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Do Air Purifiers Help with Cat Smell?

If walking through your front door and getting hit in the face with balmy cat urine and litter box smells is your typical welcome home, then this article is for you. We love our cats to death but living in a world of cat pee and litter boxes makes it tough to share in the love sometimes. So if you’re here wondering, “Do air purifiers help with cat urine smell?”, or “Do air purifiers help with litter box smells?”, then you’re not alone.

Air purifiers can be a very effective tool in getting rid of cat smell and improving your indoor air quality at the same time. So, whether your family consists of a cat or two, or you’re on the verge of being that cat lady down the street, an air purifier can help.

In this article, we’ll dig deep into:

So let’s start meow!


How Will an Air Purifier Help with Cat Urine Smell?

Air purifiers can be a game changer for getting rid of cat-related smells in your home. But how exactly will an air purifier get rid of cat urine smell?

According to McGill University, cat urine is not different from any other animal's urine. It’s a metabolic waste and is comprised of urea, creatine, uric acid, various detoxified substances, sodium chloride, and other electrolytes. But what makes cat urine smell so bad is that cats tend to mark their territories outside the litter box, which if gone unnoticed, will begin to stink. Air purifiers can’t stop your cat from marking areas in your home but an air purifier equipped with the right filters can remove even the smelliest particles from the air, including cat urine smells.

Air purifiers do this by using a fan to filter out and clean the air, effectively trapping and neutralizing airborne particles, including those that cause cat urine odor. When choosing an air purifier for cat urine smell, you’ll come across several different filter options but there are only a few that you should focus on.

  • HEPA filters are the most common type of air purifier filter and are highly effective at capturing microscopic particles that may be present in cat urine odor
  • Activated carbon filters work best at absorbing and neutralizing odors such as those found in cat urine
  • UV-C light filters use ultraviolet light to help destroy the DNA of bacteria and viruses found in cat urine to prevent bacterial growth in your home

It’s not uncommon for air purifiers to use a combination of filter types to get rid of cat urine smell. For example, the Airpura V700 Air Purifier uses both a True HEPA filter to remove 99.97% of airborne particles like cat-related urine and allergens, and an 18lb activated carbon filter to soak in cat urine smells to give you a fully-encompassing solution.

Man with his cat looking at each other

How Do Air Purifiers Help with Cat Pee Smell?

Air purifiers reduce cat pee smell by using a fan to pull in airborne contaminants that cause odor and trap them in a series of filters before recirculating fresh air back into the room. Two of the most common filter types you’ll see in air purifiers for cat pee are HEPA and activated carbon filters.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), HEPA filters are highly effective at capturing up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, which makes them highly effective at trapping cat-related particles, which typically range in size up to 10 microns. Once trapped, these smelly cat pee particles are removed from the air, resulting in cleaner, healthier air to breathe.

But to also get rid of cat pee smells and potentially toxic chemical fumes, you’ll need an activated carbon filter. This filter works by using densely packed activated carbon to soak in cat odors and chemical fumes to prevent them from getting stuck in your carpets and furniture, as well as being inhaled. Without this filter, you’ll only be filtering out cat pee particles but still have stinky odors and harmful fumes in the air.


Good to know: HEPA and activated carbon filters don't just get rid of cat-related odors though. They can also capture other common indoor air pollutants like pet allergens, cigarette smoke, and mold. And if you’re wondering “Do air purifiers help with pet dander?”, then an air purifier can help with that too!


How Will an Air Purifier Help with Cat Litter Smell?

Air purifiers can be a great tool to help reduce the smell of cat litter in your home. But how exactly do they accomplish this?

According to PetMD, cat litter typically comes in three different varieties: clay, silica, and biodegradable litter. Each type of litter is made up of different materials and the one you choose is totally up to you; one isn’t necessarily light years better than the other for neutralizing cat smells. But what makes cat litter boxes stink so bad is when pee and defecation become too much for the litter to handle and aren’t changed frequently enough for the litter to effectively control the odors. Air purifiers can be a great way to stop the spread of cat litter smells when this happens. Giving you more than enough time to change that litter box and breathe in peace.


    Pro Tip: Most units will use a combination of filter types to clean the air of cat litter smell. It’s not uncommon for an air purifier to use a HEPA filter to capture cat litter dust and an activated carbon filter to remove litter box odors to give you the results you’re looking for.

    Black cat coming out of their litter box

    How Do Air Purifiers Help with Cat Litter Smell?

    Finding relief from your cat’s overwhelming litter box smells can be a real challenge. Air purifiers are a highly effective solution in reducing it which can help tremendously in preventing the smell from taking over your home. Air purifiers accomplish this by pulling air through a filter to continuously capture and remove litter-related smells and odors from the air. Making your home a cleaner and fresher place to breathe.


    Good to Know: When searching for an air purifier for cat litter odor it’s important to know that most units will use a combination of filter types to clean the air. It’s not uncommon for an air purifier to use a HEPA filter to capture litter box dust and odor-causing airborne particles, an activated carbon filter to remove the odors, and a UV-C light filter to kill odor-causing viruses and bacteria in the air to give you a holistic approach to reducing cat litter smell.

    However, remember that air purifiers aren’t a complete solution to reducing cat litter smells in your home. Cleaning your litter box regularly and having your air purifier running 24/7 will go a long way in eliminating your cat’s litter box smells for good.


    Do Air Purifiers Work for Cat Smell? Yes!

    Cat urine smell and litter odor can be persistent and unpleasant challenges for cat owners. These odors not only disrupt the comfort of your home but can also pose health risks to you and your family. However, with the help of air purifiers, you can effectively combat these odors and create a fresher and healthier environment in which to live.

    Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, and UV-C light technology are great at capturing and neutralizing airborne particles and chemical fumes that cause cat urine smell and litter odor. By buying an air purifier that has a combination of these filters, you can significantly reduce these odors and improve the overall air quality in your home.

    So, why continue to struggle with persistent cat odors when you can breathe easy with the power of air purifiers? Don't let cat urine smell and litter odor compromise the comfort of your home anymore. Consider incorporating an air purifier into your home to effectively tackle these odors and enjoy a fresh and healthy indoor environment. Say goodbye to unpleasant odors and hello to a happier, healthier home for both you and your beloved feline companion!


    Want to purchase an air purifier for cat smells, but not sure where to start? Check out our latest list of the best air purifiers for pets to find the perfect model for you.

    Still, have questions? Speak with our team of world-class air purifier experts at (877) 791-8083 or send us an email at support@wellnesjunction.com and we’d be happy to help.

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