There are stipulated and appropriate ways to handle air purifiers’ essential components, including their filters. While some products recommend rinsing your filters, others are strictly non-washable. So, how do you think you can clean an IQAir filter if you own one?
You can vacuum your permanent filter when it’s jam-packed with debris, but you shouldn’t wash it. On the other hand, pre-filters can be rinsed using mild pressure, so you don’t puncture them.
There are washable and non-washable filters. Check your air purifier’s user guide if you’re unsure which category your filter belongs to. This article will equip you with most of what you need to know about your IQAir HEPA filter.
Are IQAir Filters Washable?
Whether or not your filter is washable will depend on the particular model of the machine. Your product manual should clearly state the filter is washable or vacuum-only. While most pre-filters are washable, the permanent HEPA filters aren’t.
Besides cleaning your filter, you need to generally learn how to maintain it. Here’s how to keep your IQAir HEPA Filter in good condition:
Replace the Filters When Due
Check your air purifier’s filter from time to time so you can observe when replacement is required. On average, air purification filters should be replaced once a year. However, your filter replacement frequency should depend on how often you run your air purifier.
Inspect and Clean Your Filter Regularly
To keep your machine in excellent working condition, inspect your filter for any noticeable layer of dust or dirt. If any, try to clean it before switching on your filtration machine.
Due to its job’s delicate and vital nature, your air purifier needs to be cleaned regularly. Both washable and non-washable HEPA filters are recommended to be cleaned at least once every quarter.
Remember that the more polluted or dusty your environment is, the quicker your filter will get jam-packed with dirt. This warrants checking your filter occasionally and cleaning it more regularly if required.
Keep your device user guide safe and handy, so you can easily consult it for model-specific recommendations and instructions.
Use the Stipulated or Recommended Method
It’s okay if you’d prefer to clean your filter more often than what is recommended. However, you don’t incur any danger or damage by cleaning your system’s filter before it’s due. Instead, you help your filter do its job more effectively and provide you with clean and fresh ventilation.
Ensure that you use the correct method when cleaning either a vacuum-only or washable filter. As a matter of fact, the cleaner your air purifier’s filter stays, the more satisfying and effective your unit’s performance will be.
Use the Electronic Timer
More contemporary filtration technologies are designed with an electronic clean-filter signal light as a reminder. These smart clean-filter reminders will keep notifying as your filter life reduces. This way, you can tell how efficient the air purification operation is at each level of your filter’s life.
For some models, the filter’s life timer keeps a record of the total number of hours that the machine runs. Others work by keeping track of each calendar day.
It’s best to conduct your regular filter inspection and not rely solely on the device’s timer. This is necessary, mainly if your electronic reminder doesn’t track the active time used.
If you don’t run your air purifier often, then it’s not necessary to clean it even when the timer indicates so. Conversely, you should clean your filter even more often than the recommended number of times if you run the machine constantly.
Regular clean up is ideal, especially if the timer records calendar days and not a real-time operation. You can quickly know whether your machine’s timer uses calendar days or real-time tracking through the product’s manual.
Can You Clean IQAir Filters?
Ensure to check your machine’s manual to determine if your filter type is washable. There’s a need to confirm whether a specific filter is washable or non-washable before you attempt to wash any HEPA filter. While some filters are occasionally washable, non-washable filters will get damaged if exposed to moisture.
If you can’t locate your device’s manual, you can search and download the e-copy of your unit’s manual. Ensure that you search directly on your manufacturer’s website using the exact model number for a more accurate result.
Note that washable filters aren’t only used in air purifiers; they’re also found in vacuum cleaners. After you’ve confirmed that your filter type is washable, follow the simple steps below to ensure proper cleaning:
Step 1
Take your machine outside the house. Disassembling your appliance outside will prevent dirt and bacteria from being released back into your home. This is ideal, especially for bulky machines with larger filters that trap lots of particles and debris.
You don’t want your breathing space swamped with numerous bacteria and germs. Take your system to your garage if you have one to avoid all possible risks to your indoor air quality. Ensure that you’re close to a water faucet or that you at least have a garden hose within your reach.
However, if your machine’s filter is portable and easy to move around, you can do the cleaning indoors. If you’re certain there’ll be no dust or debris spillage, you can carefully rinse your filter inside a sink.
Step 2
Take out the filter from your air purifier. Confirm that you’ve disconnected or unplugged your vacuum cleaner or air purifier. Remove the panel or canister that houses the filter to reveal the filter. Then slowly pull it out of your machine.
If you’re not certain of how to remove your unit’s HEPA filter, do well to consult your product manual. Please note that you’re strongly advised against running a vacuum cleaner or an air purifier without a filter.
Step 3
Gently tap the filter over your wastebasket to loosen clumped grime and take off excess dust particles. Depending on the model and how frequently it gets cleaned, your filter might be blocked with particles and grime. If in your case, the filter isn’t jam-packed with dirt, then this step won’t be necessary.
Step 4
It’s best if you rinse the filter under a running tap. This will ensure that the dirt coming off the filter flows away and does not circulate inside the water.
Don’t scrub hard on the filter; it can damage the filter fibers and even pull out some strands. Instead, apply low to moderate pressure as your specific situation demands. Keep rinsing the filter until you can see that the water running through it is clean and dirt free.
Some producers recommend rinsing with lukewarm water while others mainly state “cold water only”. So confirm the most appropriate water temperature for your specific filter model from the product’s manual.
Rinse both sides of your washable air purifier filter to achieve a more comprehensive cleaning process. If you’re cleaning a cylindrical dry/wet vacuum filter, only the exterior will require rinsing. You should avoid getting water inside of the cylinder.
Step 5
When you’re done washing your filter, place it somewhere airy and allow it to dry out well before putting it back. On no account should you reinstall a damp HEPA filter into your air purifier; they must dry completely.
A minimum of 24 hours is recommended for effectively air-drying a washable filter after shaking off excess water. You’re not encouraged to use blow dryers, cloth dryers or any other artificial drying method
How Do I Clean My IQAir Filter?
Many modern air purifiers have non-washable HEPA filters. So it’s best if you can replace your filter when it gets clogged in the long run.
However, if you must clean your filter, the most recommended and safest method is vacuuming. Again, never let a filter stipulated as non-washable come in contact with water.
You can vacuum your unit’s filter following the simple steps below:
Step 1
Switch off and disconnect your air purifier before trying to access the filter. Next, uncover the housing panel and gently slide the filter out of your machine. Consult your device manual for instructions on how you can access the specific unit’s filter.
Step 2
You can and should wash your air purifier’s pre-filters. These pre-filters are more flexible and moisture-friendly than the primary HEPA filters.
Most air purifiers usually have at least one activated carbon filter or foam accompanying the non-washable HEPA filter. These secondary filters should be appropriately rinsed until the water runs clean and void of all possible specks of dirt.
Afterwards, use a clean napkin to dry your activated carbon filters or foam as the case may be. When you’re done, allow them air dry completely for 24 hours at least
Step 3
Using a vacuum cleaner, run the hose attachment all over your filter. There should be a brush or nuzzle attached to your vacuum cleaner’s hose to clean and dry your non-washable filter effectively.
Run the attachment over your filter until every possible dirt particle has been removed. Do this carefully to avoid ripping your unit’s filter with the vacuum attachment.
Step 4
After vacuuming and drying your filter, reassemble the entire machine parts. If the pre-filters are yet to dry, you can bundle the HEPA filter in an airtight plastic bag.
Some contemporary air purifiers models are configured to signal when the filter is due for cleaning. If yours has this electronic reminder, do well to reset it after vacuuming and reinstalling the filter.