We all know that pesky odors can be hard to endure. Between cooking smells, pet odors, and your kids, the smells might get overwhelming quickly.

So, what can you do?

Air purifiers can remove cooking odors, pet odors, and other pesky smells from your home. They work by filtering the air in your home and trapping particles such as dust or pet dander. The activated carbon filter traps and neutralizes most odors in your home.

Most air purifiers have several different types of filters that work together to clean your air and neutralize odors. Before you make your purchase, make sure your air purifier has an activated carbon or charcoal filter. Otherwise, it won’t be effective at removing odors.

When you buy your air purifier, remember to replace the charcoal filters about every three months. If you don’t use your air purifier often, you can check on the filters every six months.

Without proper cleaning, your air purifier won’t trap odors consistently. The filters will get worn out and lose their effectiveness. You don’t clean the charcoal filters, but you replace them.

What is the best air purifier for odors?

The best air purifier for odors is the LEVOIT air purifier. It features a mesh pre-filter, activated carbon filter, and HEPA filter to clean your air with ease. The carbon filter will trap pesky cooking odors, pet smells, and other strong odors around the house.

There are so many great air purifiers out there. Check out 12 of the best on the market in this complete article. 

Can an air purifier remove a urine smell?

Yes, look for an air purifier with an activated carbon filter. The activated carbon filter captures and neutralizes most of the pesky odors in your home. It captures smaller particles that HEPA filters may not be able to catch. Just make sure to position the air purifier near the urine smell for it to be most effective.

It might go without saying but the best way to remove the smell of urine is to make sure the source is gone.  An air purifier is no substitute for cleaning up after your pet. A cleaner like the Resolve Urine Destroyer is a great option to clean up pet urine in no time.

Can HEPA filters remove odors?

HEPA filters can remove some odors, but they are not as effective as activated carbon filters. HEPA filters are best at removing particles from your air that are 0.3 microns or larger. Activated carbon filters, on the other hand, can capture much smaller contaminants. They have a large surface area to help capture all of the small particles that produce odor in your home. 

What is a HEPA filter?

A HEPA filter is a filter with a metal, plastic, or wood frame. It removes 99.97% of contaminants that are 0.3 microns in size. HEPA filters remove dust, dirt, and particles that cause odors. But they do not remove gases or volatile organic compounds.

HEPA filters are found in air conditioners, air purifiers, furnaces, and other similar appliances. They’re often paired with activated carbon filters that trap odors and VOCs efficiently.

To optimally clean the air, HEPA filters must be cleaned every six to 12 months. For a step-by-step guide on how to clean them, check out this article.

How do air purifiers trap odors?

Air purifiers trap odors using a carbon or charcoal filter. As air passes through the charcoal filter, it captures small particles and neutralizes odors. Over time, the air purifier will get less effective at removing odors. After about four to six months, you’ll need to replace the carbon filters. 

Does a Dyson air purifier remove odors?

Yes, Dyson air purifiers remove odors from your home. Look for the activated carbon filter on the product page to confirm this. Here’s one of their most popular air purifiers from Amazon.

Do ionic air purifiers remove odors?

An ionic air purifier does not remove odors. It focuses on removing particles, but most odors are produced by gaseous particles in your home.

In fact, an ionic air purifier is not too effective at removing particles either. It charges particles in your kitchen air that then bond with particles of opposite charge. So, dirt, dust, and other particles clump together and fall onto counters, curtains, or your floor. So, with ionic air purifiers, you have a two-step process.

You have to turn on the air purifier and then sweep and dust up all the particles that stick to your walls, furniture, and floors. If you don’t do this cleaning quickly, the particles will move back into the air.

Also, ionic purifiers generate ozone, which irritates the lungs and throat. It’s especially harmful to sensitive groups who have asthma or other respiratory conditions.

You’re probably better off with a standard air purifier that has a HEPA filter and carbon filter. It will actually remove contaminants and neutralize odors.

Do air purifiers get rid of smoke?

Air purifiers with HEPA filters and activated carbon filters will get rid of smoke efficiently. HEPA filters capture particles above 0.3 microns, while the carbon filter traps the smaller gaseous particles and odors.

Do air purifiers get rid of allergens?

Yes, just find an air purifier with a HEPA filter. It will remove 99.97% of dust particles and allergens from the air. It can’t tackle the finer particles very well, but it will filter most of the allergens from your kitchen air.

Do air purifiers get rid of musty smells?

Air purifiers with activated carbon filters get rid of musty smells. The charcoal filter traps fine particles that produce odor to freshen up your air. To eliminate musty odors, the Silver Onyx Air Purifier is a great solution for your home.

Best Air Purifier for Musty Odors

The best air purifier for cooking odors is the Germ Guardian Air Purifier. It features an activated charcoal filter that captures odor efficiently.

An air purifier isn’t the only solution for tackling musty odors. We go over several others in this complete article.

How does an air purifier work?

An air purifier typically has three types of filters: a mesh pre filter, an activated carbon filter, and a HEPA filter. The mesh pre filter traps the largest particles, the carbon filter traps odors, and the HEPA filter removes dust, dirt, and other fine particles from the air.

To clean your air most efficiently, leave your air purifier on all day.

We hope you found our article on air purifiers informative. Remember that they can remove odors, but you need to find one with an activated charcoal filter!

After doing all this research on air purifiers, it’s possible that an air purifier is not enough to keep your air clean. Luckily, there are so many different methods you can try to improve your indoor air quality. Check them out right here.

We hope you learned a lot about air purifiers from this article. Good luck finding one that’s right for you.

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