Air Purifiers For Dust

If you suffer from dust allergies, an air purifier may help. But it can’t do the job alone, especially if your allergens are burrowed deep in your carpet, rugs, and furniture.

That’s why we recommend pairing an air purifier with a regular cleaning routine. This Levoit Core 300S, with a H13 true HEPA filter and carbon for odors, will do the trick for under $150.

1. HEPA

Dust is a hodge-podge of microscopic particles that come from a lot of different sources, including pet dander, mold, pollen and even human skin flakes. These particles can irritate the nose, eyes and throat of people with allergies or asthma, who may also experience itchy skin. Air purifiers help reduce the amount of dust in your home by circulating and filtering the air, trapping particles that would otherwise become airborne and trigger symptoms.

If you want to minimize dust in your home, the first thing you need is an air purifier with a HEPA filter that can trap particles down to 0.3 microns in size. Some HEPA filters also contain additives that help remove even smaller particles, such as viruses.

The Blueair 211+ offers ultra-efficient HEPASilent filtration at whisper-quiet air purifiers for dust volumes, and it can completely cycle the air in a room up to 540 square feet in just 12.5 minutes. It’s not loaded with bells and whistles, but the performance is exceptional and the price tag is very reasonable for an air purifier of this quality.

Another option is the Smart Air Sqair, which is another no-frills model that’s built for efficiency and a low price point. It uses a simple user interface and has an impressive CADR rating for its size, reducing both the airborne particles that trigger allergies and the odors caused by cooking, pets and smoking. It has a cylindrical design that allows for 360-degree air collection, and the pre-filter and activated carbon filter capture odors and volatile organic compounds.

2. Carbon

While most air purifiers are good for filtering out solid particles, such as dust mites and mold spores, they’re not the best at dealing with gases or odors, which require a porous surface, like activated carbon. The carbon in this Airmega option can conquer odors from smoking, pets and cooking while the HEPA filter handles the small particles in your home air. Its simple settings and indicator light make it easy to keep an eye on the condition of your filters, too.

A HEPA filter is a multi-layered netting of tiny fibers with different sized gaps that traps and holds the particles within its structure. It’s the same type of filter found in a respirator and is the gold standard for air purifiers. The Good Housekeeping Institute rigorously tested all models in this roundup, selecting those with a true HEPA filter that was the most effective at reducing dust, pet dander and pollen, among other common allergens.

While these filters can greatly reduce your allergy symptoms, they won’t be able to take away the allergens that have burrowed into wood, flooring and furniture. Those types of allergens will require disinfectant cleaners or regular vacuuming to remove. They also won’t capture viruses or bacteria that are circulating in your home, which require the use of antibiotics or antiviral medications to treat and prevent infection.

3. Activated Carbon

Carbon air purifiers use activated carbon to remove gases from the air. Carbon has lots of tiny crevices that trap odors and chemicals. It is also effective at capturing some gases like acetone, formaldehyde and benzene.

Activated carbon is produced by heating carbon-rich material in the presence of steam at high temperatures. This process is called pyrolysis and is very similar to how charcoal is made. During this process, the carbon becomes “activated” by creating millions of tiny pores and cracks that extend all the way down to molecular size. This creates a huge surface area which is ideal for adsorption. One gram of highly-activated carbon has a surface area that is greater than a football field.

When used for adsorption, the carbon carries a positive charge and attracts negatively charged particles that are present in the air. Once the contaminant is attracted to the carbon, it is held there until the bed of carbon becomes saturated and needs to be regenerated.

Activated carbon can be impregnated with other materials to target specific contaminants. For example, copper sulfate can be used to impregnate carbon and remove hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans. Other gases that can be targeted by impregnated carbon include nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and chlorine dioxide.

4. Ultraviolet Light

Whether it’s from cooking, cleaning or simply having people in and out of the house, there’s a lot of dust that can linger in your home. If you have allergies, the dust can trigger sneezing, coughing and a runny nose. That’s why an air purifier for dust is a great option to help keep your space healthy and clean.

While it’s not as popular as HEPA filters, some air purifiers use UV filters to zap dust particles. The particles absorb UV radiation and experience photo-degradation, which breaks their chemical bonds, causing them to break apart. This air purifiers for dust is a great way to get rid of harmful bacteria and microorganisms.

UV radiation is found naturally in sunlight and emitted by many devices such as black lights, mercury lamps, curing lamps, tanning booths, and electric arc welding.

The best UV air purifiers are designed to protect your home from bacteria and viruses while removing excess moisture from the air. They typically have a prefilter that captures larger dust particles and an HEPA filter to trap smaller ones, then they use ultraviolet light to destroy bacteria and viruses that pass through the filter. These types of systems are a great choice for households with sensitive family members or those who suffer from seasonal allergies. They are also a great choice for those looking for a future-proof air purifier that works with smart home devices and apps.