TL;DR

The quality of indoor air is 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air quality, according to the EPA, as it has pollutants like bacteria, viruses, dust, mold spores, pet dander and VOCs. Some of the most efficient methods to enhance the quality of indoor air involve the use of an air purifier that utilizes HEPA or UV-C technology or both. HEPA filter helps trap airborne particulates such as dust and allergens, while UV-C air purifiers eliminate bacteria and viruses by breaking their DNA structure.

How to Purify Air in Your House: What Actually Works (and What Doesn't) 

Everyone tends to think that the air within our homes is clean and safe. We are always within and safe from any kind of pollution and dirt. However, the truth is that the average American spends up to 90% of his life indoors, where there are more pollutants than what is usually found outside.

This simply implies that the air you are breathing at this very moment might be more toxic compared to the air outdoors.

What's Actually in Your Indoor Air

Before finding a solution, it is better to understand the problem at hand. While we know indoor air pollution is not just about dust, biological pollutants that affect indoor air quality range from bacteria to viruses to fungi, dust mites and pollen and pet allergens. In addition to airborne transmission, viral respiratory infections like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus are easily transmissible indoors.

Throw in VOCs from household goods including furniture, paints and other cleaning products and you have a potent cocktail capable of causing allergies, asthma attacks and respiratory problems that are particularly damaging for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

Signs your indoor air quality may be poor:

• Persistent allergy symptoms at home that improve when you leave

• Musty or stale odors that don't go away

• Frequent headaches, fatigue, or eye irritation indoors

• Visible dust buildup despite regular cleaning

• Condensation on windows, which signals high humidity and mold risk

The Best Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality at Home

Use an Air Purifier - But Choose the Right Type

This is where most people get confused. Not all air purifiers do the same thing and understanding the difference between HEPA filter vs UV air purifier technology matters.

• HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air) physically trap particles as air passes through them, capturing dust, pollen, pet dander and mold spores with 99.97% efficiency at 0.3 microns. They're the gold standard air purifier for allergies and dust. 

But HEPA filters do not kill germs. They capture particles, but bacteria and viruses that remain trapped in the filter can still pose a contamination risk.

• UV-C air purification works differently. Instead of filtering out any particles, UV-C radiation interferes with the DNA composition of any microbes that pass through, which makes them incapable of reproducing. 

A UV air purifier kills off germs via UV-C radiation interference with DNA, whereas HEPA filters can only filter out particles. This makes UV-C air purification at home particularly effective. Especially when you’ve been asking yourself how to get rid of airborne bacteria at home. 

The best ways to clean the air in your home? Both together. PhoneSoap's AirSoap air purifiers combine advanced filtration with UV-C disinfection technology, addressing particles and pathogens simultaneously, without chemicals, without ozone and without filter replacements every few months.

Reduce Pollution at the Source

How to reduce indoor air pollution starts before any purifier turns on. Common sources worth addressing:

• Humidity control: Keep indoor humidity between 30 to 50%. Anything higher feeds mold and dust mites, two of the most common triggers for respiratory issues.

• Ventilation when cooking: Gas stoves release nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Always run the range hood or crack a window.

• Low-VOC products: Paints, cleaning sprays and air fresheners release volatile compounds that linger indoors for hours. Swap to low-VOC or fragrance-free alternatives where possible.

• Shoes off at the door: A simple habit that stops a significant amount of outdoor contaminants, bacteria and pesticides from entering your home.

Natural Ways to Purify Air Indoors

Natural indoor air purification methods have limits. Houseplants, for example, improve air quality marginally at best, but there are a few habits that help to improve indoor air quality at home:

• Strategic ventilation: On days when the outside air quality is favorable, open up windows for 10 to 15 minutes to get cross ventilation and flush out toxins. Be sure to check the air quality index in your area, and if the pollution levels are high, leave the windows shut.

• Regularly replace HVAC filters: A clogged filter simply reintroduces everything it has trapped back into the room. Replace every two months or sooner if you have pets.

• Maintain proper humidity: Address any leakage and ensure that bathroom exhaust fans are turned on while showering.

Do Air Purifiers Really Work?

Yes, but with certain expectations in place. The main function of an air purifier is to lower the level of particles, allergens and for the UV-C variety, viruses and bacteria in the air. However, it doesn’t solve the problem of removing pollution from its roots or substitute proper ventilation practices. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do air purifiers actually remove bacteria and viruses, or just dust and allergens? 

This varies from one air purifier to another. While regular HEPA air purifiers trap particles such as bacteria, these air purifiers do not kill the pathogens because the microorganisms remain alive after being trapped in the air purifier filter. On the other hand, UV-C air purifiers use ultraviolet light to destroy the DNA of the bacteria and viruses. The best way to protect yourself against both particles and pathogens would be using a HEPA+UV-C air purifier such as PhoneSoap’s AirSoap range of air purifiers.

What is the difference between a HEPA filter air purifier and a UV-C air purifier?

HEPA filters trap particles, such as dust, pollen, pet dander and mold spores, as they pass through the filter at an efficiency rate of 99.97 percent when it comes to particles as small as 0.3 microns. It is ideal for allergy sufferers and particulate matter removal, although it will not eliminate germs in any way. UV-C air purifiers use UV-C light to deactivate or neutralize germs, such as mold spores, bacteria and viruses.

How do you know if the air quality in your home is bad? 

Symptoms may include allergy/asthma symptoms that worsen when indoors but improve outdoors, musty odor, headaches/fatigue with no other reason identified, accumulation of dust shortly after cleaning, or condensation on windows suggesting excessive moisture. If you notice symptoms occurring only indoors and disappearing outdoors, indoor air quality can be suspected.

Can opening windows improve indoor air quality, or does it make it worse?

Either, depending on the circumstances. Ventilation through outdoor air may worsen the condition inside in cases of extremely high pollution levels. However, normally, ventilation will improve the indoor environment by reducing the levels of pollutants in the air. But, your exposure to outdoor particulate matter rises when the outdoor air is highly polluted. Before you ventilate, check your air quality index first. On clean days, ventilating for about 10 to 15 minutes would significantly reduce indoor pollutant levels.

Where is the best place to put an air purifier in your home for maximum effectiveness? 

Position the air purifier in whichever room you spend most of your time in, which is mostly the bedroom considering that it is where you sleep for 7 to 9 hours per day. Place the purifier where it can breathe easily from all sides, which means no wall nor corner placement. If there are allergies or asthma issues in your family, then get an additional one for your main living room.