Getting a high-performing air purifier is one thing, and making it last for a prolonged time is another. You see, just like any other home appliance, air purifiers require regular maintenance.
And without knowing the right air purifier maintenance tips and guides, the maintenance process can get complicated.
Air purifiers are easy to maintain. There is really no need for you to go through intricate steps to maintain your air purifier.
Checking the filter regularly, cleaning the exterior, and maintaining the fan are all you need to do.
However, you need to know how to clean the air purifier and its filter correctly. And that is exactly what you will learn from this guide.
Air Purifier Maintenance Tips
So, before we get into the maintenance guides, we would like to talk about the tips. Keeping these tips in your mind will help you to carry out the maintenance process easily −
Read the Manual
Although all the air purifiers are there to cleanse the indoor air, the internal mechanism is not the same for all.
The technology will vary a lot from one brand’s air purifier to another. That is why you should never lose the owner’s manual.
It has all the crucial information that you need.
Always Turn the Air Purifier off and Unplug It
Before you start to work with the air purifier, you must turn it off. But that is not enough.
Electricity can still flow through the internal circuit when it is off. For that reason, you must unplug the cord from the wall.
Do Not Block the Air Circulation
While cleaning the exterior of the air purifier, you need to be extra careful about the air outlets and intakes.
If you block them up for any reason, the air purification process will not work.
Know Which Filters Are Cleanable and Which Are Not
Not all air purifier filters are cleanable. Some are just meant to be replaced after a certain amount of time.
And if you reuse them by cleaning them, the purification efficiency will drop significantly.
Keep the Air Purifiers Away from Wet Surfaces
At the end of the day, air purifiers are electronic home appliances. And anything that requires electricity to operate should not be near water.
Know When the Filters Require Replacement
Air purifiers will utilize different types of filters. And not all of the filters have the same shelf life. For carbon filters, you need to replace them every three months.
HEPA filters require replacement after every 12 months. And permanent filters require replacement when they are damaged or worn.
How to Clean Air Purifier Filters?
One of the crucial things you need to learn for the maintenance process is how to clean the filter of air purifiers.
However, the process is not as hard as you might have thought it would be. Take a look −
Turn the Air Purifier off
First of all, you need to turn the air purifier off. But pushing the button is not enough.
If you keep the plug in the wall outlet, you will risk getting injured or damaging the internals of the air purifier.
Therefore, you should remove the outlet’s chord before moving further.
Take the Air Purifier Filter Out
After turning the air purifier off, you should check the manual. See the manufacturer’s instructions on how you should take the filter out.
The process will not be the same for all air purifiers. But generally, you just have to take the front grill off and then pull a tab to get the filter out.
Wash the Filter Under Running Water
Remember, not all air purifier filters are washable. So, before you hold the filter under running water, refer to the manual.
If you are working with a washable filter, you must give the filter a thorough wash under cold or mildly warm water.
Do not use any sort of detergent or washing powder. That will damage the fibers.
Let the Filter Dry
Once you have got all the gunk out of the filter, you should keep it in a warm place to dry it out.
Leave it there for at least 24 hours and let all the water from the fibers evaporate.
Put the Filter Back in Place and Assemble the Grills
When the filter dries out, you need to place it back into the air purifier. Again, it would be better to refer to the owner’s manual.
You will find all the information you need to properly place the filter into the air purifier. Also, check whether you need to reset the filter indicator of the air purifier or not.
Afterward, just close the grill and make things snap in place. You can now turn the air purifier on and let it do its thing.
Read More: Where To Place Air Purifier?
How to Clean an Air Purifier?
Learning how to clean the filter of the air purifier is not enough. If you want the air purifier to function optimally for an extended time, you also need to take care of the exterior. Just follow these steps −
Turn the Air Purifier off and Pull the Chord Out of the Outlet
Before anything else, you need to turn the air purifier off and pull the plug out of the power outlet.
Even if you are not working with the interior of the air purifier, leaving it on will be dangerous.
Work With the Exterior With a Dry and Soft-Bristle Brush
Get yourself a soft-bristled brush and clean the air outlet vents. Make sure not to poke the brush too deep into the vents because you can damage the internal components.
Do the same with the air intake vents. Make sure that none of the vents are clogged with dust.
Clean the Body of the Air Purifier with a Paper Towel
After cleaning the vents, divert your attention to the body of the air purifier. If you have not cleaned it recently, there will be specs of dust all over it.
And this dust can make its way to the vents and eventually clog them. Therefore, you need to clean it up with a paper towel.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you wash air purifier filters and reuse them?
You can wash the filters of the air purifiers and reuse them. However, you need to make sure that the filters are washable in the first place. For example, some of the HEPA filters are not meant for washing. Instead, you need to replace them after a specific amount of time.
2. How Often to Replace Air Purifier Filters?
The HEPA filters of the air purifiers will need a replacement after every 12 months. Some can even last for 18 months. On the other hand, carbon filters require replacement every three months, while permanent HEPA filters do not need any replacement until they are damaged.
3. How often should air purifiers be cleaned?
You should clean the exterior of the air purifiers once a month. However, if the dust accumulation problem is not too severe, you can get away with cleaning the air purifier once every two months.
Final Words
Now that you are updated with the air purifier maintenance tips and guides maintaining the air purifier will be a piece of cake for you.
And if you follow the steps that we have gone through in our guides properly, you should not face any problems with the maintenance process.
Last Updated on June 24, 2023
