Updated by Molekule staff 10/20/22
Can you wash a HEPA filter, or will it diminish the filter’s cleaning efficacy?
HEPA filters remove fine particles like smoke or pollen and mold fragments from the air, but like any filter they are eventually full of debris. As the filter fibers get clogged, the purifier will lose airflow and fewer particles will be captured. With HEPA filters being used in vacuum cleaners, air purifiers and HVAC systems, you may have wondered how to clean a HEPA filter instead of replacing it numerous times.
The answer is not as straightforward as it may seem. This article will look at what HEPA filters are made of and examine different types of HEPA filters to better understand if they can be cleaned, and if so, how to do it properly to ensure the filter continues to function according to its claims.
What are HEPA filters made of?
HEPA filters, or high-efficiency particulate air filters, are defined by how well they have been rated to filter particles. To meet the HEPA standard, a filter is estimated to remove 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns (or micrometers) in size from the air that passes through.
In practice, HEPA filters are made from a variety of materials, including “coarse glass fibers, coated animal hair, vegetable fibers, synthetic fibers (such as polyester or nylon), synthetic foams, metallic wools, or expanded metals and foils,” according to the EPA. These fibers are tangled together randomly and compressed into paper-like sheets. The sheets are pleated to increase the surface area that the air passes through, and mounted onto a frame made of cardboard, plastic, wood or metal. Manufacturers might add other elements to a HEPA filter, such as a pre-filter to screen out larger particles, activated carbon to help remove odors and gasses or a chemical treatment to make particles stick to the fibers.
Where are HEPA filters used?
Originally, HEPA filters were used in research and industrial facilities, because they were developed specifically to remove radioactive particles from the air in nuclear testing labs. Today, HEPA filters show up in a variety of consumer products.
- Air purifiers
- Vacuum cleaners
- HVAC systems
- Cars
How is a HEPA filter used?
Indoor air quality is a major concern, especially for people with sensitive immune systems such as infants or the elderly. Particles like dust mites (and their feces), mold spores and other allergens in the air may trigger health symptoms such as allergies or asthma, and people search for a way to remove them from the air using filter media in a portable air purifier, special vacuum or HVAC system. One type of filter is a HEPA filter.
A HEPA filter in your HVAC system, air purifier or vacuum cleaner is designed to filter particles from the air in an effort to improve air quality. Studies have indicated that air purifiers with HEPA filters may help reduce the amount of particulates in the air to improve the overall air quality (Laumbach, Meng, & Kipen, 2015). However, some harmful pollutants, like most airborne chemicals, are much smaller than a HEPA filter can trap. As a result, almost all HEPA air purifiers will also have some additional technologies to deal with airborne chemicals.
Can you clean a HEPA filter?
If your HEPA filter is not specifically labeled as washable or “permanent,” then the answer is no – while it may still filter the air it will have reduced effectiveness after washing. You can rinse the filter in water, tap excess dust off of it or remove some dust with a vacuum, but this can definitely damage the mesh of fibers that allows the filter to remove particles from the air. Even if the filter looks undamaged, some of the fibers will be broken or stretched out. You will end up with a somewhat clean looking filter that does not do the job of filtering properly.
What allows a HEPA filter to meet its claims is the consistency of the “weave” of glass fibers. If the fibers are stretched or torn, it will create gaps in the filter through which air and any contaminants will take the path of least resistance and bypass the fibers completely. The integrity of the frame is important as well. If the frame itself or the gaskets that provide a seal between the frame and the location it is mounted in are compromised, air can flow around the filter instead of through it.
If the filter is marketed as being washable or permanent, then it is possible that you can wash it or clean it off and it will still function. However, there is no standard for washable HEPA filters, and there have not been public studies testing how well these filters work after they have been washed. It is possible that the manufacturer has found a method of making filter fibers that will not be damaged by cleaning, but there really is no way of knowing for sure.
Why might cleaning a HEPA air filter be a bad idea?
