The best air purifier for your laundry room: clean air, clean clothes

We often associate a laundry room with clean clothes and a room that maintains personal hygiene. However, this often overlooked room of the home may be a source of indoor air pollution. Which air pollutants are the most common in a laundry room? Can an air purifier for laundry rooms help combat laundry-generated indoor air pollution? Read on to learn more.

Why laundry rooms need air purification

The unique environment and size of a laundry room, as well as the products used in order to clean your clothes, harbor a surprising amount of invisible, microscopically-sized pollutants that are dangerous to your health.

The hidden pollutants lurking in your laundry space

A 2018 study analysed dryer-vent air and found that fragranced laundry products emit 25 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which are carcinogenic including benzene and acetaldehyde¹. Specifically, d-limonene, a fragrance commonly found in laundry and other cleaning products, has been associated with respiratory symptoms like wheezing. It reacts with ozone present in the air to create harmful VOCs like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and ultrafine particles, all of which have a negative impact on health2.

According to the above-mentioned study, adverse health effects like asthma symptoms and migraine headaches were experienced by the following percentages of individuals in various countries when exposed to laundry fragrances:

• 12.5% of individuals surveyed in the United States

• 28.9% of individuals with asthma reported worsened symptoms

• 6.1% of individuals surveyed in Australia

• 12.1% of individuals with asthma reported worsened symptoms

• 6.0% of individuals surveyed in the UK
• 5.6% of individuals surveyed in Sweden²

VOCs are also continually emitted by the off-gassing of plastic containers, new furniture, and cleaning products. In addition to VOCs and chemical fumes emitted by items and products used in laundry rooms, many other types of indoor air pollution are found in these areas of the house. Damp environments like laundry rooms are breeding grounds for mould and mildew spores. Additionally, clothes shed microfibres of varying sizes, some microscopic, that become airborne during washing and drying. Allergens like pollen, dust, and dust mites also accumulate in laundry rooms.

Humidity and ventilation challenges

As mentioned above, mould can be a recurring problem in humid parts of the home, especially rooms of a smaller size, like the laundry room. High-humidity environments typically suffer from insufficient ventilation (due to a lack of windows, fans, or a HVAC system) that leads to an accumulation of stagnant air and increased humidity as a result. Without proper airflow, moisture released by washing machines and dryers is unable to escape. High humidity indoors is considered to be an indoor air pollutant because it presents the ideal conditions for mould and mildew growth and the production of unpleasant odours.

Key features to look for in a laundry room air purifier

When choosing an air purifier for a laundry room, it is important to consider the device’s filtration capabilities, design, and the size of your space. Seek out one that is quiet but still able to deliver sufficient clean air thanks to its filtration technologies.

Advanced filtration capabilities

An air purifier for laundry rooms should be equipped with filtration technologies that combat all forms of air pollution, even those of a very small size, that may be found in a laundry room. An air purifier offering a diversity of filtration technologies means that the device is equipped to handle different types of air pollution. A few essential technologies for an air purifier for laundry rooms are listed below:

• HEPA-certified filtration: seek out an air purifier with at least a HEPA H13-certified filter (certified is crucial as this means it has been third-party tested for efficacy and HEPA filters that are grade H13 and above offer medical-grade filtration) for trapping particles of even the smallest size released by lint, microfibres, allergens (including dust, dust mites, pollen, and pet hair and dander released by your pets; some dust, pollen, and pet dander particles are invisible), and fine particles generated by smoke (cigarette smoke, cannabis smoke, cigar smoke, and wildfire smoke, to name a few)
• Activated carbon filtration: HEPA filters only remove fine particles, not gaseous chemicals like VOCs, so search for an air purifier that also has a heavy (the heavier, the better!) activated carbon filter to remove VOCs released by detergents, cleaning products, smoke (cigarette smoke contains 21 VOCs and often remains on your clothes!³), and chemical odours
• Photocatalysis: this is a depollution technology that is particularly useful in removing complex chemical gases in laundry rooms
• Ionisation: another depollution technology, ionisation is adept at removing fine and nanoparticles
• UVC sterilisation: arguably one of the most important air purification technologies, UVC sterilisation is known for removing germs, but it also sterilises your filter, making it safer for handling during filter changes and reducing the risk of recontamination

Compact design

Laundry rooms are generally smaller in size compared to other rooms and spaces in the house, so an air purifier that is compact will avoid cluttering an already compact area. When seeking an air purifier for laundry rooms, look for models that can fit into spaces of a smaller size.

