Will Air Purifier Help with Dust Problem?

Ldeets456 on 26/09/2021 - 10:06

Hey guys thinking of getting an air purifier and wanted to see if anyone has personal experience with an air purifier helping getting rid of dust.

My bedroom gets so much dust despite vacuuming at least once a week and wet cleaning too. My girlfriend has bad allergies so it's pretty normal for her to vacuum and give the room a clean couple times a week but we find the very next day more dust just settles on surfaces again.

Tried researching best ways to combat this problem but just run into the the generic 'top 10 ways to …' articles so just wanted to see if any ozbargainers had some personal experience that could help

Thanks!

Electrical & Electronics Air Purifier

Comments

  • Melb69 on 26/09/2021 - 10:08
    +2

    It will make a difference with less dust if you get a good air purifier. Suggest Innovair, but not a cheap model. Manufactured and designed in Aus https://inovaairpurifiers.com.au/products/airclean-e7

    • deets456 on 26/09/2021 - 10:12

      Will check out your recommendation thanks for the help mate

      • Melb69 on 26/09/2021 - 10:14

        We have an E20 the larger Innovair. Other's may recommend cheaper models. I know ours removes smoke or kitchen fumes as well.

    • MrBr0 on 26/09/2021 - 10:46

      Thank you for this recommendation. I have been looking for something of quality for the bedroom to keep the allergies down.

      Has anyone had experience with a Dyson Air purifiers? Reading the inovaair website it looks like they would do a much better job of filtration plus are Australian made

      • Melb69 on 26/09/2021 - 10:54
        +1

        Definitely the Innovair is at the very high end of price and filtering spec. Just depends on your budget and expectations. I just put it out there as is definitely cheaper options that can reduce dust.

  • lunchbox99 on 26/09/2021 - 10:47
    +2

    I think a lot of dust in my bedroom during winter comes from polyester blankets. My reason for thinking this comes from hanging them on the line in the sun (with good light) - every time you touch them you can see thousands of tiny dust like fibres come off them. You don't see this from cotton etc.

    I assume the polyester in doonas, mattress covers and pillows is similarly shedding heaps of microscopic fibres.

    I bought an ikea air filter 2 days ago to try out. It comes with a HEPA filter and you can buy an additional activated carbon filter to remove gas and smoke odours ($16 for gas filter, $10 for HEPA).

    https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/foernuftig-air-purifier-white-7…

    You can wall mount and I just leave it running on lowest speed all night.

    Now people have said it's rather weak and not truly HEPA but it will still remove most of the stuff you perceive as "dust". It has 3 fan speeds - lowest is essentially silent but doesnt move much air, next up is MUCH louder and moves much more air but I don't think I could sleep with the noise.

    I think more expensive filters will move a much greater volume of air more quietly and go to smaller particle size. YMMV

    • deets456 on 26/09/2021 - 11:03
      +1

      I'll look into this considering a lot of air purifiers seem to be having stock issues. Appreciate the detailed response

      • lunchbox99 on 26/09/2021 - 11:10

        I bought a gas filter but not currently installed. If you just want to get rid of dust as I do, the HEPA filter alone should be enough.

        I bough the gas filter because there is a plastics manufacturer about 2km from my house. On rare occasions when the wind is blowing the right way you can get a strong chemical smell that nearby residents claim give them rashes and red eyes.

        When this happens I normally close my windows, so next time I will see if it can improve the internal air while my windows are closed.

        And yes, the local resident group has reported the company to the council and EPA equivalent. I suspect they have enough advance notice that they just don't do whatever it is they do to cause the smell during an inspection. When I was at uni I sometimes worked in the college kitchen as a casual. They would get a 1 or 2 week tip-off that an inspection was coming from council/health and spend that time cleaning everything.

    • apsilon on 26/09/2021 - 21:03

      The Ikea certainly looks less obtrusive and I like the fact it can be wall mounted but is the front fabric as it appears? Surely that's going to be a PITA to clean given it's the intake and long term could end up looking very dirty. Suppose it's at least cheap

      • lunchbox99 on 26/09/2021 - 21:33

        The picture in the instruction book shows using a vacuum crevice tool to suck crap off the front fabric.

        According to the "materials info" the front appears to be polyester fibre so you can probably wash it with water - like a garden hose spray from the inside.

        • apsilon on 27/09/2021 - 06:31

          Thanks. I think it'd have to be cleaned with more than just a vacuum after a few years. I'll have a look at it in person next time I go to Ikea.

