With all these harmful particles in the air, investing in a good-quality purifier for your pets is important. These gadgets help remove unwanted substances so you can have a healthier and cleaner living space!
We've researched what modern pet owners consider as being some top products on today's market when purchasing an excellent device like this one - read more about them below.
15 Best Air Purifiers for Pets According to Pet Owners
1 Germ Guardian AC4825 HEPA Filter Air Purifier
- Dimensions: 10.25 x 6.75 x 21.5 inches
- Weight: 8.55 pounds
- Kills pathogenic microorganisms present in the air
- Removes or eliminates unwanted odors
- Filters microscopic particles for cleaner air
- Sleek and ultra-modern design
- Great value for your money
- Energy-efficient for greater savings on the electric bill
- LED indicator lights that signal UV-C bulb and filter replacement
The GermGuardian AC4825 is one of the best air purifiers for pet dander, pollen, and other potentially harmful contaminants in your home.
First, this device has a unique HEPA filtration design that allows it to function as an effective filtration system for very fine microscopic particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter.
Second, it comes with a charcoal filter, which makes it exceptionally useful in eliminating odors from your pet’s urine and stools, cigarette and cigar smoke, and even odors from the kitchen.
The AC4825 air purifier also comes with an integrated UV-C light technology that effectively kills bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and other pathogenic microorganisms in the air. This triple-action of the GermGuardian AC4825 – odor elimination, particle filtration, and microbial inactivation – makes it exceptionally useful in ensuring healthier and cleaner ambient air.
2 Honeywell HPA300 Large Room Air Purifier
- Captures airborne pollutant particles as small as 0.3 microns
- Reduces allergens, captures certain germs
- Eliminates pet odor, dander, dust, mold, smoke and pollen
- 4 cleaning levels
- HEPA and Pre-Filter
For pet parents looking for air purifiers strong enough to cover larger rooms – up to 465 sq. ft. – the Honeywell HPA300 is an excellent option.
With three cleaning levels, plus a Turbo Clean setting, this device captures not only pet odors, dander, dust, smoke, mold, and pollen but also certain germs, leading to much cleaner and healthier air. Using the Honeywell Air Purifiers filter, the machine circulates air room air five times per hour when used in the recommended room size, creating fresher air containing fewer allergens.
It’s ideal not only for multi-pet households but folks with kids who frequently struggle with allergies, as the HEPA filter captures up to 99.7% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Speaking of filters, you should replace the HEPA filter once a year and the Pre-Filter (HRF-AP1) every three months.
3 Hamilton Beach TrueAir Air Purifier For Home
- 3 layers of filtration for more efficient cleaning
- Removes unwanted odors
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Affordable
- Sleek desktop décor-quality design
- Ultra-quiet operation
Pet owners looking for an air purifier for dogs and who have smaller rooms not bigger than 160 square feet will find the Hamilton Beach TrueAir pet air purifier to be of great value.
While TrueAir doesn’t have any embedded technology to help kill or inactivate pathogenic viruses and bacteria, it nevertheless has a permanent filter. As a result, you no longer have to worry about ever replacing the filter.
It also comes with carbon zeolite filters that help eliminate or remove nasty pet odors. The design of the TrueAir resembles an elegant room deodorizer that can also double as a beautiful desktop décor.
It’s super quiet, too, so it won’t disturb your peaceful slumber. If you’ve got a relatively small room to cover, the TrueAir is a great option.
4 Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier With True HEPA
- HEPA filter and AOC Carbon filter
- Captures airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns
- Plasma Wave tech acts as a permanent filter
- Removes pet odor and dander, dust mites, smoke, mold spores, etc.
- 4 fan spends
- Smart Sensors, Auto Mode and Sleep mode
- Filter replacement indicator
Using a true HEPA filter combined with AOC Carbon Filter, the Winix 5500-2 air purifier captures up to 99.7% of airborne pollutants, including pet dander, dust mites, pollen, and other particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The AOC Carbon Filter is made from activated carbon granules which are especially effective at removing household odors, particularly that nasty dog and cat smell. But, unlike the filters you should occasionally replace, the Plasma Wave technology doesn’t – it’s a permanent filter that breaks down allergens, odor, and other volatile organic compounds.
