Does Cat Dander Stick to Walls?

Going through some questions from the weekend, here's one we hear a lot:

"I moved into an apartment where the previous owner had a cat. Does cat dander stick to the wall?"

Yes. Cat dander sticks to the wall. In fact, cat dander sticks to just about everything.

Why Cat Dander Sticks Everywhere

Cat dander is made of tiny flakes of skin coated with a protein called Fel d 1, which comes from a cat's skin glands and saliva. The particles are so small and light that they float through the air for a long time, then settle on furniture, ceiling fans, carpet, curtains, clothes, and yes, the walls. The protein is sticky, so once it lands, it stays.

That's why you can react in a home where no cat has lived for months. Cat allergen can linger long after the cat is gone, especially in carpet, upholstery, and air ducts. If you're allergic, it's worth cleaning the whole place, ideally before you move your furniture in.

How to Get Cat Dander Off the Walls

You have two choices: paint or clean. Painting isn't always an option, especially in a rental, so let's talk about cleaning.

Soap and water. If your paint can handle it, you can scrub the walls with mild soap and water. This usually doesn't work well on flat or eggshell paint, which can streak or rub off.

ADS Anti-Allergen Spray (our pick). The more effective option is Allersearch ADS Anti-Allergen Spray. It denatures allergen proteins, changing their structure so your immune system is far less likely to react to them. Spray it on a cloth rather than directly on the wall, then wipe the walls down from top to bottom. Test it on a small, hidden spot first to make sure it's safe for your paint.

A trick from one of our customers: use a Swiffer-style mop. Skip the dry pads and pin an old T-shirt to the head instead. It's cheaper than buying Swiffer cloths, and for the green crowd, you can wash the shirt when you're done.

If you do decide to paint, wipe the walls down first so you aren't painting over a layer of allergen.

Don't Stop at the Walls

Walls are only part of the problem. For the best results, work through the whole home:

1. Replace the HVAC filter first. An old filter is full of dander and blows it back into every room each time the system runs. If the cat lived there for years, consider having the air ducts cleaned too.
2. Clean from the top down. Start with ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the tops of door frames, then blinds, window sills, walls, and baseboards. Don't forget the inside of closets. Dander falls as you clean, so the floors come last.
3. Treat carpets and upholstery. Carpet holds more dander than any other surface. Vacuum with a sealed HEPA vacuum, then treat with X-Mite Anti-Allergen Carpet Powder or have the carpets professionally steam cleaned. For upholstered furniture that came with the home, use ADMS Anti-Allergen Spray, which is made for fabrics.
4. Wash or replace window treatments. Curtains and fabric blinds trap dander. Wash them, or treat them with ADMS if they can't be washed.
5. Run a HEPA air purifier. A true HEPA air purifier captures the dander you stir up while cleaning and keeps catching what's left. Start with the bedroom.

For more on how pet dander spreads and how to control it, see What Is Pet Dander and How Do You Get Rid of It?

Wishing you the best of health,
Mike

Looking for more information? See Cat Dander Allergy Relief.