  • apsilon on 26/09/2021 - 10:57

    It'll definitely help. I have a Philips 1000i and it's surprising the amount it can collect. My office gets a lot of dust as well and I've come to the conclusion that it's because I have hardwood floors and it's at the end of the hall so the breeze and foot traffic carries the dust to the office. I've also found the majority of it collects at the entrance (behind the door and under the raised drawer unit I have there) and the corner directly opposite the door.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 26/09/2021 - 11:06
    +1

    Wash your bedding, vacuum mattress and base, check for effective seals around windows as well. Try allergy covers for doona, pillows and as mattress cover.
    These steps will also help reduce the dust particles present.

    • lunchbox99 on 26/09/2021 - 11:12

      any recommendation for pillow allergy covers?

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 26/09/2021 - 11:14
        +1

        A few years back, I purchased some through the Asthma Association. They were good.

      • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 19:45
        -1

        So did people 1000 years ago

        • deme on 26/09/2021 - 19:51

          Would you like to live 1000 years ago?
          It's almost as if advances in medical technology have allowed us to live past 30.
          Also the industrial revolution only started in the 1760s, the air was much cleaner in the Earth 1000 years ago.

          • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 19:55
            -2

            @deme: Buy a toy fan with a sprinkler and maybe you'll realise that an air purifier is a rort. Open the window, wash your linen and dust/clean your house.

            Amazing how deluded people are into thinking that robot vacuum cleaners and air purifiers are needed.

            • deme on 26/09/2021 - 19:57

              @Orico: Orico
              Member Since
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              You don't remember the bushfires?

              • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 19:58

                @deme: Well that's a life or death situation if you have asthma. Bushfire smoke can kill.

                Even then a HEPA filter can only do so much if all the outside air is filled with ash.

                • deme on 26/09/2021 - 20:00

                  @Orico:

                  if you have asthma

                  Air Pollution kills people without asthma.

                  https://www.9news.com.au/national/canberra-woman-dies-smoke-…

                  Old lady got off the plane and died from it.

                  Also Air Purifiers will capture covid or do you think that is fake too?

                  • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 20:02

                    @deme: I mean, limit your electricity use then. Bushfires seem to be exacerbated by the polluting of the atmosphere from the electricity sector and the massive electricity demand

                    • deme on 26/09/2021 - 20:02

                      @Orico: Wow

                      • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 20:03

                        @deme: If you want to combat air pollution. Stop polluting the atmosphere. derp

                        • deme on 26/09/2021 - 20:07

                          @Orico: You seriously think stopping my individual consumer use of electricity (despite being all green will prevent bushfires?

                          You can lobby against pollution and buy an air purifier because at the end of the day I can't just turn off all the polluting sources.

                          • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 20:08

                            @deme:

                            You seriously think stopping my individual consumer use of electricity (despite being all green will prevent bushfires?

                            Get 100,000,000 other people to do it….then YES, it'll help!

                            (despite being all green

                            My foot you're all green.

                            • deme on 26/09/2021 - 20:09

                              @Orico: Okay and let me just take a look:
                              Buy and use an Air Purifier vs. Get 100 million people to stop their use of electricity.

                              Are you insane?

    • deets456 on 26/09/2021 - 14:46
      +6

      Orico: 'Gosh, you're all bloody soft.'

      Also Orico: 'I am in the market for a wetsuit that will keep me warm in my freezing backyard pool …My pool is roughly a few degree below ambient temperature'

      • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 19:46
        -1

        Lots of people use wetsuits. It keeps you from getting hypothermia.

        My pool is roughly a few degree below ambient temperature'

        Ambient temperature is 12 degrees currently so my pool feels like 8 degrees. I'd like to see you swim in 8 degree water, Mr Navy Seal.
        Going through past comments just makes you look like a sad case. Wake up to the world and smell the dust, softy.

        How do you develop hypothermia?
        Hypothermia can develop with prolonged exposure to temperatures under 10°C, or after prolonged immersion in cold water of temperatures of less than 20°C..
        In colder conditions or when there is wind chill (the felt air temperature due to wind) it can occur within a shorter exposure.

        • deets456 on 26/09/2021 - 20:03
          +5

          Lol no need to over explain or get worked up. I took no offense to what you said and was just having a joke back. If you can dish it out surely you can take it right? Bit soft if you ask me you seem oddly insecure

          • Orico on 26/09/2021 - 20:04
            -1

            @deets456:

            If you can dish it out surely you can take it right?