The device also features smart sensors, which assess the state of the air continuously, while the Auto Mode adjusts the fan to filter the air as needed. There is also a Sleep mode available, which you can use at night for silent operation. Overall, this highly effective air purifier covers medium to large-sized rooms – up to 360 t. sq. – making it ideal for multi-pet households.
5 LEVOIT Compact HEPA Air Purifier
- 3-stage filtration for more efficient air cleaning
- Eliminates pet odors and other foul smell
- Night light functionality for added bedtime comfort
- Best air purifier for dust
One good thing about the Levoit Air Purifier is that it has integrated night light functionality, doubling its usefulness, especially in your bedroom.
Its simple cylindrical design that can serve as an elegant decorative piece makes it ideal for small rooms. It doesn’t have the technology to kill pathogenic germs, however. But, at any rate, its 3-stage filtration system effectively filters out harmful allergens such as pet dander, pollen, dust mite, and the like. It also helps eliminate odors from pets, smoking, and even the kitchen. Its HEPA filter can remove 99.97% of particulate matter up to sizes of about 0.3 microns.
In addition, you can adjust the night light functionality to 2 different brightness levels while setting its speed in 3 different variables.
The Levoit is an excellent choice for those who want something more elegant that they can place on top of their desks. However, it may be a bit pricey, considering the GermGuardian has more to offer at about the same price tag.
6 Germ Guardian GG1000 Pluggable Small Air Purifier
- UV-C light technology for optimum air sanitation
- Kills pathogenic microorganisms
- Deodorizes small rooms
- Filter-less operation for easier cleaning
- Compact, light, and affordable
What’s the difference between the GermGuardian AC4825 and the GermGuardian GG1000, you might ask?
For starters, the technology is different. Whereas the AC4825 relies on a combination of filtration, odor removal, and UV-C light disinfection, the GG1000 employs the proprietary UV-C light technology of Guardian Technologies. In addition, it doesn’t involve any HEPA or carbon filters.
What it does is that it draws air into its super-sexy canister and subjects this to ultraviolet-C radiation. This is what kills any pathogens present in the air, including allergens like pet dander and nasty odor molecules.
The great thing about the GG1000 is that it is hassle-free. Plug it in and be amazed at how it removes odors in your room while also rendering the air cleaner and healthier. There are no filters to clean, remember? It’s more compact, too.
7 Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier
- Whisper-quiet operation
- UV-C light and HEPA filter technology
- Power-saving feature
- Excellent warranty
- Compact and lightweight design
With noise levels rated at only 30 dB, the PureZone air purifier for dogs is a great addition to any bedroom or room you want to be as quiet as possible.
The PureZone comes with a combination of UV-C light inactivation of pathogens and a HEPA filter to eliminate airborne particles while also removing foul odors. In addition, it features an automatic timer for hassle-free operation.
The touch button interface in a lightweight and compact design makes the PureZone a great find. Furthermore, pure Enrichment provides a 5-year warranty on its device.
8 Germ Guardian AC4100 HEPA Filter Small Air Purifier
- Uses a combination of charcoal filter, HEPA filter, and UV-C light technology
- Comes in 3-speed settings
- Excellent for small rooms
Want something that resembles your Bluetooth wireless speaker?
Then get the GermGuardian AC4100 Air Purifier. It sits comfortably between the GG1000 and the AC4825, mimicking the price advantage of the GG-series and the superb germ-killing, odor-eliminating, and particle-removing features of the 4825, but in a more compact and lightweight body.
Its design is especially useful in making it blend well with your other pieces of decorative items as no one will ever think that it is an air cleaner.
9 HOmeLabs 4-In-1 Compact Air Purifier
- Uses ionic technology for more efficient cleaning
- Integrates HEPA and charcoal filters for odor and particulate removal
- Lightweight and compact design for on-the-go air cleaning
- Affordable and effective for smaller rooms
This air cleaner from hOmeLabs features an entirely different yet equally effective way of removing harmful particulates. However, it still utilizes a HEPA filter and activated charcoal as part of its 4-stage filtration and odor removal system.
