Air Purifiers for Pet Odors
We all love our four-legged friends. In fact, they are part of the family. While we love their waggy tails and continuous unconditional affection, pets can sometimes come with a little bit of a downside. Ever noticed a pet odor in your home? The good news is that a good-quality air purifier can help to eliminate pesky pet odors.
Today we will talk about the causes of pet odors, how air purifiers for pet odors help and what features to look out for when choosing.
What Causes Pet Odors?
Both dogs and cats tend to have a certain, how shall we put it? Scent. While you might love your beloved pet, when you see the causes of odors and then smell them, you might not look at them in the same way again.
Here are the main reasons why you might be able to smell your pet in the home:
Diet
While it is a popular joke, 'blame it on the dog' is actually pretty apt. Depending on your dog's diet, you might actually find that they are quite flatulent. As a result, and over time this can become quite noticeable.
You could change your dog's diet to address the problem, but this will only go so far. A far better solution is to choose an air purifier that removes that odor once and for all.
Dental Problems
When was the last time that you saw your dog or cat brushing their teeth? If you've ever got up close and personal with your dog, then we are pretty sure that you'll have noticed that their breath isn't the most pleasant thing to smell.
Scientific studies have shown that over 86% of dogs have periodontal disease. Or, in simple layman's terms, ' bad breath'. If your dog is in the home all day and your home is poorly ventilated, this could start to be noticeable.
Dogs lick their fur to groom themselves, imparting this bad smell onto their coat and, subsequently, your furniture.
Skin Problems
Cuts, nicks, and insect bites can fester, causing skin infections, creating an unpleasant odor. Other causes could be bacterial or yeast infections. Dogs can also get yeast infections on their feet. This is a common way for bad smells to spread through your home.
Check Their Ears
If you've got a dog with long ears or a mustache or beard, this could be a significant odor source in your home.
When dogs eat, their ears can dip into their food. If this is not cleaned immediately, the food can go bad, creating a musty and offensive smell.
Poor Grooming
When was the last time that "Rex" had a bath? Ideally, dogs should be washed and groomed once a week, but we know it can go to the bottom of the list when you are especially busy. Fecal matter, spit, urine, and food particles can all become trapped in your dog's coat and subsequently make your house smell.
Do Air Purifiers Get Rid of Pet Smells?
Yes, they do.
Pet odors in your home are actually microscopic particles that are floating around in the air. Remove these particles, remove the smell.
It's that simple.
However, to work, you shouldn't choose just any air filter.
Why?
The way the filters work varies somewhat. Some only filter the air once. As a result, those particles are not neutralized and removed.
Ideally, you will need an air purifier that applies several layers of filtering to the air. Essentially, the more layers, the better the result.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Air purifiers work by sucking in vast quantities of air by using a powerful motor. As the air is pulled into the filter, it is forced through several layers. It is the make up of these layers that makes all the difference.
Here are the stages you ideally want your air to go through if you want to know how air purifiers help with pet odors:
Pre-Filter
Even the most budget air filters will have this stage. A prefilter removes any large particles from the air. As a general rule, large particles will be things that are visible to the naked eye, such as hair and dust.
HEPA Filter
Most air filters will also feature this layer. A HEPA filter is a fine membrane that traps the overwhelming majority of particles.
Dogs and cats drop a substance called 'dander'. These are microscopic particles of skin and fur. These are the things most likely to trigger allergic reactions in people. A good quality HEPA filter will trap these particles and remove them from the air making allergic reactions less likely.
But…
The molecules that cause the odor are even smaller than dander. In many filters, these simply blow straight through and back out the other end.
Carbon Filter
This is the key to removing pet odors. Carbon is a naturally absorbent substance that is filled with pores. These pores help trap bad smells and odors. Suppose you are looking for an air purifier to remove pet odors. In that case, ideally, you want a filter that has an activated carbon layer.
Sterilization
The final step is to deal with germs. Remember we talked about odor being caused by fecal matter, saliva and urine? Not pleasant, right? The best air purifiers will feature a means to sterilize the air before being fed back into the room. One such way to achieve this is by passing the air in front of a UV light. Most germs are destroyed by ultraviolet light, and as a result, your air will not only be clean and odor-free, but it will also be sterile.
Conclusion
How do air purifiers help with pet odors? Immensely. Provided you choose a good quality air filter with an activated carbon layer, you should notice a reduction in pet odor.
In the case of the Clair Air Purifier, you can expect to see results in minutes! With a four-stage filtration system, it cleans the air and purifies it at the same time while removing pet odors.