Soil and dust particulate matter is a sink of various environmental pollutants, and people are exposed to the pollutants they contain through accidental soil and dust ingestion (SDI). However, up to now, the description of SDI in relevant studies is relatively vague and lacks systematic understanding. Therefore, this review sorts out the definition of SDI, analyzes and summarizes existing research methods, data and relevant influencing factors on the soil and dust ingestion rate (SDIR). The SDI refers to the ingestion of soil and dust particles adhering to hand and object surfaces, primarily through hand-to-mouth and object-to-mouth contact. The main methods for determining SDIR include tracer element methodology (TEM), biokinetic model comparison methodology (BMCM), activity pattern methodology (APM), and dust/soil loading-activity pattern-based parametric formula methodology (LPFM), with the third method being comparatively more accurate. According to the limited available data, the SDIR ranged from 0 to 483 mg/d globally for all populations, and most particles adhering to human hands were below 250 µm. Specifically, in economically underdeveloped areas, the SDIR is relatively higher and tends to increase with increasing in microenvironmental contamination. Comparatively, the SDIR tends to decrease initially and then increase with age. Summer has a higher SDIR compared to other seasons. In addition, this review also provides an outlook on the shortcomings and future directions of existing studies. This review will help to improve the understanding of SDI by scholars in related fields, and will help to adopt the correct methodology and obtain more realistic results in contaminant exposure assessment.