In a nutshell, the Ionic Air Purifier electrically charges the particles in the air, giving them a negative charge. These then attach to a positively charged plate, thus effectively removing these harmful particles from the air.
The Ionic is excellent for travelers who may be wary of the air quality of their room accommodation. Furthermore, this room air purifier is highly portable and compact and efficiently purifies the air of a room as large as 50 square feet.
10 OION Technologies B1000 Permanent Air Purifier
- Uses electrostatic ionizing purification technology
- Integrates carbon filtration for odor elimination
- Added ozone purification system for germ killing effects
- Additional UV-C light technology for antimicrobial properties
- Whisper-quiet operation
- Energy efficient
The OION B-1000 features four air cleaning technologies for optimum purification.
First, it utilizes ionic purification similar to the hOmeLabs Ionic.
Second, it features UV-C light purification technology like those found in the GermGuardian.
Third, it comes with an ozone purification system that effectively inactivates harmful germs and microbes.
Fourth, its charcoal filter helps remove nasty odors, even those coming from your pets, as well as from smoking and cooking.
It has a night light functionality and whisper-quiet operation for undisturbed rest and sleep. Also, it doesn’t consume too much power, running only on 7.5 watts. With these amazing features fully embedded into a futuristic design, the B-1000 does deserve a place in this list of the best air purifiers for pets.
11 LEVOIT Smart True HEPA Air Purifier
- Filters dust mites, pollen, pet dander, odor and smoke
- Honeycomb activated carbon HEPA filter
- Smart filter life
- Auto mode and 3 fan speed settings
- Operates with a noise level of 27 dB
- Energy Star-certified, CARB, FCC Certified & CE Listed
Small but mighty, the Levoit LV-PUR131 uses Honeycomb activated HEPA filter to improve and speed up the air purifying process by 30%. Covering 360 sq. ft. rooms, it tackles pet dander, odor, smoke, dust, and pollen without using UV-C light and producing ozone.
Because it’s through the air-purifying process, it’s perfect for folks with allergies and asthma. Besides, this model utilizes Amazon’s first smart algorithm to calculate the real life of the filter according to your specific situation, which helps save money long-term. If you don’t like adjusting the purifier often, you’ll be pleased to know that there is an Auto Mode setting that adjusts between three fan speeds in response to real-time air quality readings all on its own.
Thankfully, the model is also pretty quiet (as “rustling leaves,” according to the manufacturer), filtering air with a noise level of 27 dB, helping you sleep better.
12 Hathaspace HSP001 Smart Air Purifier
- 6-in-1 air filter system with HEPA filter
- Eliminates common home air pollutants as small as 0.3 microns
- UV-C light option that kills even the smallest bacteria and viruses
- 3 fan speeds and an Auto mode
- Smart air quality sensor automatically adjusts fan speed
- Whisper-quiet sleep mode
- For medium to large rooms, up to 350 sq. ft.
Are you looking for a budget-friendly, highly effective air purifier?
The Hathaspace HSP001 Smart True HEPA Air Purifier is incredibly sensitive to detecting airborne pollutants and odors and efficient at eliminating them.
Thanks to the 6-in-1 air filter system, this model destroys bacteria, mold spores, dust mites, pet dander, allergens, viruses, and smoke. It captures 99.7% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, but you can turn on a UV-C light to destroy even smaller bacteria and viruses.
Because it covers medium to large rooms up to 350 sq ft. and is so effective at killing odors, pet hair and dander, smoke, and other pollutant particles, it’s perfect for multi-pet households and people and kids with allergies and asthma.
The device also features a smart air quality sensor that monitors air quality and adjusts the fan speed in real-time based on how ‘dirty’ or polluted your room air is.
