FACT: Dust contains dirt, textile fibers, pollen, hair flakes,
residue from cleaning chemicals and household products,
decaying organic matter, dust mites, bacteria, fungi, viruses,
and a variety of other contaminants.
Vi r u s
B a c t e r i a
P o l l e n
D u s t M i t e
Many viruses use dust
particles as rafts to ride the air.
W H AT ’ S A M I C R O N ?
Particles under
10 are not visible
Visible to the
unaided eye
Chart Show
s Re
lativ
e S
ize
o
f A
irb
o
rn
e
P
a
rt
ic
le
s
A MICRON (µ)
IS A UNIT OF MEASURE,
USED BY THE CLEANING INDUSTRY,
TO DESCRIBE PARTICLES THAT
ARE EXTREMELY SMALL.
One micron = 1/25,000 in.
A human hair averages 70µ
Bacteria is .4 to 10µ
Mold is 1.2 to 90µ
µ
When contaminants are removed or
minimized through cleaning, human
exposures and risks are reduced.
Cleaning is always a critical
ingredient in maintaining
a healthy building.
Indoor Allergens
&
Microorganisms
Source— Protecting the Built Environment, Cleaning for Health, Michael A. Berry, Ph.D.
Tricomm 21st Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1993;
Source— Science Illustrated
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