As discussed, cleaning a HEPA filter almost certainly will cause damage to the extremely fine mesh of fibers that allow the filter to do its job. But even if you could be 100 percent sure the filter would not be damaged by cleaning, there are other reasons that cleaning a HEPA filter is not a great idea.
- Cleaning a filter is a dirty job. Unless you take the filter outside to clean it, there is a good chance that the act of cleaning it will introduce some airborne pollutants to your house. Getting rid of those pollutants is the reason you may want to use a HEPA filter in the first place. The pollutants introduced back into the air may include any microbial growth that has taken place on the filter.
- You may inhale some of the pollutants from the filter. Even if you can clean your HEPA filter outdoors, some of the particles from the filter will be in the air while you clean it. Unless you wear some type of respirator, you can inhale those pollutants, which could trigger an allergic reaction.
- You will need a filter for your filter cleaner. If you use a vacuum to clean out a HEPA filter, the vacuum will also need to have a HEPA filter, or it will not be able to keep the particles from the dirty filter in the canister. It will disperse all those particles into the air. And if the vacuum does have a HEPA filter, what will you use when it is time to clean that one?
- The filter must be completely dry before using. A wet HEPA filter could further allow mold to form on the filter surface. Because of the fine mesh of fibers in a HEPA filter, they take a long time to dry (manufacturers recommend at least 24 hours). The whole time the filter is drying, you are not filtering air.
How to clean a HEPA filter if you have to
The general recommendation is that HEPA filters should be replaced, not cleaned. But if you absolutely have to clean a HEPA filter, there are two ways to do it. Which method you use depends on what type of HEPA filter you have. Because there are no official standards for cleanable HEPA filters, there are no defined terms for the types of cleanable filters available. However, manufacturers have adopted certain marketing terms with some consistency: washable and permanent.
A washable HEPA filter should be cleaned by rinsing it under cold water. You should be careful not to touch the filter material, only allowing it to come in contact with water. Allow the filter to completely dry before reinstalling it. Some filters have special instructions. For instance, some canister type vacuum filters should only be washed on the outside of the filter, being careful to avoid getting the central part of the canister wet.
A HEPA filter marketed as “permanent” should be cleaned by gently using a vacuum cleaner to suck away dust and debris from the surface of the filter. Water typically should not be used on these types of filters.
Other ways to improve indoor air quality
While a HEPA filter claims to remove particles from the air and improve your indoor air quality, they can be expensive, especially considering the ongoing costs of replacement. There are some other ways to improve the air quality in your home, including low-cost methods to reduce indoor air pollution:
- Remove pollutant sources. Have smokers smoke outside, and restrict pets to certain rooms.
- Clean regularly. Vacuum and wipe down surfaces to remove particles that have settled out of the air.
- Open the windows for better ventilation if the weather permits and outdoor conditions are safe. Letting fresh air into the house, especially while using chemical household products, is a good idea unless you live next to a major source of air pollution.
Another option to improve indoor air quality is to use an air purifier. There are several air purification technologies available in addition to HEPA filters that you can use to improve the air quality in your home. HEPA filters are not meant to filter chemicals on their own, which is why they’re almost always paired with an activated carbon filter to handle airborne chemicals, though carbon filters have their drawbacks as well.
Molekule’s PECO-filters were designed to handle a wide range of pollutants. The PECO technology inside has been shown to not only remove particulate pollution, but also destroy organic compounds like VOCs and biological contaminants like mold. Then the PECO-HEPA Tri-Power filter combines HEPA particle efficiency with PECO destruction so this is a lower chance of mold or pollen fragments being released back into the air. A layer of carbon also reduces odors and toxic gases.
Without a solid track record of testing on cleaning a HEPA filter with water or a vacuum cleaner, it is unclear how that cleaning may degrade its performance. If you must clean your HEPA filter, make sure you use one marketed as washable or permanent, and use the correct cleaning method for the type that you buy.