13 Alen BreatheSmart Fit50 True HEPA Air Purifier
- 4 unique HEPA filters
- Eliminates 99% of all common household airborne particles
- Designed by NASA airflow engineers
- 4 fan speed options
- Auto mode setting and quiet operation
- Smart Sensor tech, filter life indicator light, on/off ring with changing colors
- Covers rooms up to 1100 sq. ft. in size
If you want to deal with pet odor, hair, and dander as efficiently as possible, the Alen brand has a model that’s more than worth its high price – BreatheSmart Classic Air Purifier.
This model was designed by NASA airflow engineers, meaning it is one of the best air purifiers for pets on the market. Cleaning up to 1100 sq. ft. every 30 minutes, the device tackles all airborne pollutant particles, including dust mites, mold, germs, smoke, pet dander, and heavy odors such as cat litter and puppy potty pads. This is possible thanks to the four unique HEPA filters – Pure, Silver, Fresh Plus, and Odorcell – which remove 99% of particles up to 0.3 micros small.
The result is incredibly fresher and cleaner air, easier breathing, and fewer allergies and asthma symptoms. The BreatheSmart device also has an Auto mode setting that adjusts fan speeds (4 options) for best operations and Smart Sensor technology, including an On/Off Ring that changes colors to display the air quality levels. As a bonus, the machine comes with a lifetime warranty.
14 Airthereal APH260 Air Purifier For Home
- Captures airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns
- 3-in-1 filtration system
- 3 fan speed settings
- Smart auto mode and sleep mode
- On/off timer and air quality monitor
- Cleans the air in rooms as big as 355 sq. ft.
The Airthereal Pure Morning is an affordable and easy-to-use air purifier that will have your room feeling fresh in no time.
Priced below $150, this device captures common pollutants like dust mites or pet dander while also filtering out smaller particles such as mold spores at a reasonable price!
With CADR ratings above 150 CFM (cubic foot per minute), it can clean rooms up to 355 sq ft well. Besides, the cleaner features Smart control, which automatically measures air quality and selects air cleaning mode based on the current situation.
There is also a sleep mode that you can use at night and an air quality monitor that shows the real-time air quality in the room.
15 VEVA 8000 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier
- HEPA filter plus 4 activated carbon pre-filters
- Eliminates dust, pet dander, mold spores, microbes and other particles small as 0.3 microns
- Good odor elimination
- 3-stage air speed, from Ultra Quiet to Turbo
Compact, affordable, and effective at filtering air pollutants, the VEVA 800 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier is a great model for first-time buyers and folks on a budget.
The device captures dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, microbes, and other particles as small as 0.3 microns. It’s also very good at eliminating odors and bad smells, whether from cats, dogs, cigarettes, cooking, or anything else.
The purifier is highly effective because it uses a HEPA filter combined with four activated carbon pre-filters and charcoal nanotechnology. The filters last about a year, which is more or less an average lifetime of air purifying filters.
There are three fan speeds, which allow the device to go from quiet and energy-efficient to powerful and highly effective with a button switch. Overall, this is a basic but solid option for pet owners and people struggling with allergies.
The Best Air Purifiers for Pets: Buying Guide & FAQs
Do I Really Need a Pet Air Purifier?
We live with our pets that pass gas, emit foul scents, or shed dander into the air. For most of us, it is quite okay. But, sadly, for the more vulnerable members of our household, it could mean life or death.
The problem is that pet dander is widely regarded as an allergen. These are molecules that can trigger an allergic reaction in the immune system. Cells of the immune system recognize the ‘allergen’ as a foreign body that needs to be eliminated from the system. This is attacked by immune system cells, which release various pro-inflammatory substances. These substances can have various effects, including but not limited to the increased diameter of the blood vessels leading to redness and swelling. If the swelling compresses nerve endings, pain ensues.
That is why it is crucial to invest in a high-quality air purifier. It should be fitted with the most appropriate filtration system to remove pet dander and other allergens from the air. Additionally, it should also be able to filter and remove smoke, fumes, fireplace soot, dust, and other microscopic particles that may irritate the airways and lead to airway congestion, blockage, and suffocation.
