5 Best Air Purifier for Pets and their Parents (2024)

If you have a cat, you know all the joys it brings, along with the fluff and smells that come with them. 🐱

A good purifier can certainly help you out.

Just like with bird dander, a HEPA filter is also good at catching those fine cat hairs and microscopic dander particles.

To reduce the smell of your cats, consider using an activated carbon filter.

It neutralises typical cat odours and keeps your home smelling fresh. 🌸

In addition to these filters, the air purifier should be easy to clean and maintain.

You don't want to spend hours on a complicated filter change.

Pets are great, but they can also bring unwanted smells and odds and ends into our homes. 😷

But if you want to keep the air clean, a good air purifier is necessary.

Here's what you should look for:

• Filters (Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filters)
• Sensors for measuring air quality
• Clean air delivery rate

The good news is that today's air purifiers, with their advanced features and user-friendly designs, are quite up to the task.

So, let's take a closer look at these features. 👀

Pre-filters

Ever wonder how air purifiers deal with all the pet hair and lint? That's where the pre-filters come in.

They're kind of like the big net of the air purifier, catching the larger bits like pet hair before they reach the main filter. 🐰

This way, the main filter works better and longer, and you save time and money.

Also, cleaning a pre-filter is usually pretty easy.

When you buy an air purifier, make sure it has a good pre-filter.

This is a handy feature that keeps your home fresh and free from pet hair. 🌸

True HEPA filter

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, which captures tiny particles in the air, including pet dander and pollen. 🌺

These particles are often too small for our eyes to detect, but they can trigger pet allergies.

Because HEPA filters capture over 99% of these irritants, they play a vital role in making our indoor air cleaner and healthier.

So, if you have pets and are looking for an air purifier that is up to the task, ensure it has a genuine HEPA filter.

Activated carbon filters

Have you ever noticed that rooms sometimes smell strongly of pets?

This happens because the smell exists as a gas in the air. 💨

That's where this filter comes in handy.

It's made of activated carbon and acts like a magic sponge that absorbs pet odours.

So, if you've ever had a wet dog in the house or just can't get rid of your pet's smell, this filter can help.

Simply put, it'll keep your home smelling fresh and clean.

Sensors for measuring air quality

Air quality sensors are invaluable in air purifiers, especially for pet owners.

They constantly monitor the air in your living space and detect particles and pollutants that could be harmful, such as pet dander, dust and odours.

Based on the air quality data collected by the sensors, many modern air purifiers can automatically adjust their settings. ⚙️

This ensures that the device always works optimally for the current air conditions in your home.

It's like a smart helper that ensures you and your pets are always breathing the freshest air. 🥳

Clean air delivery rate

The "Clean Air Delivery Rate", often abbreviated as CADR, helps you understand how effective an air purifier is.

It's like a vacuum cleaner; you want to know how much dirt it can pick up in a certain amount of time.

The CADR is similar but for air purifiers.

It indicates how much clean air an air purifier produces per minute.

If you have pets that shed fur and dander, you should choose a unit with a high CADR. 🐱

Air purifiers with UV light are great at eliminating germs in the air.

They use a special UV light called UV-C, which can kill bacteria and viruses. 🦠

This is the same method that some hospitals use to keep everything clean.

But it's important to keep a few things in mind.

First, you shouldn't see the UV light shining out of the device. When the device is working properly, the light stays inside.

This is because direct UV-C light isn't good for our skin or eyes.

Fortunately, good air purifiers are built so the light doesn't penetrate outside.

Also, note that some air purifiers can produce a little ozone with UV light.

Ozone isn't good for our lungs, but most modern air purifiers ensure that ozone levels aren't too high. 🫁

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But should you choose an ioniser to clean the air in your home? Let's take a look. 👀

Are air purifiers with ionisers a good choice for pet households?

When it comes to air purifiers for households with pets, the question often arises: are ionisers a wise choice?

Ionisers work by releasing negatively charged ions into the air.

These ions attach themselves to the particles in the air, making them heavier and causing them to fall to the ground.

In theory, this helps reduce air pollutants like pet hair and dander. 💨

However, there is a catch.

Some ionisers can produce ozone, a harmful air pollutant.

Ozone can neutralise certain odours and pathogens, but it's unsafe for humans and pets if they inhale large amounts of it.

If you're thinking about getting an air purifier with an ioniser for your home with pets, ensure it doesn't emit ozone or has very minimal, safe emissions.

Here is a good UV air purifier you can try out for your home.

For an air purifier to be truly effective, especially in households with pets or high allergen exposure, it's beneficial to run it continuously. 🏘️

This ensures the air is constantly filtered and the indoor climate remains as clean as possible.

If you only turn the air purifier on and off intermittently, it may not have enough time to do its job thoroughly.

Also, many modern air purifiers have energy-saving features, so they don't use as much electricity as some older models.

If you're concerned about energy consumption or noise, particularly at night, you could choose a unit with a sleep mode or timer.

This way, the air purifier can operate more quietly and energy efficiently when you sleep and ramp up its power during the day.

When considering an air purifier, many people wonder about the noise it produces. 🔊

After all, the last thing you want is a device that disrupts your daily routine or sleep.

To find out how noisy these air purifiers are, we ran them longer with different settings.

Our tests showed that these devices are quiet and fit easily into your home.

To put it simply:

Low fan speed ▶ Low noise level

Increased fan speed ▶ Increased noise level

Even at higher settings for maximum filtering, the noise level only goes up to 50 dB.

This is about the noise of a normal conversation or a running shower. 🚿

The sound comes more from the air coming out of the vents than from the motor.

It's similar to the sound of a computer fan.

Air purifiers are great, but they're not the only solution for dealing with pet dander and odours. 👇🏻

Regular cleaning

Keeping your home clean is fundamental. 🧹

Regular vacuuming with a hoover with a HEPA filter, whether a robot or a cordless hoover, can pick up a considerable amount of pet hair from surfaces.

Robot hoovers, in particular, can be set to vacuum daily to ensure continuous reduction of pet hair and dander.

Cordless vacuums, on the other hand, offer the convenience of quick and efficient spot cleaning. 🧼

Mopping hard surfaces can also help to pick up and remove allergens that have settled.

Grooming your pets

Regular grooming sessions are essential.

By brushing your pets outdoors, you can remove loose fur and dander before they enter your home. 🪮

In addition, occasional baths can help reduce the amount of dander and natural oils that carry odours.

Wash pet bedding and toys

Pet bedding and toys are hotspots for dander, hair, and odours. 🧸

Regularly cleaning these items can significantly reduce allergens and keep odours at bay.

Natural airflow

Never underestimate the power of fresh air.

Opening the windows and letting the natural air circulate can dilute and disperse pollutants in the air, including animal dander and odours. 🪟