Winix - WX100

We have the Winix WX100. An overlooked cost of these filters is the cost of replacement filters. Depending on your model, you may need separate charcoal and other stage filters. There are third party filters that are cheaper, some that may work as good as oem, others that are as ineffective. I'd look into the cost of these before committing to a filter. I'm always sus about reviews because they are often bought. Been some time since I last looked into this, but at a minimum I'd find something with HEPA and charcoal filter.

We probably don't run it as much as we should, maybe on average 2 hrs a day during peak heat in the afternoon. Can't remember what the recommended filter change timeline is, but it's different for each. The wx100 has a yellow filter sheet that collects a lot of hair, so that gets changed every 1-2 months. The charcoal and hepa filter we change every 6-12 months, but really whenever we feel like it depending on how it looks when we change that yellow pre-filter. I don't have many filters, just that one which we use to filter the kitchen/living room space. We also have dyson fans that double as filters, and some smaller portable off brand filters. Tbh, it's not like I have a device that measures the amount of dust particles in the air. Will only say, guests that come over say they don't smell the dog smell. There is also a light that comes on whenever the winix detects dust in the air and it seems to work (always turns red when the pup walks by lol)

I’ve been really impressed by my Winix. I have a huge one that really seems to do the job. I change the filter once the year but vacuum it all out more often than that to keep it running really well.

Air cleaners/purifiers (I have one in every single room, 2 in the open living dining kitchen area). Some brands offer pet specific filters (I use Winix plasma waves in larger rooms, and Levoit for smaller rooms, both the cylindrical and the rectangular). Regular vacuuming. Blankets on furniture that can be put in washing machines. If you have hardwood, minimize your area rugs and mop once a week, if possible. If you need area rugs, try washable rugs you can toss in the washing machine. I have three dogs, a breed that is notoriously difficult to house train. I keep an armada of enzyme cleaners and a black light on hand. They are also a breed that loves blankets, so I use specially formulated enzyme cleaner in the washing machine when I wash their blankets. The washing machine runs daily here.

Any filter with a charcoal filter layer will help some (Winix is one brand commonly available at Costco…I also have a more elaborate Rowenta)…my Winix came with multiple charcoal layer replacements. Dealing with total incontinence here, and not to criticize your MILs efforts, but you might want to look into the actual sources of the odors. Chairs, clothes that sit around waiting for wash, previously soaked furniture or carpet? If bedding or fabric furniture smells and you can replace it, do so. I use a combo of Depends on my father, and all his sleeping or seating surfaces have a first layer of puppy pee pads (Costco has large ones that work well and are cheap), and then a fabric layer on top (whether sheets or a chair cover or towel, tucked into the sides of the chair). Once he’s wet, after I changes his pants all clothes and chair covers and bedding goes in the wash (3-5 loads a day).  For the mattress you can find on Amazon washable mattress covers (the whole bed ones don’t work that well but that’s my base layer and then a thicker more absorbent one that I fit across the middle section of his bed, and on top of that layered dog pee pads).  So again, not sure if any of this advice helps but this method works for me.

It makes sense for air purifiers for the same reason it makes sense for face masks- you want the air to be purified in one go. The misconception that some people have is that air purifiers are supposed to reduce the concentration of particulate matter in the room and hence the highest CFM takes priority. In reality, the actual goal is to reduce the concentration of particulate matter that people breathe in, which sounds similar but has a different meaning. A non-HEPA purifier may theoretically succeed at the former, but it won't succeed at the latter; the mechanism of purifying the air through multiple passes with a weaker filter intrinsically means that particulate matter will be blown across the room and into the breathing space of someone before it can be purified. This why CDC/WHO and many other public health will generally recommend HEPA purifiers and suggest non-HEPA purifiers as a temporary measure for emergencies (I.e forest fires). Some good HEPA filter options are Winix, Smart Air, and Jafanda.

Thirding air purifiers! I finally gave in and traded my two big winix HEPA guys for a gigantic corsi rosenthal box made of four 20x20x4-in home AC filters. It's much louder but the performance is out of this world, and the filters last forever now. My two 1,200sq ft rated filters struggled in my 500sq ft space with even monthly changes (desert life, lots of animals, massive grading project nearby, endless dust), but this one box handles it no problem, and for many months now.

I have 2 Winix HEPAs that have been running 24/7 for 6+ years. I clean the screen every week or so, replace the carbon every month, and the HEPA every ~8 months.

I got annoyed when my winnnix developed a noise, but then I realized it was the unit I’ve been running almost 24/7 for ten years. Bought another refurb and I’m going to attempt to take the ten year old one apart and see if it can be fixed. I imagine there’s buildup at the parts you can’t regularly clean.

I double checked and it’s my 2019 era one that has the noise! The 2015-ish one is still fine.

Both of my Winix air purifiers started smelling like smoke, they are different models, cleaned weekly and filters changed regularly, I don’t recommend them.

you can't beat the physics. what you want is the big size as prioirty thing to look for first. then you can look into other things but the size of purifier(filter) has biggest impact. winix is solid imo for basiaclly 99% of the use case.