Things to Consider When Buying the Best Air Purifier for Pets
As you can see, even if you don’t have a pet, it would still be ideal to have an air purifier in your home, especially if you cannot get rid of dust and other airborne particles. The same is true with nasty odors from your bathroom and kitchen sink as well as your garage and crawlspaces. These can be filled with pathogens that we clearly cannot see. So now, in buying a pet air purifier, you might want to consider the following.
Size of Your Room
Different units come in various capacities, so you have to ensure that it can provide ample coverage of your room. To do this, you’ll need to measure the dimensions of the room you want its ambient air purified. You’ll take the length and width of your room and multiply the two to get the dimension of your room in square feet.
Placement of the Unit
This is related to the room size, as you want to identify which part of your room you should place the pet air purifier in. If your pets don’t go inside your bedroom, installing a device in this part of the house may not be necessary. However, if you need to install one, you have to ensure that it will not be very noisy. Otherwise, you won’t be able to sleep very well because of the noise. We recommend installing a device in your bedroom as this is where you will be spending a third of your day, fully vulnerable to microscopic attacks as you’ll be dead asleep.
Type of Filtration that You Require
If the main problems you want to solve at home are smoke, pet dander, mold spores, dust mites, and even pollen, then getting an air-purifying device with a HEPA filter is your best choice. However, if the main issue is related to airborne microorganisms like bacteria and viruses, then an ozone air purifier, UV-C light technology, and ionizers will be more effective.
Cost of Maintenance
Some devices are very easy to operate, clean, and maintain, while others require significant investment in time and effort. As such, it is important to look into the ease of maintenance of the product you would like to buy. Also, you might want to check the cost and availability of the replacement parts. It may be easy to maintain, but if it requires expensive parts should it break down, then you’ll eventually end up with a costly device that takes a lot of your time to fix and maintain.
Automatic Monitoring
Most modern air purifiers come with infrared sensors that continuously monitor the number of levels of particulates in a given area. This allows the device to adjust the speed of removing these particulates to keep the air clean. At any rate, it’s a wonderful feature you would want to consider as it gives you peace of mind about the safety of the air you breathe.
Power Consumption
Here’s the thing about air purifiers for pets. They need to run continuously, 24/7, to ensure that the air you’re breathing doesn’t contain any contaminants that might harm you and your family. That being said, you can expect it to impact your monthly energy bill. As such, you might want to look at a device with a much lower power consumption rating but without sacrificing its capacity to purify the air in your room.
Noise Level
The average human whisper typically rates at about 30 decibels, while heavy rain sounds at about 50 dB. On the other hand, conventional vacuum cleaners come at about 70 to 80 dB.
Why is this important? Well, if you can sleep in almost any environment regardless of the noise level, this consideration wouldn’t matter. However, if you cannot fall asleep or even maintain your quality of sleep with too much noise, choose an air purifier with a quiet operation.
Effectiveness
While knowing the square footage of your room helps, a much more important measure is the device’s Air Change Rate, or ACR. This describes the number of times the gadget can purify or filter the air volume within a given space every hour.
Manufacturer’s Reputation
The manufacturer’s reputation can also be a significant factor to consider. Well-established brands have a reputation to protect. As such, you will expect these companies to continuously design and produce devices and gadgets that satisfy the expectations of their customers, lest they see a decline in their following.
After-Sales Customer Service
You might not think of it, but a trustworthy company always makes improvements in its aftersales. This can be in technical support or other areas of customer experience management. No matter how well-built it is, your device is still prone to wear and tear. You’d feel more confident knowing you will have someone to call should problems arise.
Warranty
There’s no guarantee that your gadget will not break down in the long run. As such, you might want to check what’s covered in any warranties the company provides rather than disposing of it after some time. For example, do they provide a lifetime free service guarantee? How about the replacement of parts? You might want to check these out before considering buying a particular product.
Essential Features of an Effective Air Purifier for Pets
Choosing the right air purifier for pets does not end with knowing what you must consider. You will also want to look at the features that are available to you. Most of these features are a must-have, although you would be lucky if you could find a product that integrates all of them.
- Air quality sensors – You can look at this feature as the brain of your device. Sensors are important as these effectively monitor air quality consistently and continuously. If it ‘senses’ that the air quality has changed, it automatically adjusts the speed of its air cleaning properties to bring the air quality back to desirable levels.