            It's called having a conversation. If you dish it out to me, I'm gonna give it right back. Leave the jokes for the comedians.

            • deets456 on 26/09/2021 - 20:06
              +3

              @Orico: Lol dude you went all defensive and started going on about hypothermia that's not 'dishing it right back' 🤣 just called being insecure

  • poopy on 26/09/2021 - 12:52

    welcome the dust, be the dust. actually according to a verse somewhere in the Christian texts it says we come from dust so…..
    Dust also comes from humans - our hair and skin (and from the clothes we wear) so its a never ending battle if you're going to combat dust.
    As for HEPA filters, theyre only effective for dust in the immediate vicinity around the filter.

  • deme on 26/09/2021 - 13:55

    My bedroom gets so much dust despite vacuuming at least once a week and wet cleaning too.

    Do you live in Zetland?

    Addressing the source of dust is a good idea, which you are doing.
    So is airflow.
    So are air purifiers.

    • haemolysis on 28/09/2021 - 22:26

      Wait, what on earth is with Zetland!! I live here. Am I breathing something wicked??

      • Brodo Faggins on 07/10/2021 - 16:43

        my 2c is that it's from all the cars from Eastern Dist + constant road works around surrounding suburbs?

  • sparkles on 26/09/2021 - 14:17

    I have Dyson Pure Hot Cool. It does a good job removing allergens, but as I live on an unsealed road I am never going to be rid of dust.

    If you can get one that shows the air quality as it can be quite satisfying seeing the air quality go from red, to orange to green. You don't even realise how much cooking in one area of the house can affect the air quality quite far from the source.

  • noob999 on 26/09/2021 - 19:21
    +1

    if you are a house owner then get a Ventis roof ventation system.
    It creates positive air pressure in the home which help drive out dust and moisture. The fan is in the roof cavity with dust filter and pumps clean dry air into the rooms. It is temp controlled so in summer pumps cool air at night, and in wither pumps warm air during the day.
    It really helped in my last home as it suffered from moisture and was on a main road. Before I had to clean my windows weekly, after Ventis installed every 6 months. Dust control was greatly improved.

  • iridiumstem on 26/09/2021 - 20:38

    I did find stronger vacuum cleaner to be helpful but I am guessing you'd already have a fairly decent vacuum cleaner.
    There was one time when I had to dogsit, and the puppy was called Fluffy for a reason, I basically had to vacuum the place with my own one (because their vacuum was bad).
    I emptied the dust cannister like 3 times to clean the living room there.

    Sorry, going tangent.

    My wife has bad allergies too, I am asking her what helped, and she said drugs :S
    She is saying that the air circulator we have helps, though I think that's more because where we live is fairly pollution free.
    When her allergies were flairing up, I basically vacuumed the entire place, and let the air circulator do its thing all day.

    During the bush fire season (19~20) we had a room basically with the air circulator full on (just a xiaomi one), because my wife struggled with the air quality. I think that helped significantly for her. So I think it helps when the air quality is bad?

    • mincemeat on 27/09/2021 - 09:24

      exactly mate. The advice about "get to the root of the problem" is well and good for very mild allergy folk where an antihistamine works, thats about it. Getting to the root of the problem for chronic sufferers starts with AIR.

  • reactor-au on 27/09/2021 - 10:06

    I vacuum usually every 3 days, the dust in my rental I think comes mostly from the central heating and cooling but not sure, my vaccum had a proper HEPA filter.

  • someoldhag on 27/09/2021 - 10:50

    I've heard good things on V-breathe - check out: https://blog.vbreathe.com/dust-allergies-heres-how-an-all-na…

  • WT on 27/09/2021 - 12:01

    if you already have a dryer chuck it in the cool cycle after its dried for 15 mins. It will collect a fair bit even if you shake out after bringing in off the line

  • OzHunterNSW on 27/09/2021 - 15:48

    I know exactly what you mean. Look for places where the duct could be emanating from. i.e wall vents, windows, under door (if you close door), etc.

    You do not need anything overtly huge - you could simply by a Negative Ioniser… they stick to minute particles and make them sink to the ground. The hepper version would require all the air to be sucked in, before filtering, and then you have the running cost of periodic renewal of filters.

    Ionisers do not require filters.

    Have look on ebay, or the net for more advice.

    Little cigarette ionisers for the car work brilliantly.

  • skillet on 27/09/2021 - 22:35

    Yes Air Purifier will work, it will collect dust and there will be less dust else where.

