House dust allergy is common even in clean homes. House dust is a major cause of year-round runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing for allergy sufferers. Dust can also make people with asthma experience wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. A mixture of many materials, household dust contains many different things. Dust may contain dander from pet dogs or cats, tiny fibers shed from different kinds of fabric, as well as tiny particles of feathers, bacteria, food, plant and insect parts, and mold and fungus spores. It also contains many microscopic mites and their waste products.