I have no doubts about what the dust bunnies in my house are made of; mostly German Shepherd hair. "German Shedders" as some people call them are famous for their double coats which seemingly shed year-round. I am always and forever vacuuming up piles and rolls of their hair.

But what else is in those fluffy dust bunnies that you really notice on wood or tile floors as they whirl around? I came across an article which explained this in disgusting detail.

Suffice it to say that these poufs of filth can be more serious than I thought.

Dust bunnies are composed of:

  • dead human skin cells
  • human hair
  • animal hair
  • paper, feather & fiber particles
  • lint from textiles

They are held together by static electricity and can vary in size depending on the number of pets you have and how long you let them grow. If you or someone in your home has allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues they can be very harmful because they also harbor dust mites.

Author Robin Wilson has suggestions on avoiding "dust bunny disasters, which includes thoroughly cleaning your home once or twice a year. She says you need to move the furniture as if you're moving out and really clean under it. She also recommends using a vacuum with a hepa filter so the dust doesn't end up back in the air of a room you just cleaned.

For more tips on having an eco-friendly, non-toxic home you may want to check out Robin Wilson's forthcoming book, Clean Design which is coming out on April 7, 2015.

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