    For dumb units set fan speed according to the noise level you can tolerate. Generally the large unit the better, bigger fan tend to move more air with lower noise level. Bigger filter also has longer service life. Take note of the replacement filter prices, this will be your running cost. You dont have to worry about activated charcoal filters if your main purpose is dust, all you need to change and clean is the HEPA filter and leave the charcoal filters out.

    For smart units, well the smarter it is the more likely it will breakdown. I prefer my fan and air filters dumb, with mechanical switches.

  • Scundersays on 28/09/2021 - 07:51

    Short answer: Yes, definitely! You should check these folks out - www.vbreathe.com

    They were featured on Good Morning Australia the other day. Australian owned and operated - and the device is small and colourful and looks good in the house, unlike basically every air purifier out there haha.

    It also is effective on covid !

    • apsilon on 28/09/2021 - 08:08

      I have thought about getting a desktop purifier in the past so when I saw this I was interested but then I saw the price and was far less interested then I saw how loud it was and am not interested at all.

      • deets456 on 28/09/2021 - 09:41

        I just got the breville easy air connect. $149 from Harvey Norman using the $30 off from latitude pay. I know Harvey Norman is not everybody's favourite retailer but there's a big shortage on air purifiers at the moment and I wanted to click and collect considering auspost these days. Check it out might be worth it has pretty decent reviews.

        • apsilon on 28/09/2021 - 14:55

          Is it very loud? The fact they don't mention noise in the specs usually means it's not good and would be fairly noticeable in the room.

          • deets456 on 28/09/2021 - 16:06

            @apsilon: Really quiet machine actually. Night mode and low mode virtually no sound. Medium sounds like a quiet air con, high sounds like a space heater and turbo sounds like a space heater on full throttle. Most reviews are how quiet the machine is. Only picked up my machine about an hour ago so can't comment on how good it is just yet, but sound wise it's definitely good.

            • apsilon on 28/09/2021 - 16:11

              @deets456: Thanks, I'll check it out.

            • Brodo Faggins on 07/10/2021 - 16:40

              @deets456: keep us posted OP! going through the same issues & looking for a more manageable solution :)

              • deets456 on 07/10/2021 - 20:56

                @Brodo Faggins: Hey mate I think the air purifier is worth a shot. Hasn't completely gotten rid of the problem but both partner and I feel that there is an improvement.

                • Brodo Faggins on 07/10/2021 - 22:47

                  @deets456: Thanks mate I hope this works out well for you - anything to help reduce the allergens!!! :D I will start doing more research on air purifiers :)

  • Bjingo on 28/09/2021 - 12:30

    I got a nice dyson one and its worked wonders in reducing dust in the air and has been a god send for my allergies.

  • Franc-T on 28/09/2021 - 12:56

    Get some dust mite spray as thats probably what the allergies are for.
    Secondly, if the room is carpeted get it washed.
    Thirdly - why is so much dust coming in the room?

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 28/09/2021 - 16:12

    Honest question, a lot of these air purifiers kill not just viruses, but also bacteria. Considering that there most likely are 100s of thousands of good bacterias for humans, in particularly ones which reside in our intestinal tract, isn't it a bad idea to kill the good alongside the bad? A lot of medical journals posit the link between disorders like ASD and limited gut biome as an example.

    • iridiumstem on 28/09/2021 - 16:26
      +1

      I think the microbiota (which is more than just bacteria, but viruses, etc etc etc) you are thinking about are already established in humans, not what's circulating in the house or wherever? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_microbiome

      My understanding of how air purifiers work is basically, a fan with a really really really fine filter. I don't think it'd mess with what's already inside us unlike say, antibiotics. My guess is that I doubt an air purifier would do something so significant that it'd mess immune system.

  • rudijay on 21/05/2022 - 21:29

    If you are using it in your bedroom then make sure it has a sleep mode so it won't be noisy at night. I use the winix compoct air purifier for my daughters room and it is really quiet in sleep mode but can be a little noisy on the max setting. I only use that in the day time or the auto mode. Hope this helps :)

    https://healthyhabitats.com.au/products/winix-compact-4-stag…

  • skillet on 23/05/2022 - 08:52

    You need strong aeration so that the dust will be lifted up in the air then it will be sucked in the air filter. Unfortunately for dust that has settled on surface it's not possible for the air filter to pick them up so manual cleaning is still required but there will be dust reduction. So aeration your bedroom with a strong fan while your filter is on high when your are not sleeping.

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