Best Air Purifiers for Pet Dander and Pet Allergies
Pet dander allergy may be the most common type of pet allergy, although some people also experience an allergy to pet urine or even saliva. Pet dander allergy is the most common cause of pet allergy - not dog or cat hair, as we often think.
Why is Pet Dander a Major Concern?
Well, if you consider that in the United States alone, nearly eighty percent of households have at least one pet, then pet dander allergies are probably more prevalent than we realize. Given that about ten percent of people are estimated to have pet allergies, it is likely that at least someone in your family circle and friends will develop an allergy to pet dander. Knowing what it is and how to prevent the reaction is helpful.
What Causes Pet Allergies?
The cause of an allergy to pet dander is the dry skin and saliva on your pet. When dogs and cats lick themselves, they leave saliva behind. Dander is produced when the saliva dry and merge with the dry skin scales.
Research shows that this allergic reaction is not from the hair itself, although pet hair can trap pollen, dust, and other allergens. In most cases, a pet dander allergy is the one you suffer from if you "catch a cold" every time a cat or dog is in the room.
What Can Be Done About Pet Allergies?
If pet dander allergy is very severe, you may have no choice but to remove pets from your home. However, even then, dander can remain in your home for up to six months! Another way to deal with these issues is to make sure the pet stays out of the allergy sufferer's room. If your pet is a cat, and you have a person with dander allergies at home, keep the litter box far away from him/her, preferably outside.
You should also stay away from upholstered furniture, as lint may collect, exacerbating your allergy to pet dander, and you should keep lint away from close physical contact with allergy sufferers. If you are allergic to lint, always use a dust mask when brushing or cleaning your pet, or have someone else do it for you. A HEPA air filter or a vacuum cleaner can also help remove lint from the environment.
Last but not least, whether you have a cat or a dog, make sure you shower regularly. Washing off the lint will help relieve allergy symptoms. It can be challenging to live with an allergy to pet dander. However, it can be done. In most all cases, except for severe ones, you should be able to manage.
Dealing With Pet Dander Allergies
Dealing with allergies to pet dander is one of the challenges that pet lovers have to deal with. For many pet owners, pet dander is a serious health risk due to allergies and asthma. Fortunately, you can take steps to combat pet dander and the health problems that can arise.
First and foremost, you must clean your home well and often. Mopping, dusting, and vacuuming should be done regularly. This will control not only lint but also dust and dust mites. Also, make sure to periodically wash your bed linen regardless of whether your pets sleep on it. Don't forget to wash your pet's bed as well.
If you are severely allergic to pet dander, it might be a good idea to make a room where your pets are not allowed. This will ensure that you have a safe room for when you start to have an allergic reaction. This room should also be more maintainable since you are only dealing with the dander produced through the airflow. It is a good idea not to enter such a room with the same clothes you wear while handling your pets, as they may be full of hair and dander.
Don't forget to change the air filters. The heating and air filters must be changed regularly. You can do it yourself or find an HVAC company that you can contract to go out for regularly scheduled maintenance visits. The air filters will capture airborne pollutants and pet hair and dander. However, if they are not changed regularly, they will not do their job effectively.
Finally, consider purchasing an air purifier for your home. It would be good to use a high-quality air purifier in the room or rooms that your pet frequents the most. Not only will the air purifier protect you from pet dander, but it will also save you from dust mites, pollen, mold spores, and other airborne pollutants
What Are The Best Pet Air Purifiers?
People often ask the following questions: What is the best pet air purifier? What is the best pet odor air purifier? What is the best pet hair air purifier? What is the best pet allergy air purifier?
If you are looking for answers to these questions and solutions to address these concerns, it will be beneficial to understand what to look for in your selection process. If you want to address all the issues above, then you should find an air purifier that can remove pet hair, pet dander, cat saliva particles, and pet odor.
Dedicated Pre-Filter - Best Pet Hair Air Purifier Prevention
- Look for a model with a dedicated Pre-Filter that will capture large debris such as pet hair, dust and some pollen. If the pre-filter was not there, then the HEPA Filter would take too much abuse from larger particles and wear out much faster, which means you would spend much more on the HEPA filter replacement
- Some models come with specific “pet friendly” Pre-Filter(s) that capture most of the particles like pet hair, fur and even pet dander.
HEPA Filter – Best Pet Allergy Air Purifier Defense
- Choose a high performing effective and hopefully long lasting HEPA filter that has at least 99.97% efficiency in removing airborne particles ≥ 0.3 microns to help with pet allergies
- HEPA filters are not all created equal. Highly rated HEPA filters are more effective at trapping pet dander or other airborne pollutants such as PM2.5, Pollen, Viruses, Mold and Bacteria.
Carbon Filter – Best Pet Odor Air Purifier Solution
- Activated Carbon Filter removes gases, chemicals, and Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) from the air.
- Benefits include pet odor / smell reduction from pets, smoke, cleaning chemicals, garbage and mold spores.
- Improve quality of life for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) by removing toxic VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde.
- Carbon surface area size, materials, weight and infusion with other compounds impact its air purification ability. This includes elements like magnesium dioxide, copper oxide, potassium permanganate, or potassium iodide to remove specific chemicals such as formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, and ozone from the air.
We recommend the following three models.
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Airpura V600 & V614 |
Austin Healthmate Plus |
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Recommended by many as one of the best air purifiers for pet dander and strong pet odors Excellent choice to remove tough odors with 18 lbs. of enhanced impregnated activated carbon True HEPA filter (V600) with 99.97% efficiency in removing particles larger than 0.3 microns Super HEPA filter (V614) with 99.99% efficiency in removing particles larger than 0.3 microns Vacuumable pre-filter to capture larger particles such as pet hair Quiet operation at lower fan speed(s) Sealed design, felt gaskets and all metal housing to prevent off-gassing Can cover a large room |
Combine superior particulate filtration with enhanced gas filtering capabilities to remove more household chemicals, gases and pet odors Feature a special Super blend of activated Anthracite carbon and zeolite mixed with a blend of coconut shell carbon impregnated with Potassium Iodide for more effective removal of chemically reactive gases and dangerous vapors such as those found in common household cleaning products, detergents and materials like new carpets or flooring 4 Stage Filtration with 2 Pre-filter(s) to remove large particles such as pet hair, dust and pet dander True HEPA filter that removes 99.97% of all particles larger than 0.3 microns and 95% of all particles larger than 0.1 microns. Can cover a large room |