Dust in the Wind-ow...

I remember as a student at the University of Colorado, members of the men’s rugby team once sold shirts on University Hill that read, “Our drinking team has a rugby problem.”

Well, on a related note, “My dust has an apartment problem…”

Yes, my one-bedroom apartment in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco is covered with dust. It’s everywhere – on the floors and tables; on the appliances and picture frames; on the wall moldings and in the closets. If it exists in my apartment, there is dust nearby.

And where the heck does it come from exactly? I’ve heard the dust in my apartment is produced by these three things:

1. Substances brought in by the outside wind;
2. Material that builds up in the air conditioner and is released when turned on; and
3. Dead skin.

If this is true, I have three follow-up questions:

1. If my windows are continually closed, how are substances from outside getting in?
2. How is material getting into my air conditioner when I, myself, have yet to find the AC unit in my apartment?
3. And with all this dead skin being shed, when did I become a snake (and please, no comments from you ex-girlfriends…)?

Getting rid of dust, at least, momentarily, is pretty easy. I’ll often take a duster around the apartment, and then follow that up with either a quick vacuum or sweep of the broom.

But the problem is, the dust just keeps coming back. As soon as it’s removed, it can be found occupying the same spaces just days later… Dust in my apartment makes more comebacks than Keith Richards. 

Well, I give up… Dust – you win. And if you start paying rent, I’ll even toss out my broom…