Home
Fact-checked

At HomeQuestionsAnswered, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What are Dust Bunnies?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Dust bunnies or dustbunnies are balls of material which collect underneath furnishings, where people often have trouble cleaning. A typical dust bunny includes hair, dust, lint, scraps of various fibers, dead skin, and sometimes things like feathers, paper, and small objects which may have become caught up in it. These collections of material are so well known that they even have their own pop culture references, and it is even possible to find guides to the care and feeding of dust bunnies on various websites, poking fun at the idea of them as living organisms.

While some people dismiss dust bunnies as harmless, they can in fact be troublesome. For one thing, they wreak havoc on electronics if they are allowed to accumulate, because they can clog vents, causing the electronics to overheat. They can also clog things like vacuums if they get especially large. Furthermore, they harbor dust mites, which can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.

Dust bunnies tend to gather under low, heavy furnishings. The height of such furnishings makes it difficult to see under them, thereby obscuring how dirty the floor underneath them is, and making it hard to clean under them as well. The weight makes it challenging to move such furnishings, so only the most dedicated cleaners will shift them to sweep, mop, or vacuum underneath, and even then, the furniture may rarely be moved.

Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.

The substances in dust bunnies are held together through felting, and static electricity. As static charges build up, the piles of debris can even become attracted to each other, creating a sort of super dust bunny that is extremely large. In households with lots of pets or humans with long hair, dust bunnies can get very large and very entangled, making them unpleasant to encounter.

A man dusting.
A man dusting.

Many people only notice dust bunnies when they move out, or when they replace a piece of furniture, although they may be aware that dust and dirt are probably skulking under large pieces of furniture. Because the debris can cause health problems and hinder the operation of electronics, it's a good idea to make a plan to clean them out on a regular basis; for example, all the furniture in a room could be moved every six months for cleaning. It also possible to find cleaning tools designed for dust bunnies, like wand attachments for vacuums and cleaning rods which can fit under low furnishings.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

gregg1956

I once used a maid service called Dust Bunnies Maids -- I thought the name was so clever!

FirstViolin

My daughter has a severe dust allergy, so we have bi-weekly dust bunnies cleaning days.

Surprisingly, she's really gotten into it. At first she hated it since I would make her help, but I got her this little dusting thing shaped like a bunny (it's called Fred the Dust Bunny; so cute!) and now she loves to help.

She's even got a self-composed dust bunnies song -- I guess it's good she starts liking housework early!

closerfan12

I once lived in a house with four long haired dogs, and let me tell you, when we moved out it was like the attack of the dust bunnies.

I had no idea that dust bunnies could even get that big -- I guess that gives me a little more impetus to keep my house clean now though.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
      By: Tatty
      Having a hardwood floor can help prevent dust accumulation.
    • Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
      By: Michael Pettigrew
      Dead skin cells from animals can create dust in a home.
    • A man dusting.
      By: Glenda Powers
      A man dusting.