- HEPA filters – Almost all air purifiers for pets today contain HEPA filters. Understand that filters generally do not inactivate or kill any organism that may be found in the volume of air. What it does is that it only allows particles that are smaller than the device’s published minimum particle size. For example, most pet danders range between 5 and 10 microns for cats and 2 and 3 microns for dogs. This means a HEPA filter size of 1 micron should be enough. But, of course, there are other particulates that you have to be wary about.
- That being said, it is, therefore, important to look for HEPA filters that have a much smaller filtration rating. If you can get a device that works on 0.01 microns.
- Carbon filter – Carbon filters are important if you want to remove odors such as those coming from your pets, smoking, cooking in the kitchen, or any other source of the nasty smell. The natural adsorbent properties of charcoal effectively reduce these odors. As such, if one of your concerns is the presence of an unusually strong foul smell, then choosing a device that has a carbon filter should be a great choice.
- Antibacterial coating – Not all air purifiers have an antibacterial coating in their filters. However, now filtration systems incorporate an additional layer of protection coated with antibacterial film. This means that as the particles are filtered through, they eventually get in contact with this antibacterial layer, rendering them ineffective if not killing the microorganisms contained in the volume of particulates. So again, it might be wise to look at your device if it has this added layer of protection.
- Purifying capacity – Always check the Clean Air Delivery Rate of the product you’re buying, as it gives you an idea of its purifying capacity. CADR is a function of how efficient the device is in removing contaminant particles in the air within a given volume of space and length of time. Therefore, the higher the CADR, the better it purifies your room. However, note the size of the room upon which the CADR has been rated against.
- Child-lock – If you have very curious children at home, you might need a device with child-lock or security features. This ensures that a curious child does not inadvertently alter any programming already set into the device.
Types of Pet Air Purifiers
Your choice of air purifier for pets is currently limited to four, although we have seen models that integrate all four types into a single model. We’ll examine each one briefly to give you an idea.
Filters
These devices typically come with 2 fundamental filters: HEPA and carbon. One is designed to remove airborne particles larger than their rated microns. The other one is primarily intended for the removal of odor molecules. Do these kill bacteria and viruses? No. Unless, of course, they have another layer of filter coated with an antimicrobial agent. However, these types of air purifiers are formidable for pet dander and pet odors.
Ionizers
Gadgets electrically charge the surrounding air so that all particles within the gadget’s effective range become negatively charged. These particles are then drawn into a positively charged collecting plate near the ionizer. In some cases, the electrically charged particles attach to walls and other surfaces. This type of cleaner is known to inactivate viruses and even bacteria. However, it may not be that effective against pet dander and odors.
UV Purifiers
These gadgets utilize UV-C light to kill germs and allergens and inactivate other particles. However, experts believe these particles need to be exposed to UV-C light for at least several minutes to be inactivated.
Ozone Purifiers
Ozone purifiers work on the principle of oxidation. This damages the cell membranes of bacteria and other susceptible organisms, killing or inactivating them. Unfortunately, they are also largely ineffective against pet dander and odor.
Other Ways to Eliminate Allergens Related to Pets
Since one of the fundamental reasons you would need a pet air purifier is to help prevent the spread of allergens – pet dander, in this case – it should be worth learning other ways to eliminate allergens stemming from pets, too. Here are a few proven ways.
Bathing Once a Week
Studies show that bathing your pet can help reduce the dander it sheds. There are also specially formulated shampoos to help minimize shedding. It is equally important to provide your pet with the correct nutrients to keep the skin healthier and minimize the shedding of dander.
You may also like our guide on the Best Dog Conditioners.
Limit Your Pet’s Area of Activity
Limiting your pet’s area of activity in your home is often wise. For example, you can make the bedroom especially off-limits to your dog or cat. At least its dander will not be shed onto your bedding, pillows, mattress, blankets, and other items. The bedroom is especially vulnerable to dander since it contains many soft materials to which dander can easily be attached.