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How air purifiers improve laundry room health and efficiency

Installing an air purifier in your laundry room presents multiple benefits that will improve the quality of your indoor air but also remove odours and protect clothing.

Odour elimination without masking agents

A high-performance air purifier is a useful tool in removing unpleasant smells found in a laundry room. Unlike air fresheners, sprays, and diffusers that simply mask odours, air purifiers actively remove airborne particles and chemical compounds that cause unpleasant odours. Additionally, air fresheners, sprays, and diffusers will typically add more VOCs to your indoor air, emitting more indoor air pollution into your laundry room.

Another unpleasant odour that is tackled by an air purifier is mould smell and the smell of wet clothes. Musty, damp smells are effectively removed by high-performance air purifiers, creating a fresher environment.

Allergy relief and impact on respiratory health

Naturally, before dirty clothes have been washed, they are coated with pollutants and allergens found outdoors like smoke, pollen and pet hair and dander. For those suffering from allergies, asthma, COPD, and/or other respiratory conditions, removing irritants with an air purifier with a HEPA filter (especially airborne fine particles generated by smoke, pollen, mould spores, and chemical irritants) provides a significant improvement in symptoms that may otherwise impact their quality of life.

Air purifiers vs. dehumidifiers: complementary or redundant?

Air purifiers are not designed to serve as temperature or humidity control. Their purpose is to remove airborne pollutants, allergens, and toxins that are dangerous for your health due to their small size (meaning that they can gain quick and easy access to the body through the respiratory system). They also assist with monitoring your indoor air quality. A dehumidifier is used to reduce the level of humidity, especially in rooms that have a particularly high humidity rate like laundry rooms. These tools are complementary: if your laundry room experiences high humidity, a dehumidifier would certainly be useful, but it would not combat the fine particles and VOCs emitted by laundry room products. Here at Eoleaf, we would recommend having both: an effective, high-performance air purifier with a HEPA filter and activated carbon filter, that is powerful yet quiet to combat air pollutants and a dehumidifier for humidity reduction.

Protecting clothing and textiles

Air purifiers even protect the clothing in your laundry room! Cleaner air contributes to longer-lasting fabrics. Reducing dust, lint, and airborne chemicals with an air purifier for laundry rooms helps prevent these compounds from settling back onto clean clothing and helping to expand their lifespan. It also helps limit lint and microfibre accumulation on clothes.

Comparing laundry room air purifiers: what sets Eoleaf apart

Eoleaf stands out in the air filtration market. Read more below to learn about how Eoleaf air purifiers for laundry rooms provide the best air purification available.

Air filtration technologies

Eoleaf air purifiers are the only ones on the market that offer 8 different air filtration technologies, each designed to remove a different type of air pollution. This is reassuring in a laundry room where fine particles and VOCs are both problematic. Eoleaf air purifiers offer the following technologies:

• Pre-filter: for larger-sized fibres like hair and dust
• Bamboo fibre filter with an antibacterial coating
• HEPA filter (H13-certified): a medical-grade HEPA filter for fine particles (particles of the smallest size that are typically invisible to the naked eye) that removes 99.97% of all air pollutants down to a size of 0.01 microns in a single pass
• Activated carbon filter: a heavy, high-quality activated carbon filter that targets VOCs and other chemical gases
• Photocatalysis: a depollution technology that removes complex chemical gases
• Ionisation: another depollution technology that is particularly efficient at working with a HEPA filter to remove fine particles, especially those generated by smoke
• UVC sterilisation: an essential technology used to target germs but also designed to sterilise your air purifier’s filter, protecting you from recontamination during filter changes

Eoleaf air purifiers also offer five fan speeds (four fan speeds for the NeoPur 400 air purifier) that allows you to save energy. The fastest fan speed is ideal for combatting heavy pollution.

