Need to get rid of dust!!!

S

SlipperyPete

Gawd
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
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I'm tired of cleaning up dust every few days. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good air purifier / air filter? It would ideally be very quiet, and not take up a ton of room. Just for a small bedroom. Thanks!
 
first get a really good filter for your ac if you have central ac/heat as a good filter should help then work on trying other filters systems.
 
Thanks for the ideas everyone. We do have central AC, and my roomate and I were talking about the dust issue and checked out the filter. It looks clean, so we left it in there. Not really sure what the problem is but I'm going to buy a purifier soon. I'll keep everyone posted on how it works out.
 
We use a Holmes unit, that has 2 HEPA air filter cartridges. Does a pretty darn good job, considering both my kids suffer pretty badly from allergies, especially my daughter who is somewhat asthmatic.

We had bought the Holmes when it was on clearance at Target. The HEPA cartridges last awhile, but are the most exensive things on the unit itself.


Ian
 
As a general FYI, computers suck in a lot more dust when they are on the ground. Putting it on a desk or even a foot up will make a huge difference. That being said I have no idea if it pertains to this thread.
 
Did you get a purifier yet pete? If you did what did you get and hows it working?
 
SlipperyPete said:
Thanks for the ideas everyone. We do have central AC, and my roomate and I were talking about the dust issue and checked out the filter. It looks clean, so we left it in there. Not really sure what the problem is but I'm going to buy a purifier soon. I'll keep everyone posted on how it works out.
Click to expand...

If it is clean, I'd guess it is one of those crap El Cheapo blue filters that wouldn't filter out a dachsund caught in your HVAC.
 
BlueAir makes a good, high-end air cleaner. I have a Blueair 203 in my bedroom and am impressed with the performance and build quality. The filters are expensive but last 6 months. From what I've read, the most efficient cleaners are the ones that use conventional HEPA filtration media. The ionizers and static-based ones aren't as thorough, though maybe that only matters for people with allergies and respiratory problems. If you just want general dust removal and don't care as much about pollen and other microscopic particles, maybe it doesn't matter as much.

Don't expect miracles though. These devices are mainly intended to filter microscopic particles like pollen and smoke. The larger particles that get into your computer are heavier, and often will settle out onto surfaces before they make it to the air filter's intake. In my case, I've seen some reduction in dust accumulation but nothing compares to frequent vacuuming. I suppose if you can position the filter right next to the computer that would be best.

Some general rules to reduce dust in a room. You won't be able to implement all of these and still have a livable space, but you should at least understand what you're up against:

Ideally, get rid of carpeting, and any other "fluffy" stuff like clothes, bedding, furniture, etc. Most dust comes from dead skin and fabric fibers that rub off from you and your clothes, or from carpeting and furniture as they wear out. Smooth floors are much easier to clean completely.

Reduce surface area. Dust sticks to every surface imaginable, including computer cables and general clutter. Don't leave lots of stuff lying around. Put it away in drawers or closed containers. And try to do something about that rat's nest coming out of the back of your PC. Even just bundling the cables will reduce the amount of exposed surfaces for dust to cling to and make them easier to clean.

Also, I agree with jiminator about keeping the computer off the ground if possible. Not only is there less dust up high, but it will be easier to vacuum the carpet effectively with fewer obstacles.
 
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I wrap pantyhose around all the intake grills. The only dust that gets in is the fine white stuff. I clean my case out twice a year maybe.
 
Here is another option for removing dust very easily. I actually have this myself and have been using it for a good few years. While it doesn't keep dust out, it's about 10x more powerful that a can of air and will clean your PC of any and all dust in a matter of seconds. It also pays for itself very quickly as canned air is pricey. You know how 80 / 120mm fans get that fine dust build up on the blades that canned air does not touch? this thing erases that dust like magic. Read the reviews on Amazon. It's pretty damn amazing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1332148674&sr=8-1&seller=
 
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Put this near your machine and run it 24/7: http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-502...E7RY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332167586&sr=8-1

It doesn't use a lot of power and won't affect your electricity bill very much, and I know you can run it for at least 3 years 24/7 (literally) because I have. Would have ran it for more years, but having moved into an apartment my roommate turns it off when I'm not there. When I was overseas for 3 weeks, I instructed my roommate to leave this on (as well as my workhorse computer), and according to my Kill-A-Watt had only used about 100 kWh (about $10 into the electricity bill). Not bad, not bad at all.

