If you suffer from allergies and the symptoms always seem to trigger very often when you are at home, there’s only one explanation for why this happens which is the presence of dust mites. They are really tiny parasitic organisms that thrive in clouds of dust. Their effects can be combated by having the best dust mite air purifier.
There are several products on the market today that falls in the category of allergist recommended HEPA air purifier for dust mites, which are more efficient than an ordinary air purifier because they were built specially to eliminate the presence of dust mites.
According to the American Lung Association, prolonged exposure to dust mites could actually lead to asthma and sinus problems. Therefore, you should guard yourself and family against the influence of this parasite that lives in pillows, mattresses, duvet covers, etc. Dust allergy also causes running nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and cough.
House dust mites are tiny in size, and they have a translucent body which makes it one of the main reasons why you can hardly feel their physical presence until when they start manifesting. They are not carriers of diseases, but they are allergy carrier for asthmatic people or anyone who is allergic to their release.
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An air purifier or dehumidifier can help in controlling dust mite and mold, but air purifier remains the best for controlling dust mites. Why? A dehumidifier is the best when it comes to mold, but they can’t deal with dust mite. A dehumidifier can only limit the spread of dust mite, but they cannot clean the air off allergens like the air cleaners.
Therefore, this article simply contains reviews of the best dust mite air purifier for people with dust allergies, and in it, we would be picking a few products, talking about their features, qualities, and downsides before you dive into the market for purchase.
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Does Air purifier remove Dust Mites?
The simple answer to this question is YES
Air purifiers can remove dust mites. But the most important quality to consider for the choice of air purifier is the presence of a HEPA filter. Air purifiers essentially take in the air in the atmosphere and expel a cleaner version of that air. With the HEPA filter in the purifier trapping allergens and dust particles in the atmosphere, you can be sure of getting air free dust mite
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How to get rid of dust mites in the house with home remedies
If you have a home plagued by dust mites, do not worry because there are a few simple home steps you can take to reduce the number of mites in your home although eradicating it 100% is near impossible. They are:
Monitor and control the humidity and temperature of your home:
In a house that is dry and comfortable, dust mites find it easy to thrive. This is so because they do not take in water but absorbs it directly from the air, meaning that if the humidity level in the atmosphere is low, therefore making the amount of water molecule in the atmosphere very minute, dust mites would find it challenging to thrive due to the absence of water. For survival, at least 50% of humidity in the atmosphere is required by the dust mites, and when it falls below, they start or die.
Keep a clean home:
This is the most essential and basic way to get rid of dust mites in your home. Dust mites as named lives and thrives in the dust, meaning that the lesser the amount of dust in your home, the lower the number of dust mites that would be present. Ensure you clean every surfaces twice or thrice every week and use a clean damp cloth while at it, this is because it prevents the distribution of dust mites through the air. Clothes should be washed at a high temperature or disposed of after use.
Wash fabrics and beddings in hot water:
High temperature is a real killer of dust mites, which is an advantage for us. From your bed sheets to pillowcase, clothes, curtains, drapes and other home fabrics, they all should be washed with hot water of about 130 – 1400F (55 to 600). This kills them and removes their residues and skin particles. The same temperature should also be used during drying.
Diatomaceous Earth powder:
After locating the mite infested areas in the home, sprinkle the diatomaceous powder in the area. This powder kills mites by piercing their exoskeleton, allowing you to vacuum it up after a couple of hours.
Freeze infected objects:
For objects or really delicate fabrics that cannot easily be washed, or could be damaged by hot temperature, you can merely rap in a bag and place in the freezer. Dust mites cannot survive extreme hot or cold temperatures and would die under 24 hours after placing in the freezer. This though doesn’t get rid of the allergen caused by their droppings, so make sure you take them outside to shake off properly any droppings residues.
Use allergen-free fabrics and bedding or hypoallergenic mattresses:
They might be a bit expensive, but when it comes to your health, money spent is entirely worth it. Allergen-free fabrics are designed specially to prevent mites from penetrating through. While the hypoallergenic bedding material uses a tightly woven fabric that makes it impossible for mites to penetrate.
Use essential oils:
The tea tree oil can be regarded as the best dust mite killer owing to its antiviral and antifungal properties. It successfully kills dust mites along with other allergy-causing organisms.
Consideration for choosing the best dust mite air purifier
The size:
Depending on the area and scope of the room where the air purifier would be placed, you should purchase a product with sufficient performance. This means that if you intend air purification for a room as large as 500sqft, and buy a device designed for about 20sqft, surely the device wouldn’t be effective and would just be a waste of money. The bigger the room, the bigger the capacity of air purifier you should go for.
Type of filter:
There are several types of air purifiers according to filter type, which are; HEPA filter enhanced, that makes use of a High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance filter that captures up to 99.99% of allergens like dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, and pollen. The next types are the electrostatic and ionic ozone filters that charge particles in the air or attracts them with static electricity, causing them to fall off.
Air purifiers with electrostatic and ionic ozone filters alone are not recommended for dust mites because these mites are very small organisms and not microscopic. Therefore the use of charged particles and static electricity alone would not be efficient.
If you would purchase an electrostatic or ionic ozone filter air purifier, then it should also have a HEPA filter. The dust mites would certainly be trapped when passed through a HEPA filter which also removes pet dander, mold spores, and another allergen. Hepa air purifiers with a carbon/charcoal filter are also recommended because these filters help remove smells and odors in the atmosphere.
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Quietness:
Air purifier of low quality could be very noisy, disturbing at night and less effective than a ceiling fan. Products built specially for dust mites are mostly quiet and very effective against the mites. If you don’t fall in the category of people that can sleep anywhere; even in places as loud as a football field, then you might want to pay attention to this quality.
