"Household dust" is a general term that refers to particles such as skin flakes, human and animal hair, textile fibers, pet dander and pollen. Dust is known to aggravate hay fever, so if you have allergy sensitivity to pollen, make sure to choose a flooring type that can combat both.

While some floor types resist dust, others hold on to dust and allow it to accumulate, which can make for difficult cleaning. Compared to other types of flooring, carpet can be very difficult to maintain. Many of the elements found in household dust tend to cling to carpet, creating a less clean surface. Dust build-up tends to be visible on hard-surface flooring such as hardwood and tile, whereas on carpet, allergen matter can go unnoticed for weeks at a time. If you have carpet and want to keep the dust in your home to a minimum, consider investing in a vacuum with a High-Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are designed to absorb approximately 99.97% of all airborne pollutants.

If you desire flooring that maintains a cleaner and more dust-free surface, choose a hypoallergenic floor that can resist the most common household allergens. Great choices for the allergy sufferer include cork, bamboo, some tile types, hardwood, linoleum and concrete. Make sure any floor type you choose is produced and installed without using materials, sealers or adhesives that contains VOCs*.

*VOCs or volatile organic compounds, are carbon-based chemical compounds that can cause allergy irritations, asthma and even increase cancer risk.