We are all familiar with the scenario. You come home and can’t help but get a hint of that unpleasant smell. You open all the windows, hoping they will go away. No matter what you do, somehow the smell finds its way back. You may just need an air purifier to do the trick for you.
The source of unwanted smells and lingering odors at home can vary. Kitchens and bathrooms are the two notorious suspects. Cooking, dishwasher, plumbing issues, and trash can all contribute to this smell cocktail. Having said that, any room can be the source of the presence of mold, blocked pipes, cigarettes, or unmaintained furniture. These smells are persistent. Ventilation alone often cannot get rid of them.
Below you will read how an air purifier eradicates these smells, as well as what other solutions can be used in the process.
Preventing Smell in Rooms
The best way to prevent unwanted smells from appearing in your home is, of course, not to let them emerge in the first place! Here are a couple of tips:
- Ventilate your home regularly and properly,
- When cooking, use a cooker hood or ventilate well afterward,
- Keep the kitchen door shut to prevent food smell from spreading to other rooms,
- Keep the indoor temperature under control and do not give mold a chance to enter the home,
- Use trash bins with covers and empty the bins regularly,
- Keep pets well-groomed and maintained,
- Do not smoke in the apartment; cigarette smoke penetrates into the furniture, walls, and textiles very easily.
Odor Removal with Air Purifiers
Despite all the above precautions, smells may find a way to penetrate into your house regardless. Animals or smokers in the house, snacks left on the counter, furniture, curtain, or carpet odors each represent potential sources. You may feel powerless, but you do not need to give up. An air purifier can help neutralize these unwanted smells from your rooms.
Air purifiers remove a significant number of pollutants from your indoor air with the help of sophisticated filter systems. These removed particles include animal hair, unwanted gases, solid particles, among others. The device sucks in the polluted air in the room, passes it through its filter system, and discharges the pure air out. This way, odors are neutralized.
The ideal couple: HEPA Filter and Activated Carbon Filter
Air cleaners equipped with a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter at the same time are the most effective against unpleasant odors.
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters remove the majority of the particles up to 0.3 µm from the air. These particles include but are not limited to, animal hair, mold spores, and dust particles. Thus, these particles are prevented from spreading and causing unwanted smells.
An activated carbon filter removes volatile organic gases from the air through absorption. Thus, annoying odors such as food, furniture, cigarette smoke, or bathroom odor are neutralized.
Air Purifier Tips on Odor Removal
There are a few factors to consider when buying an air purifier for getting rid of odors. These include;
- Efficient filter systems; pay attention that the device has a combination of a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter,
- Air circulation coverage; make sure that the device has a coverage capacity in line with the size of your room,
- Attention to Ionizer Function; you may want to steer clear of air purifiers with ionizers as they will clean the air with negatively charged ions, which react with pollutants and split them up; the breakdown of cigarette smoke and similar odor generators may be harmful to humans,
- Costs; in addition to the sale price, pay attention to the cost of replacement filters, as they may need to be changed on a regular basis.
Please note that an air purifier may neutralize odors, however, it does not remove the source of the odor. Always try to identify and eliminate the source of the unwanted smell. In case the source of the smell is mold, be extra careful, as it may also have serious harm to human health.
Other Household Methods for Getting Rid of Smells
Before you decide to invest in an air purifier, you can try and neutralize the light odors with simple and inexpensive methods. Small tricks may do wonders, especially in the kitchen. Here are some examples:
- Apple cider vinegar: it cleans and disinfects surfaces and floors. Apple cider vinegar does not leave a vinegar smell, as it quickly evaporates.
- Soda: it is an ancient household remedy, it is antibacterial and it neutralizes odors. A bowl of baking soda in the fridge helps against unwanted food odors. It can also be used as a textile freshener or a cleaner for various surfaces. Simply dissolve a couple of teaspoons full of baking soda in half a liter of warm water and pour it into a spray bottle. It will work wonders for you.
- Rosewater: it can be found in pharmacies and used predominantly as a textile freshener.
- Coffee beans: Coffee lovers can use coffee beans instead of baking soda to eliminate unwanted smells. Just put a handful in a bowl and place it in the problem area. Inhale the awakening coffee smell…
- Cat litter: it is basically wood shavings and there is a reason why it is used in the litter box. It is a great odor-neutralizer. You can place some in your trash bin or even in your shoes and watch it get rid of unpleasant smells.
- Citrus peel: if you are an orange or lemon fan, do not throw away the peel! Use it as a natural scent source by spreading it around your room. One smart placement of citrus peel is on top of heaters.