And it also makes a difference for YOU. Air is so much easier to breath. You can reuse the charcoal filter a few times -- all you have to do is vacuum it when the orange light for it turns on on the air purifier (and then press the button next to it after reinstalling the charcoal filter). It has been about 5-6 years since I bought this air purifier, and have not had to replace the HEPA filter yet (those cost about $100 a piece). Charcoal filters are not very expensive either. You probably would only need to go through 2-3 charcoal filters per year if you vacuum them to re-use.
 
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the dust issue and how to prevent it getting into ones PC has bugged me for years. aside from filtering all the intake fans, also have my PC off the floor (sitting on top a 2 draw filing cabinet).


don't think you can completely get away from cleaning out the PC so i recon SixFootDuo suggestion is pretty good..
Metro Vacuum ED500 DataVac 500-Watt 0.75-HP Electric Duster 120-Volt
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1332148674&sr=8-1&seller=



aronesz suggestion on air filter;
Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-502...e=UTF8&qid=1332167586&sr=8-1&tag=hardfocom-20
...also looks like a good pretty decent.

with this air filter, do you only need these replacement filters;
Honeywell 38002 Enviracare Universal Replacement Pre-Filter (approx $7)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-380...re-Filter/dp/B000050H5N/ref=pd_bxgy_hg_text_b
Honeywell 24500 Replacement Air Cleaner HEPA Filter (approx $47)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-24500-Replacement-Cleaner-Filter/dp/B0009H798U/ref=pd_bxgy_hg_text_c

also how often do you have to fork over more cash to swap them out?
 
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aphasia said:
the dust issue and how to prevent it getting into ones PC has bugged me for years. aside from filtering all the intake fans, also have my PC off the floor (sitting on top a 2 draw filing cabinet).


don't think you can completely get away from cleaning out the PC so i recon SixFootDuo suggestion is pretty good..
Metro Vacuum ED500 DataVac 500-Watt 0.75-HP Electric Duster 120-Volt
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1332148674&sr=8-1&seller=



aronesz suggestion on air filter;
Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-502...e=UTF8&qid=1332167586&sr=8-1&tag=hardfocom-20
...also looks like a good pretty decent.

with this air filter, do you only need these replacement filters;
Honeywell 38002 Enviracare Universal Replacement Pre-Filter (approx $7)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-380...re-Filter/dp/B000050H5N/ref=pd_bxgy_hg_text_b
Honeywell 24500 Replacement Air Cleaner HEPA Filter (approx $47)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-24500-Replacement-Cleaner-Filter/dp/B0009H798U/ref=pd_bxgy_hg_text_c

also how often do you have to fork over more cash to swap them out?
Click to expand...
Over the past 5-6 years, I have only bought 3 or 4 filters -- I used them all because I was too lazy to vacuum. During the first 3 years, I only bought one new charcoal filter after like 1.5-2 years of use. You can find some pretty darn good deals for the charcoal air filters; when I bought mine, I found a deal for $0.01 a piece (shipping was like $5-8). In my opinion, a charcoal filter is good for probably 3-4 reuses via vacuuming.

I have not yet had to replace the HEPA filter. The charcoal filter gets out like 99% of the material floating in the air. Even after 5-6 years of use, the HEPA filter in mine still doesn't look dirty -- still looks brand new.

This air purifier (50250 model) made such a difference for me I bought two -- one for my apartment, one for my office cubicle -- and my CEO boss at one of my three jobs bought one for the server room (boy, I tell you it made the biggest difference in that office and server room). It is very easy to become obsessed with these and desire to purchase another one. :D

EDIT: Also, I believe those are the correct filters you linked to. Manual for the air purifier should also give you exact filter part numbers
 
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aronesz said:
Over the past 5-6 years, I have only bought 3 or 4 filters -- I used them all because I was too lazy to vacuum. During the first 3 years, I only bought one new charcoal filter after like 1.5-2 years of use. You can find some pretty darn good deals for the charcoal air filters; when I bought mine, I found a deal for $0.01 a piece (shipping was like $5-8). In my opinion, a charcoal filter is good for probably 3-4 reuses via vacuuming.

I have not yet had to replace the HEPA filter. The charcoal filter gets out like 99% of the material floating in the air. Even after 5-6 years of use, the HEPA filter in mine still doesn't look dirty -- still looks brand new.

