are red or yellow in color. If you suspect you might have a bug problem, phone an exterminator to do an inspection.

If you like to keep your windows open in the springtime, you've probably noticed a coating of yellow dust covering your shelves and tabletops. Yellow dust is primarily the sign of excessive pollen from pine, spruce, or hemlock trees entering your home. To combat this, be sure to keep your windows closed during the months of March and April, or if you do decide to air out your home, consider changing your HVAC air filter more frequently than the recommended 90 days to help rid your home of this nuisance.

If it's not the blooming pollen that gives you yellow dust in your home, you might have yellow mold. Yellow mold spores can be dusty and love to live in dark, damp places like your kitchen, bathroom, and basement. This type of mold can even inhibit mattresses, carpeting, or even air conditioners, so it's important to call a mold remediation specialist if you suspect the yellow dust you see could be mold.