How do you keep your stuff and keep dust off?

[HeartOfSword]

How do you keep your stuff and keep dust off?

I noticed that when I put my boxes and stuff on the floor, they tend to gather dust very fast. Probably because when people walk around, dust from the floor gets kicked up to a certain height and the top of my box is within that height, so the kicked-up dust ends up on my box.

So now, I avoid putting them on the floor. I put them in the spaces on top of my cupboards instead. But I'm running out of space :( So I need to start expanding downwards as well.

Has anyone discovered the magical minimum height, where dust from the floor (that gets kicked up) doesn't reach?


I also noticed that new dust is easier to clean off than old dust. If dust has been left on a box for some time, it tends to stain the box and cannot be removed no matter how hard to try to clean the box (without damaging the box).

How often do you all clean the dust off your boxes of stuff? What do you use for the cleaning?

I've also noticed that whenever there's dust, especially when it's dust plus paper, there seems to be dust bugs (I'm not sure if they're actually dust mites since I didn't exactly manage to find anything conclusive from google). They're about the size of 2mm by rough estimate. The bugs are really really small. I would have missed it if I wasn't focusing at that spot. It's about the size of this smiley face's eyeball -> (maybe just a little slightly smaller)

So far I've only seen red and white variants, the red ones stain the paper with red bug juice when squashed, the juice from the white one doesn't seem to stain (at least at the point when I squash it) but I guess it'll turn yellow as time passes.

I usually spot the red coloured bugs and they can be quite fast/good at jumping. On the other hand, I found white versions of the dust bugs on dusty cloth. Today, I spotted two white coloured bugs on a piece of black cloth that I left on a chair and is collecting dust. Maybe there are the white coloured ones on the dusty papers and I've never spotted them; I can never be sure since the white ones are probably able to camouflage in paper.

Have you spotted such bugs before too? Do you know what they are and what is their source? How do you kill them and prevent them from spawning once and for all?

[klouten]

Clean my boxes once a year... cus they're in cupboards. The mould can be quite hard to get rid off. Bugs?? Oh... eew. :o Don't think I've ever seen any bugs before. It's more of a mould problem for me.

If in open space and not in cupboards, I reckon I'd have to clean at least once every 2 weeks. :)

[Leslie]

Bugs? Eww. Never had a problem with the kind of bugs that HoS described. At most only silverfish in stacks of old papers.

I don't know about the "kick up dust" theory, but let me assure HoS that dust is everywhere. High, low, in boxes and cupboard spaces that aren't 100% sealed, everywhere. I've never noticed any significant difference in dust levels based on height.

I've tried covering exposed boxes with the clear transparent film that movers use. It doesn't prevent dust, but it makes it easier to remove it while giving some protection to the boxes underneath. Minus point is that the boxes underneath are not easily accessed once wrapped.

I've also stored many of my toys (for now) in Toyogo containers. Generally dust-proof and fairly easy to wipe and clean the outside of the container.

[HeartOfSword]

The bugs are really really small. I would have missed it if I wasn't focusing at that spot. It's about the size of this smiley face's eyeball -> :( (maybe just a little slightly smaller)

So far I've only seen red and white variants, the red ones stain the paper with red bug juice when squashed, the juice from the white one doesn't seem to stain (at least at the point when I squash it) but I guess it'll turn yellow as time passes.

I don't know about the "kick up dust" theory, but let me assure HoS that dust is everywhere. High, low, in boxes and cupboard spaces that aren't 100% sealed, everywhere. I've never noticed any significant difference in dust levels based on height.
Yea they're everywhere but some places are significantly worse, especially near the floor. The shelves nearest to the floor get very very dusty within a month. Whereas if the height is at around the sofa level, it is significantly better. I haven't found where the minimum height is yet... if only there was like a chart or something on it.

And then if you're staying a higher levels, there should be less dust entering your house, as compared to if you were staying on the ground level, if I'm not mistaken.

[jdelpiero]

I've also noticed that whenever there's dust, especially when it's dust plus paper, there seems to be dust bugs (I'm not sure if they're actually dust mites since I didn't exactly manage to find anything conclusive from google). They're about the size of 2mm by rough estimate. The bugs are really really small. I would have missed it if I wasn't focusing at that spot. It's about the size of this smiley face's eyeball -> (maybe just a little slightly smaller)

So far I've only seen red and white variants, the red ones stain the paper with red bug juice when squashed, the juice from the white one doesn't seem to stain (at least at the point when I squash it) but I guess it'll turn yellow as time passes.

I usually spot the red coloured bugs and they can be quite fast/good at jumping. On the other hand, I found white versions of the dust bugs on dusty cloth. Today, I spotted two white coloured bugs on a piece of black cloth that I left on a chair and is collecting dust. Maybe there are the white coloured ones on the dusty papers and I've never spotted them; I can never be sure since the white ones are probably able to camouflage in paper.

Have you spotted such bugs before too? Do you know what they are and what is their source? How do you kill them and prevent them from spawning once and for all?

Can you get any photos of the insects to look at?

Or find comparable photos on the net?

My searches came up with either dust mites or bed bugs, which are also the 2 most probable. But with a size of 2mm, dust mites would be too small, and bed bugs too big.

[jdelpiero]

ok, after more research, pretty sure it's not dust mites or bed bugs,
as dust mites are a whole magnitude smaller, and bed bugs are about a magnitude larger.
And you don't have any bites. I am assuming.

You didn't give much info on the description, and I am not a entomologist,
but based on what I know so far, I am guessing its a member of the order Diplura,
which is related to the silverfish and firebrats.
Or it's an silverfish or related instar.


A few questions..

is it long and narrow?
with antennae from both ends?
do you have pets like dogs or cats?


Also, there is a dichotomous key here which can help you identify,
not an exact match, but will be close.

http://insects.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=insects&cdn=education&tm=226&f=20&tt=14&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//pick4.pick.uga.edu/20/q%3Fguide%3DInsect_orders

Do let us know.. I am very curious.

[Leslie]

Yea they're everywhere but some places are significantly worse, especially near the floor. The shelves nearest to the floor get very very dusty within a month. Whereas if the height is at around the sofa level, it is significantly better. I haven't found where the minimum height is yet... if only there was like a chart or something on it.

And then if you're staying a higher levels, there should be less dust entering your house, as compared to if you were staying on the ground level, if I'm not mistaken.
I'm only on the second level, but not near any roads.

I guess there's no "magic height" that anyone would be able to tell you; if you believe in the "lower is dustier" theory then you just have to build progressively downwards, putting your stuff as high up as you can and moving down from there. If you really hit the floor level, then kind of bo bian because you would already have occupied the upper space as much as you could already mah.

[jdelpiero]

HoS, no follow up?

[Leslie]

Doesn't sound like silverfish/firebrat related leh. Those are longish and larger than what HoS is describing.

My guess is that they are booklice. 1 to 10 mm big, look squishy and buggy, could be colourless/red, and they hang out in books (of course).
http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=booklouse&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

See the piccies, could be hor?

On a separate note, a name like "Firebrat" is awesome. Totally GI Joe.

[jdelpiero]

Booklice very possible..

silverfish/firebrats are larger of course,
thats why I mentioned that they could be instars,
which is their juvenile stage.

They also have the jumping ability that HoS mentioned.



On a separate note, Firebrat with jump ability..
u got your profile card right there.

[Leslie]

Wah learn a new thing today ... "instar" ... also very cool leh, like "Monstarr" or "Bravestar".

Silverfish kia say silverfish kia lah, simi "instar" ioi