Can You Use an Air Purifier For Dust?
If you’ve spotted the tiny specs of dust floating in the air you breathe at home, you’re probably wondering if there’s such a thing as an air purifier for dust. With allergy season in full swing, dust and other allergens circulating indoors can make symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes even worse. The good news is that you can indeed remove the airborne specs with most air purification systems.
What may surprise you is that our Green True HEPA filtration system goes even further, removing the tiny dust particles you can’t see. Not all air purification systems filter to that standard, and we’ll discuss why that’s the dust you should be most concerned about.
How Much Dust Is Too Much?
Among organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it’s common to talk about particulate matter (PM) rather than dust. The term covers solid particles and liquid droplets that may be visible (but aren’t always). The measurement for these ultra-tiny particles is the micron.
Common indoor allergens and irritants range widely in size, from large particles like sand and hair down to tiny ones like dust and pollen. The smallest particles under 2.5 microns are most concerning, as they can enter the bloodstream and cause systemic issues. Larger particles tend to get trapped in the lungs, where they may cause localized irritation until the body expels them. Knowing the size range of common allergens can help identify potential triggers and solutions.
You could be breathing in:
- Sand (90 microns)
- Human hair (50-70 microns)
- Dust, pollen, and mold (10 microns)
- Fine invisible particles (2.5 microns)
The last one on the list is the biggest risk because they often originate from noxious or toxic metals and organic compounds and are small enough to enter the bloodstream. The larger particles, by contrast, are trapped in the lungs and may eventually be cleared by coughing or sneezing.
The dust you see in your home can come from other humans, pets, nature (e.g., pollen and mold), construction, vehicle emissions, or wood fires. Dust doesn’t just irritate the breathing (as asthma and hay fever sufferers will know too well), but it can cause serious damage to the immune system.
That’s certainly the case with Valley Fever, a tiny airborne mold affecting more than 20,000 people annually in Arizona and California. It’s thought to be from spores that are normally dormant in the soil but have been disturbed by construction.
How to Use Your Air Purifier for Dust
Set up a Coway air filtration system in your home, and it will automatically remove dust particles from the air. The only challenge is in choosing a unit that has a sufficient Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) for your room. Our systems range from the Airmega Aim (which covers up to 214 square feet) to the Airmega ProX (which covers up to 4,235 square feet). The distinguishing feature between a Coway Air Filter and some of the units you’ll see in your local store is that ours deploy a unique Green True HEPA —and it’s a game changer.
Why It Takes a HEPA Filter to Give Complete Air Filtration
Remember the part about invisible dust particles posing the most serious risk? HEPA filters are specifically designed to trap them. That’s why our Airmega range features:
- A washable pre-filter to catch hair, dust, and dust mites, which are one of the primary triggers for asthma attacks.
- A Max2 Filter with activated carbon to eliminate odor and a Green True HEPA filter to catch 99.97%² of various airborne particles.. That means nothing is getting through, and the only thing coming out is pure, clean air.
What Else Can You Do to Protect Your Space From Dust?
When it comes to efficiency and performance, we stand 100% by our Airmega air purification systems. But if you want to take your own proactive measures to complement their steady work, you can try these top tips:
- Keep dust out: Put screens on doors and windows in summer, and keep them closed during the cooler seasons. You should also leave shoes and work boots outside and groom pets on the porch or in the yard.
- Don’t let dust settle: Get into the habit of vacuuming and dusting on a regular schedule rather than waiting for the first signs of dust on shelves and surfaces. Blinds in particular should be wiped down frequently as they accumulate dust easily.
- Watch out for rugs and cushions: These are like dust sponges. If you don’t believe us, take your rug or favorite cushion outside and pound it with a stick to see how much dust comes off.
You can also monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) for your area online to see if there are any elevated risks associated with wildfires or smog. Our air purifiers also offer real-time air quality monitoring, so you’ll be alerted if there’s a strong presence of dust, smoke, volatile compounds, or other airborne particles in your living area.
Visit the Coway blog for more tips and tricks to keep your space clean and healthy.
Disclaimers
1Coway air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander, viruses and bacteria in the air based on KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing.They have been tested in a 30㎥ size chamber according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers.
→ Tested with Airmega Aim, 100, 150, 160, AP-1216L, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, IconS, 230, 240, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S, ProX
299.97% of viruses, bacteria, fungi and pollen were verified to be removed from the air for Coway air purifiers which have Green True HEPA™ filter applied based on the Japan Food Research Laboratories(JFRL) testing according to JEM 1467 standard.
→ Tested with Coway Airmega AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S
→ All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
- Virus: Tested with Escherichia coli phage ΦX174 NBRC 103405, 60 minutes
- Bacteria: Tested with Staphylococcus epidermidis NBRC 12993, 60 minutes
- Fungi/Mold: Tested with Penicillium citrinum NBRC 6352, 60 minutes
- Pollen: Tested with Cedar Pollen extract, 60 minutes
3Aerosol test conducted in a Biosafety level 3 laboratory with two Coway air purifier models, Coway Airmega 250 and 400 for removal of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol by US based MRI Global, a not-for-profit laboratory and partner of US Department of Defense. The test was conducted in a 13.1ft3 chamber. Virus was aerosolized for 15 minutes and the product was turned on high for 2 minutes. Result showed each product effectively removed over 99.98% of the SARS-CoV-2 in 2 minutes. This is a result from a laboratory experiment condition and result may vary in different conditions. This result does not imply it kills SARS-CoV-2 or prevents the transmission of Covid-19. Coway Airmega 250S and 400S are identical to the tested models and has equal performance with an additional mobile connectivity function.
4The concentration of ammonia, acetaldehyde and acetic acid were proven to be removed within 30 minutes by FCG Research Institute, Inc. Human Life Science Lab. It is not a demonstration result in the actual use space. Not all odors and gases may be supported. → Tested with Coway Airmega 150, 160, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 400, 400S
5The coverage area of the air purifier is based on an area where the air cleaner can make two air changes per hour (ACPH). An air change per hour translates to how many times an air purifier can clean an area, assuming the height of a ceiling to be 8 ft, in one hour. Therefore ** means two air changes per hour means that the cleaner can clean the area once every 30 minutes and * means air changes per hour means that the air purifier can clean the area once every 60 minutes.
10Terms and conditions apply. Discounts, including promotions, coupons, bundle discount and subscription discount, cannot be stacked on top of other coupons. During promotional periods, discount codes will not be able to be applied to orders. Promo codes may apply to products only—filters, accessories, and new products within 3 months of the release date are not included.