If you need help finding pet-proof couch covers, look at our buying guide for support and recommendations.
Frequent Cleaning
Never sweep your floor, as this will only agitate the dust and make the pet dander airborne. A better solution is to mop your floor or wipe surfaces of furniture and other items with a moist cleaning cloth. The dampness of the rug will help dander cling onto it rather than going airborne. You can also use vacuum cleaners that come with HEPA filters. You might also want to eliminate carpets, as these are magnets for pet dander.
Although pets provide happiness, affection, and companionship, we still need clean, fresh air to breathe. But getting the right pet air purifier is a must if we are exposed to pet dander and other contaminants with every breath. Our healthy pets may not need the air purifiers as much as we do, but these gadgets are important in keeping the air we breathe safe and clean. We hope your air purifier reviews have helped you choose the best air cleaner for your home.
Sources:
- Jennifer Coates, DVM, How Air Fresheners Can Affect Your Pet’s Health, PetMD
- How to Choose an Air Purifier for Pet Hair, WebMD
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you own dogs, cats, rodents or birds, pet dander, hair and odor can quickly become a source of health issues for you and your family members. Inhaling pet dander – tiny flecks of skin shed by pets –can cause a runny nose, red, watery and itchy eyes, trigger a bout of sneezing and wheezing, and lead to other respiratory problems. If you have allergies, you can also experience other symptoms, such as chest tightness, congestion, rashes and eczema.
Thankfully, you can avoid all of these and many other health issues by improving the quality of the air in your home. An effective purifier for pet hair will not only get rid of pet hair and dander, but unpleasant odors too. It will also eliminate airborne allergens like dust mites, mold spores, bacteria and volatile organic compounds, leading to cleaner and healthier air.
It most certainly is. In fact, most air purifiers today have a Sleep Mode setting which you can choose for a silent overnight operation. Typically, purifiers are slightly less powerful at eliminating air pollutants in this mode but work efficiently nevertheless. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to run the machine whenever you’re at home because the clean air gets contaminated within 3-4 hours (depending on the machine) that the purifier is not working. If you keep it on for 24 hours, you’ll breathe clean and fresh air all the time. Of course, that’s not the most energy efficient way of using the air purifier, so the best next thing is to keep it on only when you’re at home, including overnight.
Most air purifiers today do not dry out the air as they’re not removing any moisture during the air filtering process. You can think of air purifiers as more advanced fan devices or ionizers – they filter the pollutant particles but cannot trap moisture in the air. In other words, they’re air purifiers not dehumidifiers. That being said, there are some purifiers that remove moisture from the air, however, they have specific instructions regarding water-buildup (for example, how often you need to empty the catch basin). None of the devices on our Top List dry out air.
If you find that the air in the room where you keep the purifier feels drier than usual, it could be due to the air conditioner. Cold air cannot hold water vapor as well as warmer air can, plus ACs reduce the humidity significantly, making the air in your room quite literally drier.
To get the best results from your new air purifier, it’s important to place it in the right area of your home. Most people find that the purifier works best when placed in a room where air quality is the worst – for instance, in the room where your pets spend the most time or in the area where people smoke. And if you have allergies and asthma symptoms? Place the air purifier in your bedroom and run it overnight – every single night – as this will help relieve the symptoms greatly.
Pay attention to the specifics as well – don’t place the device in the corners of your house, behind furniture or below the shelves. Instead, place it someplace open, where it will have access to the whole room; about one to two feet of free space on all sides would be ideal. It’s also important that the air purifier is alone, meaning not near any other electronics, including the TV, stereo or microwave.
If you have indoor environmental allergies such as allergies caused by dust mites, mold spores and pet dander, air purifiers can certainly relieve the symptoms. This is because these devices capture and destroy airborne pollutant particles, leading to cleaner, fresher and healthier air. Many air purifiers also eliminate pollen in the air which can be a great help with seasonal allergies too. Because air purifiers typically remove around 99% of all airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns (some even smaller than that!) and improve the quality of the air you breathe, they can relieve various allergy and asthma symptoms, however, they cannot ‘cure’ either of them.
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