Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAir Quality and HealthHow Air Purifiers WorkDustAllergiesOther Benefits of Air PurifiersAre Air Purifiers Worth It?SettingsGetting Rid of Dust
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Air Quality and Health
How Air Purifiers Work
Dust
Allergies
Other Benefits of Air Purifiers
Are Air Purifiers Worth It?
Settings
Getting Rid of Dust
Do air purifiers help with dust? Yes, when used correctly, some can help reduce dust and other contaminants and improve the overall quality ofindoor air. However, which type of air purifier you use and how you use it matters.
No matter how much you clean, every home has a certain amount of dust, and you can’t help but breathe it in. If you have sensitivities to dust or other allergens, you probably take extra steps to avoid them.
This article covers what you need to know about using air purifiers to remove dust in your home.
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How Does Air Quality Affect Your Health?
There’s no doubt that indoor air quality affects your health. Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors.When it comes toyear-round allergiesandallergic asthma, dust mites may be the most common trigger. Symptoms may include:
When dust mite allergy triggers asthma, you may have:
Many things can affect air quality in your home, includingdust, allergens, smoke, mold, fuels, and chemicals in household products and furnishings. The short- and long-term effects of indoor pollution can include:
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Air purifiers that use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can capture 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns or smaller.Though far too small to see, at that size, particles can penetrate your lungs.
HEPA filters can catch common allergens like dust,animal dander,mold spores, andpollen. They can even catch some small particles from smoke and pollution.
Would an Air Purifier Help With Dust?
If your purifier has a HEPA filter, it can remove mostdust and airborne dust mitesfrom your home.Air purifiers only remove particles from the air, not from surfaces. Dust mites tend to settle on surfaces.
Think of an air purifier as supporting other methods, such as good ventilation and frequent dusting and vacuuming.
Do Air Purifiers Help With Allergies?
A purifier with a HEPA filter effectively reduces dust, airborne dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, and other irritants from the room.Reducing those contaminants may help reduceallergysymptoms and exposure to allergens that triggerasthma.
A Word From VerywellIf you are allergic to dust mites, it’s best to cover pillows, mattresses, and furniture with dust mite covers/cases or wash sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water.—JURAIRAT J. MOLINA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
If you are allergic to dust mites, it’s best to cover pillows, mattresses, and furniture with dust mite covers/cases or wash sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water.—JURAIRAT J. MOLINA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
If you are allergic to dust mites, it’s best to cover pillows, mattresses, and furniture with dust mite covers/cases or wash sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water.
—JURAIRAT J. MOLINA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
In addition to reducing dust and other allergy triggers, some air purifiers may help:
Any potential health benefits depend on the specific model, type of filters, how they’re used, and whether they’re properly maintained. Air purifiers can’t replace cleaning, good ventilation, and other measures that improve air quality in the home.
So Are Air Purifiers Worth It?
If your goal is to reduce indoor dust and other irritants in the air, anair purifierwith a HEPA filter may well be worth it. For best results, be sure to follow cleaning and routine maintenance instructions.
Air purifiers don’t remove particles that settle on surfaces, so it’s important to use your air purifier along with regular cleaning to remove more allergens.
Air purifiers that use ultraviolet (UV) light can kill some viruses and bacteria.But avoid products marketed as “HEPA-like.” These are not HEPA filters and will likely not function as such.Ion generators might remove some small particles, but they’re not very effective in reducing dust, pollen, or other allergens.
Some ozone generators are marketed as air cleaners. However, ozone doesn’t remove dust, pollen, or other particles that cause most allergies.And when the ozone concentration is high enough to clean the air, it’s high enough to be hazardous to your health.
Optimal Air Purifier Settings for Dust Elimination
Here are some things to remember when choosing a unit to decrease dust in the air.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Dust in Your Home
Dust mites and other allergens that trigger allergy and asthma symptoms are airborne for a short time. But then they settle on surfaces, so getting rid of dust is important. Regular cleaning will help prevent dust from accumulating and re-entering the air when disturbed.
Summary
Indoor air quality has a significant effect on health. People spend a lot of time indoors. When used correctly,air purifierswith HEPA filters can effectively reduce dust and other allergens in the air. They may be particularly useful if you’re allergic to dust mites or pollen or if allergens trigger your asthma.
You can choose from many types of air purifiers. Be sure to read labels carefully and measure the room to make sure it will meet your needs. Remember, you can’t rely on an air purifier alone. Your indoor air will be healthier with regular cleaning, proper ventilation, and a well-maintained HVAC system.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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