This air purifier (50250 model) made such a difference for me I bought two -- one for my apartment, one for my office cubicle -- and my CEO boss at one of my three jobs bought one for the server room (boy, I tell you it made the biggest difference in that office and server room). It is very easy to become obsessed with these and desire to purchase another one. :D

EDIT: Also, I believe those are the correct filters you linked to. Manual for the air purifier should also give you exact filter part numbers
Click to expand...

cheers brother for the info. i hate vacuuming personally (does anyone like this activity?) so i recon this will be up on my list of 'must buys'.
now if i could find one of these that's usable in australia (240volt).

my only concern is the noise of the unit. my PC is fairly quite (WC'ed PC with 8x 120mm fans all throttled between 40%-60% plus the case is missing the 2 side panels + top panel) tho since introducing a ref 7970, noise has risen noticeably. as soon as the reference fan on the 7970 hit 30%, it starts to drown out the 120mm fans in my case.

the youboob clip on the honeywell unit illistrates the noise...
http://youtu.be/kUs5JpxW8MQ
on setting 1 & 2, it sounds a bit noisy. setting 3 might be tolerable. guess you could just turn it on when not in the room if it's a real issue.
 
I think vacuuming and dusting once a week helps greatly. Hate doing it but I only have to dust out my computer twice a year but could probably get away with once.
I also have one of those metro air blowers, way better than canned air.
 
aphasia said:
cheers brother for the info. i hate vacuuming personally (does anyone like this activity?) so i recon this will be up on my list of 'must buys'.
now if i could find one of these that's usable in australia (240volt).

my only concern is the noise of the unit. my PC is fairly quite (WC'ed PC with 8x 120mm fans all throttled between 40%-60% plus the case is missing the 2 side panels + top panel) tho since introducing a ref 7970, noise has risen noticeably. as soon as the reference fan on the 7970 hit 30%, it starts to drown out the 120mm fans in my case.

the youboob clip on the honeywell unit illistrates the noise...
http://youtu.be/kUs5JpxW8MQ
on setting 1 & 2, it sounds a bit noisy. setting 3 might be tolerable. guess you could just turn it on when not in the room if it's a real issue.
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It is a sound you can get used to, and actually sleep to. I sleep with mine on every night. I can't stand the quietness. Have it on the slowest speed.
 
Same, can't stand sleeping in silence, I require some sort of white noise like an air conditioner.
 
Skripka said:
If it is clean, I'd guess it is one of those crap El Cheapo blue filters that wouldn't filter out a dachsund caught in your HVAC.
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Funny you say that, my roomate has a dachsund.

I got the Sharp Plasmacluster.It has cut down the dust in the room a little bit, but not nearly to the degree I was hoping for. Guess my expectations were a little too high.
 
i have daily use vaccume cleaner to clean my living room and bedoom...No any chance there is few dust as it is..try it which is easy to use...Thanks
 
I recently did a lot of research on this topic, so I'd like to share:

The Winix 5300/5500 "Plasmawave" essentially copies the Sharp "plasmacluster" ionizer in a less powerful format... but on the newer 5300's there is no way to disable the ionizer (they removed the remote control and infrared sensor which are required to do so), and it (specifically the ionizer, not the blower) sounds like a muffled symphony of digital crickets (if you allow it to get on your nerves). The plasmacluster ionizer supposedly emits both negative and positive ions, and the ozone levels seem to be very very low. The knockoff Winix "plasmawave" ionizer should be better tolerated (if there are issues) due to its lower power.

The Winix blower has virtually the same CADR capability as the well-known Honeywell 50250 series, but it's not as loud at the same CFM. The 50250 is notoriously loud. The Winix has a good blower, but to be reasonable - it's going to be loud compared to a normal PC at settings 2 and above - and setting 1 is nearly useless. I use setting 2 most of the time. Higher settings can be used for brief periods to kick up dust.

The "carbon" filter is not real carbon. It can be replaced. You can easily and inexpensively fill your own DIY carbon filters. You can also replace the HEPA filter with the washable replacement HEPA cartridge (standard on the 5500 model actually).

These 2 mods put the Winix 5300 in a high-value position at $150 (the filter-space and blower are all you really want) - but it IS a cheap (cheaply built) product, and the ionizer IS annoying as hell (deal-breaker, IMO). I might have to go in there and try to disable it manually.

There is a noticeable improvement after the addition of a real carbon pre-filter. With just the HEPA, the smell is more clinical and dry, like a hospital. The Carbon filters remove this "odor." The room feels more neutral, as though it hadn't been artificially cleaned. The addition of plants improves this further.