- The intensity of usage:
If you intend running it round the clock, keeping the air clean 24/7, then you should purchase a product that is durable, made of suitable material and comes with a fair period of warranty.
Top Rates Air Purifiers for Allergies
1) Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier
Special Features: certified HEPA filter, effective circulation of air, and durability
It is an incredibly efficient product that works well. Though expensive, the HPA300 is worth every penny and really effective against dust, therefore if you are allergic to dust mites, this is for you.
It also reduces allergens in the air well enough to reduce asthmatic attacks on anyone living in the home. Quiet in operation is the order of the day when it comes to the HPA300, doing so while covering a large square area.
Though you might buy the HPA30 for dust mite problems, it also covers for smokes, chemical odors and doggy smell in the home due to the presence of an already activated carbon filter. Also if you do wake, stuffed up and with little migraine issues, placing this in your room would help a lot to reduce the extent of discomfort during and after sleep.
There are 4 levels of cleaning in honeywell which are the germ, general cleaning, allergen and the turbo. All these levels offers superior air flow even at a tranquil level. Its just a very simple double filteration device having the thick charcoal filter accompanied by the thick and true HEPA filter.
Pros
- 5-year warranty,
- high air filter and circulation rate,
- suitable for large rooms,
- filter removal light indication,
- carbon activated filter.
Cons
- it is expensive,
- costly filter replacements,
- reasonably large size.
2) LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier
Special Features: 3-stage filtration system, 3 speed settings, contemporary design and quiet operation
The LEVOIT LV-H132 a pretty fantastic product that is very sleek and small in size, and embedded with three speeds of operation. It cleans the air; end ensures you wake up feeling great while ensuring you don’t have to change the filters very often; it works for 6-12 months before replacement.
Having a massive cleaning operation at home mostly sends dust into very hard to reach nuke and cranny, therefore leaving you exposed to dust mite over time. Place LV-H132 in the apartment, and within a day it cleans most of the dust around, making the air clean.
The LV-H132 works great and the optional night light is a really neat feature too, it is a small enough unit to be out of the way in your house, but large enough to make a difference in the air quality even as far as removing the smell created by having a litter box in your home.
Pros
- True Hepa filter,
- Carbon activated filter,
- ozone free,
- quiet operation,
- small and portable.
Cons
- suitable for small rooms only.
3) Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier
Special Features: 3 Stage cleaning, plasma wave technology, dmart sensors and auto modes
The Winix 5300-2 works well enough to conveniently reduce pest smells in your home, getting rid of dust and fur, therefore, reducing the amount of dust mite you are exposed to. It has three modes; the low, high and turbo. It is quiet in operation during the low and high, but a bit louder in the turbo mode.
Though it is fairly large, can be easily moved around, while doing a great job due to the presence of a true HEPA filter. It is larger and has a larger surface area than smaller units so that the fan can draw in more air at a lower speed. It is simply great for cleanup.
The inbuilt automatic modes ensure you don’t have to think of the machine all day and it is HEPA filter lasts for about a year before a replacement is needed, and gives you about four years’ worth of carbon filter, eradicating bad smells, dust, and dander.
Pros
- suitable for medium and large sized rooms,
- quiet operation.
Cons
- noisy operation in turbo mode.
4) GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Purifier
Special Features: Optional UV-C light technology, higher CADR rating, and filter replacement indicator
If you are looking for a relatively cost-effective air purifier that would be effective and efficient for rooms under 200 feet, then you might want to check this out. It can run for 24 hours a day and the filters inside last for about 4 or 5 months before replacement is needed.
The operation is a bit noisy at medium and high fan speed setting, but with the lowest fan speed setting, although quiet, but does not adequately clean the air. This product is also effective against smells produced by litter boxes.
The product works extremely well, reducing significantly the amount of dust in the room and as a result the amount of dust mite in your home. It also deals with other allergens in the atmosphere, and very effective when placed next to pet litter boxes as quick as within an hour.
Pros
- added charcoal filter,
- costly friendly,
- infrequent filter replacement; 4-5 months.
Cons
- suitable for small rooms,
- poor filter effect after replacement,
- expensive filter replacement.
5) Hamilton Beach 04383A Air Purifier
Special Features: Reusable filter, and 3 ultra quiet speed settings
The Hamilton Beach 04383A is best for air purification when you have pets in the house, recommend it for prevention against pet allergies. You should also use a charcoal filter alongside it to keep it clean and make it more efficient.
On the lowest setting, it is super quiet and not noticeable at all and on the quiet setting, it makes little noise that is only noticeable if you put your ear next to it. The filter is easy to take out and just as easy to clean and put back in.
This air purifier running all day in your sitting room is really a lifesaver and the filter takes about three months before it needs replacement or cleaning, filtering out the dust at a considerable level although not as efficient as a true HEPA filter.
Pros
- Permanent HEPA filter,
- air allergen cleaner,
- no need for replacement filters,
- ultra quiet,
- cost friendly
Cons
- only suitable for small to medium-sized rooms,
- absence of true HEPA filter.
Our Final Say
The Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier is the best product out there to counter that your mites allergy, keeping you and your family healthy. This is due to its efficiency, ability to remove odor from the atmosphere and the warranty length. It still remains the best to combact allergen with its true HEPA filter. Above all, it has the honeywell durability and standard.
The Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier ranks second due to it being able to cover large rooms and efficiency in operation. Its 3 stage cleaning makes it becomes the 2nd overall. It also distinct itself from others by providing a plasma wave technology. It comes behind the honeywell simply because of its fair durability.
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