# What exactly is ordinary household dust? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161 "2004-12-10T17:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PigBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PigBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigBoy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/1 "2004-12-10T17:34:58Z")
The regular ol’ dust that collects on surfaces- what is it? I imagine it consists of particles of a lot of different things, but is there any single predominant source? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/2 "2004-12-10T17:39:32Z")
Sloughed skin cells. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/3 "2004-12-10T17:49:15Z")
From this [Forensic analysis site](http://www.forensica.com/_default.asp?x=elab_sppj.htm): > [@](#): > > Most indoor dusts are composed of relatively common environmental materials including organic and mineral fibers, mineral grains, metal oxides, and biological particulate. These dusts typically have a mixed source, including particulate derived from building materials, textiles, paper dusts, soils, and biological sources. The complete characterization of indoor dusts usually involves a two level analysis. Most of these materials are easily identifiable by polarized light microscopy (PLM) and often this alone is sufficient. Occasionally, additional analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or, in the case of asbestos, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) may be necessary. > > The following is a detailed list of the types of fibers and particulate common to indoor dusts: > > \*\* Mineral Grains\*\* > Quartz > Feldspar > Mica > Clays > Gypsum > Carbonates > Glass > > \*\* Opaque\*\* > Metals > Metal Oxides > Paint > Soot > Asphalt > Rubber/Plastic > Mastic > > ``` > **Biologica** l > Pollen > Mold Spores > Insect Parts > Starch > Skin Cells (dandruff) > Dust Mites > > ``` > > \*\* Fibers\*\* > Cellulose > Glass > Synthetic > Hair > Asbestos ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/4 "2004-12-10T19:02:42Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Sloughed skin cells. A larger factor in newer homes is carpet fiber, I would surmise. When you vacuum/hoover the carpeting, some fibers are ejected into the air and land on furniture. The intake vents on your home’s HVAC system distributes this ejecta rather well, filter or no. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/5 "2004-12-10T23:38:58Z")
Carl Sagan said it was “star stuff.” ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/6 "2004-12-11T01:02:47Z")
This quiet dust was Gentlemen and Ladies, And Lads and Girls: Was laughter and ability and sighing, And frocks and curls. –Emily Dickinson But O this dust that I shal drive away Is flowers and kings, Is Solomon’s temple, poets, Nineveh… –Viola Meynell ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/7 "2004-12-11T02:21:50Z")
And when the mayor comes to get my vote tell him When are you going to stop people killing whales! And when the milkman comes leave him a note in the bottle Penguin dust, bring me penguin dust, I want penguin dust- - Gregory Corso The lamp hummed: “Regard the moon, La lune ne garde aucune rancune, She winks a feeble eye, She smiles into corners. She smooths the hair of the grass. The moon has lost her memory. A washed-out smallpox cracks her face, Her hand twists a paper rose, That smells of dust and old Cologne, She is alone With all the old nocturnal smells That cross and cross across her brain. The reminiscence comes Of sunless dry geraniums And dust in crevices, Smells of chestnuts in the streets And female smells in shuttered rooms And cigarettes in corridors And cocktail smells in bars.” - TS Eliot ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/8 "2004-12-11T03:14:50Z")
[Another source](http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_v7/ai_4474000). It may be dated, but it’s good enough for Cecil himself to [cite](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a880212.html). ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-ordinary-household-dust/279161/9 "2004-12-11T05:01:53Z")
**You’ve got to warn EVERYone and tell them! Ordinary household DUST is MADE of people! PEEE-O-PLE! You’ve got to tell them! Ordinary household DUST is PEOPLE!**