Do Air Purifiers Remove Odors?

Nick Durante
by Nick Durante

Strange and unpleasant odors in the home can make it difficult to get comfortable. Most homeowners would do anything to find a solution to bad smells in the home, even if it means buying new gear. So, do air purifiers remove odors?

Air purifiers remove odors by cycling the air with a fan and running it through a filter. HEPA filters are the best option for air purifiers and they can remove odors in 45 minutes to 3 hours in most cases. You should only need to run your air purifier once per month to remove odors unless you have mold and mildew problems that you need to address.

Check for mold and mildew or HVAC problems if your air quality stays bad even when you use an air purifier. Air purifiers remove dust particles from the air which makes it easier to clean the house and breathe without a problem. Follow along as we explore how air purifiers remove odors and what you need to consider before you purchase one.

Do Air Purifiers Remove Smells?

Air purifiers are a great way to remove odors in your home and improve the air quality. They feature a fan and filter system that sucks in the air and effectively cleans it to remove impurities. Some air purifiers can also detect the air quality in your home which can provide you with valuable information.

The filter is the most important component of an air purifier because it removes contaminants from the air. Of course, the fan is important as well because it helps cycle the undesirable air and get rid of dust particles and odors. Air purifiers feature filters that are typically made of fiberglass or paper mesh to remove impurities in the air.

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are widely considered the best option for removing odors. They are considered the best for removing dust, pollen, odors, and mold particles from the air. Even still, any type of air purifier is better than nothing if the air quality in your home is unpleasant.

Do Air Purifiers get rid of Musty Smells?

You can use an air purifier to get rid of musty smells, especially if it has a HEPA filter. This is only temporary in some cases, however, if you don’t treat the cause of the musty smell. Musty odors come from mold and mildew in many cases which will continue to create the odor if untreated.

Many homeowners run an air purifier after they remove or treat the mold and mildew in the house. That is the only way to get rid of musty smells with an air purifier for good without it coming back. Luckily, musty smells don’t necessarily mean that your home is infested with mold so remediation may not be expensive.

Air purifiers are also a great solution while you wait for professionals to treat your home. This will limit how much microbial matter is in the air until it is removed altogether. Air purifiers are a great way to remove musty smells as long as you treat the source to ensure they won’t come back.

Do Air Purifiers Remove Dust?

Air purifiers can remove dust from the air in your home. This is helpful for homeowners with respiratory problems and can make it easier to clean the house. You can call tell that an air purifier works when the surfaces in your home are cleaner and the filter is dirty.

Most air purifiers have a replaceable filter that gets notably dusty after you’ve run it for a while. While air purifiers remove dust from the air, they don’t get to the source of the problem. You will continue to have dust in your home, but air purifiers significantly help to reduce it.

Air purifiers remove large clumps of dust in the air, but they don’t always catch fine dust. It’s still much easier to clean the counters in your home if all that you have to worry about is fine dust particles.

Do Air Purifiers Help With Kitchen Smells?

Air purifiers help reduce kitchen smells such as strong food odors and burns. Ideally, you should do everything that you can to reduce the odor if you burn food in the kitchen. An air purifier will certainly help remove burn smells in your kitchen, but you may need more than that.

Crack a window and light a candle after you run your air purifier for several hours. Make sure to air out your oven as well and clean it when it cools down to help remove the odor. Air purifiers with carbon filters are typically strong enough to remove aromatic smells like garlic and onions even.

Best Air Purifier to Remove Odors

Honeywell and GermGuardian produce some of the best air purifiers to remove odors. Household names like Dyson air purifiers are also reliable and come in a wide price range. Air purifiers range in cost between $200 and $1,000 or more depending on the features.

Luckily, you can find great air purifiers for under $300 even if they have fewer bells and whistles. High-end air purifiers such as the Molekule Air Pro cost $1,00 because they cover such a large space. Factors such as smart features and how many square feet they cover ultimately determine the cost.

Look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter if you are worried about mold, mildew, pollen, and dust in your home. Try to pay attention to what size room the air purifier is rated for before you purchase it. Some air purifiers, such as the Blueair Blue Pure 411 are only rated for small rooms, for example.

How Often Should I use an Air Purifier?

You should only use an air purifier once per month unless an emergency comes up. For example, you may need to use an air purifier more often if you burn some food or stir up lots of dust. There may something wrong with your HVAC system and ductwork if you regularly have poor air quality.

You may need to hire a professional to clean your air ducts if your home is constantly dusty. Air purifiers certainly help to remove dust, but it will continue to happen if you don’t clean the ducts. Some homeowners need to run an air purifier for up to 12 hours per day if they have consistent problems with dirty air.

There is nothing wrong with using an air purifier all day, but it can increase your energy bills. Keep in mind that you will also need to replace the filter in your air purifier if you use it frequently, so it’s ideal to address the source of the problem.

How Long Does it Take for an Air Purifier to be Effective?

Air purifiers are generally effective between 45 and 180 minutes. They start to work right away but you may not notice strong effects until it has run for at least 45 minutes. It takes time for the fan to pull the poor air into the purifier and the filter.

You will notice clear results after 3 hours when the air purifier has had enough time to cycle the air many times. Some homeowners run their air purifiers for 8-12 hours or more during a day under extreme circumstances. This is especially common for homeowners with respiratory problems such as asthma.

It is ideal to run an air purifier for up to 12 hours at a time if you have mold and mildew in your home. This will help reduce the risk of health problems associated with air impurities and dust. Make sure to replace the filter in your air purifier every 6-12 months or sooner if it gets dirty quickly.

Can you Move an Air Purifier From Room to Room?

You can move an air purifier from room to room but it may not work as well in each space. Air purifiers are designed to cover a specific room size. Your air purifier won’t work as well when you move it to a large room if it is rated for a small one.

An air purifier meant for a large room will work in a small room, however, so that won’t be a problem. It is easy to move an air purifier between rooms because they aren’t usually large or heavy. Your main concern is whether it will perform well in the room and if you have an open outlet for it.

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Nick Durante
Nick Durante

Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.

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