The 2012 Sharp Dry Plasmacluster lineup is better-made (the blower is similar), and the Winix 5500 is significantly more expensive than the 5300 - so you'd have to weigh that decision. I'd consider warranty and support - not sure about those details.

There are, of course, more expensive alternatives which DO work better. I don't believe they are worthwhile. To properly filter a house, you need airflow everywhere. This means multiple HEPA filters. The less expensive options are more economical in this regard. The VERY expensive filters which claim to filter beyond HEPA standards - WHY do we need that? We don't even need HEPA...we have immune systems, and mine is clinically attacking my own body, and I still don't need it. Don't waste your money, IMO.

I also believe that simply having plants around can do wonders for air quality because the soil/root organisms are very effective at absorbing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). - Look that up for yourself (and try to look up India's related office productivity observations) to see which plants you should be using. I'd recommend ones with easy upkeep, however. Incidentally, marijuana plants render a room QUITE fresh-smelling. If only they didn't require such demanding light intensity, and if they were...more legal...I'd use them.

http://www.air-purifier-power.com/winixplasmawave5300review.html - This is a good review of the Winix models

http://www.air-purifier-power.com/sharpwashablecarbonfiltersweetodor103009.html - This is a good post on relatively easy DIY carbon filters (scroll down to the pictures)

There you have it... that guy likes the Sharp and Winix models. So do I... but after owning them, I'm not all that impressed. Instead I'm thinking that the profit margins must be quite large... it's a damned FAN sucking through a filter with some shitty electronics controlling it...

Ionizers - I have no idea. It seems like a powerful one may force a lot of dust to collect near it... The "purely products" ionizers on Amazon seem to work ok in bathrooms if you get one that works, but they either have high failure/defect rates and/or variable performance. I wouldn't use one to lift the mood - might just give you a headache. Go outside, grab some sunlight, sit on the lawn, breathe some real air - that'll work far better.

Other notes:

- I won't stay in the room when the blower is on HIGH. It's loud and drafty (if room < 125ft^2)
- The filters WILL help to remedy a "stale" room, especially with a real carbon filter.
- The filters will reduce dust, but I wasn't so impressed in this regard.
- You may be disappointed

- I'm not sure why Winix doesn't offer continuously variable blowers - The difference between settings 2 and 3 on the Winix = huge. It seems like our PC-enthusiast community could come up with a much better filter than these guys have...
 
my window ac blowins in alot of dust..

i purchased a tower style hepa filter from walmart for $80 and the dust has been cut down 90%+ its amazing
 
jiminator said:
As a general FYI, computers suck in a lot more dust when they are on the ground. Putting it on a desk or even a foot up will make a huge difference. That being said I have no idea if it pertains to this thread.
Click to expand...

yes and make sure the vents of the case are facing away from windows or doors because they can pull in dust from the constant daily draft creating from them
 
another thing do is is get thin cloth from fabric store and use them on your computers like filters wash em with your laundry once in a while and your pc stays super clean.

i hate dirt!
 
I wish I could sleep in silence but I have a DVR and an APC UPS that seems to get annoyingly loud lately. I've had two other APCs catch fire on me, maybe I should actually look into it.

Oh and same on the ionizers I heard they aren't good.
 
I remember i once cleaned the inside of my first computer build. i literally pulled a dust "sheet" off my fans and mobo that was a few centimeters thick. Scared the crap out of me :)
 
athlon1.2 said:
I wish I could sleep in silence but I have a DVR and an APC UPS that seems to get annoyingly loud lately. I've had two other APCs catch fire on me, maybe I should actually look into it.

Oh and same on the ionizers I heard they aren't good.
Click to expand...

Damn is the DVR is the only thing actively running on that APC? I've yet to have any UPSs start fire in my house. Seems like a lot of load to start a fire.
 
Archmage said:
I recently did a lot of research on this topic, so I'd like to share:
...
Click to expand...

I have the Winix 9500 and love it. We have 2 dogs and 3 cats (don't get me started) in a 2 bedroom apartment. I've got the Winix sitting in the living room running on medium 24/7. The dust in the living room has been cut by at least 50% - I was dusting all surfaces every 2 days, now it's once a week. If you've got a very dusty room, this should help. The lowest setting should exchange the air at least 2x daily and I can't hear it.
 
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