Smart features and low energy consumption

Eoleaf air purifiers offer a host of smart features that help make your indoor air quality tracking and device control seamless. Integrated smart sensors monitor air quality in real-time and permit automated operation with Automatic mode. Automatic mode adjusts fan speed automatically when new air pollutants are detected in your space and will reduce fan speed once again once the new pollutants have been removed from your air. Wi-Fi and smartphone app integration are also useful (but optional) in monitoring and tracking your air quality and controlling your device from a distance.

Our devices are engineered for energy efficiency. They are equipped with powerful fans that are also quiet so as never to disturb you in your home. We use durable materials that support your air purifier’s longevity. Our filters are also built to last, only requiring changes once every year. Additionally, we pride ourselves on our excellent, human customer service in multiple languages to cater to our international customer base.

Real-world use cases: air purifiers in action

Air purifiers for laundry rooms are beneficial across various living situations.

Urban environments with limited ventilation

In smaller-sized, urban flats and apartments that have limited ventilation and higher levels of outdoor air pollution that discourage mechanical ventilation in the first place, an air purifier for laundry rooms but also for the entire flat serve an important purpose. They help combat air quality that is a significant concern in these compact spaces, using their powerful fan speeds to help circulate stale air, purify polluted indoor air, and reduce unpleasant odours.

Urban apartment dwellers often report a significant improvement and reduction in damp smells in laundry rooms thanks to Eoleaf air purifiers. This is particularly the case for those who dry their clothes indoors. Also, since Eoleaf air purifiers are quiet, they do not add to the many sounds you may find in an urban environment and will never disturb you in your space.

Large family homes with high laundry loads

Households that run multiple loads of laundry per week benefit greatly from an air purifier for laundry rooms. With frequent washing and drying of clothes, families of a large size often experience persistent indoor air pollution generated by the laundry room and elevated humidity levels that foster mould growth.

Shared laundry rooms in commercial settings

Student housing, flats, condos, and other communal living environments where residents share laundry spaces and use various detergents and cleaning products to clean their clothes all experience a mix of airborne chemical pollutants and odours. Installing air purifiers for laundry rooms helps provide cleaner, fresher air and enhance air quality for all users of these spaces, protecting their health from the dangers of indoor air pollution.

Expert tips to maximise your air purifier’s performance

A few of the following tips and recommendations will help you get the most out of your air purifier for laundry rooms.

Best placement for laundry room air purifiers

Avoid placing an air purifier directly next to a washer or dryer. An Eoleaf air purifier uses its various fan speeds to properly circulate stale air in your space. To encourage air intake and optimal air circulation, place it a few meters or feet away. Also do not place it against a wall or in a corner in order to encourage air flow. The better the air flow, the better the air purifier can pull in polluted air and distribute clean air.

Maintenance schedule and filter replacement

Eoleaf air purifiers, like all air purifiers, require filter replacements. Our filters are high-quality, heavy, and durable, only requiring changing once every year. If you experience particularly high levels of pollution in your laundry room, be sure to discuss this with Eoleaf’s team of air purification experts to determine if your air purifier for laundry rooms will require more frequent filter changes.

Resources

¹ Dover, M. (n.d.). Laundry’s dirty little secret: Wearable air pollution. Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Education for a Healthy Planet. https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/earth-matters/laundrys-dirty-little-secret-wearable-air-pollution/

² Goodman, N. B., Wheeler, A. J., Paevere, P. J., Agosti, G., Nematollahi, N., & Steinemann, A. (2018). Emissions from dryer vents during use of fragranced and fragrance-Free Laundry Products. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 12(3), 289–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0643-8

³ Pazo DY, Moliere F, Sampson MM, Reese CM, Agnew-Heard KA, Walters MJ, Holman MR, Blount BC, Watson CH, Chambers DM. Mainstream Smoke Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds in 50 U.S. Domestic Cigarette Brands Smoked With the ISO and Canadian Intense Protocols. Nicotine Tob Res. 2016 Sep;18(9):1886-94. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntw118. Epub 2016 Apr 25. PMID: 27113015; PMCID: PMC5687062.