Yes, air purifiers can help reduce the concentration of cold viruses in the air, but they are not a complete solution on their own. They should be used as part of a broader strategy that includes other preventative measures like handwashing and good ventilation.
Health experts recommend using air purifiers for illness prevention during cold and flu season because viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 are carried in respiratory aerosols in the air. Health experts advise operating your air purifier at a continuous, low speed to minimize the risk of illness.
Air filtration systems do not reduce the risk of picking up viral infections, according to new research from the University of East Anglia and UCL.
Transmission of COVID-19 from inhalation of virus in the air can occur at distances greater than six feet. Particles from an infected person can move throughout an entire room or indoor space. The particles can also linger in the air after a person has left the room – they can remain airborne for hours in some cases.
Helps you sleep better
It's common to suffer from congestion, sneezing and coughing when you have cold and flu, which can cause sleep disturbances. By reducing airborne irritants, air purifiers can make it easier for you to breathe and promote better rest.
Air purifier disadvantages include ongoing costs (filters, energy), potential noise, limited effectiveness against gases/odors (unless specialized filters are used), and the risk of ozone production from ionizers, which can harm respiratory health. They also require regular maintenance, can be bulky, and might not purify an entire home effectively, needing multiple units.
Though an air purifier cannot help an existing cold, it might ease your symptoms by removing other respiratory irritants from the air. According to the NIH, a humidifier may help relieve a stuffy nose and the discomfort of colds or flu. The right level of humidity may also provide a protective benefit from viruses.
Some germs spread in the air between people. This happens more easily in indoor, crowded spaces with poor airflow. To reduce the risk of exposure, it helps to improve air quality by increasing airflow, cleaning the air with air purifiers, or opting to gather outdoors.
Time of Viral Contagiousness on Surfaces
Studies have found that rhinoviruses (which can cause the common cold) can live on hard, nonporous surfaces for several hours to days in some cases. They live about four hours on soft, porous surfaces like fabric, tissues, and skin. 6.
Colds are highly contagious. They most often spread through droplets of fluid from an infected person sneezing or coughing. These droplets can enter your body through breathing them in or touching a contaminated surface then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
The Best Air Purifier for Viruses
Improve the symptoms of nasal congestion
Using a high-quality air purifier to reduce indoor allergens like dust and dust mites, pollen, and pet hair and dander provides significant relief for those suffering from irritation of the nasal mucosa and other sinus symptoms.
Yes, you can and often should leave your air purifier on all night, as it provides continuous air cleaning, which is great for allergies, asthma, and general air quality, with modern models featuring quiet "night modes," auto settings, and energy efficiency for overnight use. However, consider your specific air quality needs, energy costs, and your unit's noise level, but running it constantly helps combat airborne pollutants that don't rest, offering benefits for respiratory health and better sleep, notes this article from Mattress Clarity.
Signs you need an air purifier include persistent allergy/asthma symptoms (sneezing, coughing, congestion), frequent headaches or fatigue, visible dust buildup, lingering odors, mold growth, or if you have pets, live near busy roads, or have concerns about germs, indicating poor indoor air quality that an air purifier can help clear by trapping particles and allergens.
Air Purifiers Help Prevent RSV Transmission
Aside from frequent hand-washing and surface decontamination, the implementation of an air purifier can be one of the best preventative measures to stop the spread of RSV. Air purifiers equipped with a HEPA filter are particularly effective against airborne viruses.
Here is a quick breakdown to help you decide in the air purifier vs humidifier debate. Allergies & Asthma: An air purifier helps remove triggers like pollen and mold spores. Dry Skin & Sinus Issues: A humidifier is ideal. It helps soothe irritated nasal passages and prevents skin from cracking.
Clean the surface with soap and water first. If ready-to-use disinfectants are not available, you can use bleach solutions for many hard surfaces. Bleach solutions will be effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi when properly diluted.
If a bed is used by more than one person, the bed and bed sheets provide an easy way for germs to spread, cultivate and infect. Additionally, when a person is recovering from an illness, they go through a stage called convalescence where the immune system is regaining strength but is still vulnerable.
The flu virus can live on clothing like gloves and scarves for two or three days, while diarrhea-causing viruses, such as rotavirus and norovirus, may thrive for as many as four weeks.
How to remove a virus from a laptop or a PC
When used properly, air purifiers can help reduce airborne contaminants including viruses in a home or confined space. However, by itself, a portable air cleaner is not enough to protect people from COVID-19.
Coughing and Sneezing—Within a few days of a viral infection, the fluid from a runny nose may change color from clear to yellow to green. 4 Mucus is designed to trap offending viruses, which are efficiently and quickly expelled from the body through coughing and sneezing.
If you already have a cold or flu, an air purifier will not eliminate the illness, but it could ease some of the symptoms by improving the air quality.
Cold remedies that work
During cold winter months, the air in your home is usually dry, which means a dehumidifier is not necessary. In fact, dehumidifiers actually work most efficiently in warm temperatures and decrease in efficiency as the temperature cools.