Top 3 Air Purifiers for Mold – Cleared to Destroy Mildew Spores

The mold problem in your home is not just a musty issue – it can also affect the air you breathe and trigger allergies.

No one wants to breathe in mold (or dust and pet dander). Exposure to mold can cause symptoms like a stuffy nose, wheezing and red or itchy eyes & skins. That's why air purifiers come into play.

Air purifiers for mold are able to filter airborne mold spores out of the air, trap them and destroy them. It is necessary to place air filters in areas where mold is found, like basements, bathrooms, kitchens, rooms with carpets or unholstered furniture.

These mold-prevented air cleaners are effective in limiting the mold growth while removing a wide range of airborne particles – dust, pollen, smoke, smog, dust mites, pet dander.

We've rounded up 3 air purifiers that kill mold spores and mildew as well as the main air cleaner types for you.

Here We Go:
#1. Top 3 Air Purifiers for Mold Removal
#2. Types of Air Purifiers for Mold Spores
#3. FAQs of Air Purifiers for Toxic Mildew

#1. Top 3 HEPA Air Purifiers for Mold Removal

Check the below table for the best air purifiers for mold spores and continue reading for full reviews.

All recommended air filters are HEPA types that are capable of removing black mold, fungus, powdery mildew, and other microscopic spores.

Product Name	Image	Filter Type	Able to Remove	Price
Purivortex 201B		3-in-1 True HEPA Filter	Mold Spores, Mildew, Dust, Pollen, Smoke, Dust Mites Odors, Smells, VOCs	Click to View
Purivortex V1		H13 True HEPA Filter	Mold Spores, Mildew, Dust, Pollen, Smoke, Dust Mites	Click to View
Purivortex V3		4-in-1 True HEPA Filter	Mold Spores, Mildew, Dust, Pollen, Smoke, Dust Mites Odors, Smells, VOCs	Click to View

1. Best Air Purifier for Mold and Mildew in Small Room: Purivortex 201B

This small room air purifier comes with a 3-in-1 HEPA filter – the pre-filter, the H13 HEPA filter and the activated carbon filter, able to remove mold spores, airborne particles, smells and odors.

The H13 HEPA filter can block and trap all particles larger than 0.3 micrometer. Mold spores are usually 3-30 micrometers. Hence, this portable air purifier helps with mold greatly, protecting you from mold allergies.

Watch the video below for other smart features of the small air purifier.

2. Best Cute Air Purifier for Mold & Dust in Small & Mid-Size Room: Purivortex V1

This HEPA air purifier can be placed on your table or floor in both small rooms and medium rooms.

With the H13 true HEPA filter, V1 has the ability to remove mold spores, dust mites, pet dander/fur, pollen, smoke, and other particles larger than 0.3 μm.

The stylish and cute design of this desktop air purifier makes V1 not only an air filtration system, but also a perfect décor, an artwork.

A feature-rich air filter doesn't necessarily cost you a thousand dollars. You can take V1 home with less than $100.

Read this post for best affordable air purifiers for mold under $100.

3. Top-Rated Air Purifier for Mold in Large Room: Purivortex V3

The large room air purifier is equipped with the most powerful 4-layer filtration system – the washable fabric pre-filter, H13 true HEPA filter, activated carbon filter and cold catalyst filter, trapping airborne particles while adsorbing mold and mildew smells.

The air filter can catch the black mold spores floating in the air, which suppresses the mold growth. Place this home air purifier in your bathroom, dorm room, apartment, basement, bedroom, and other rooms where mold are found to remove the disgusting mold problem.

The attractive feature of V3 is the washable pre-filters. When you receive the package, you will get 2 fabric pre-filter: the green and the grey ones. You can dress the air cleaner based on your home interior décor. If the pre-filter is dirty after months of use, just change the other one and put the dirty one in the washing machine for easy cleaning.

If you want the best air purifier with washable filter for mold prevention, V3 is currently one of the most high-quality and effective choices in the market.

Take a look at the video below to learn all smart features of this commercial and home air purifier for mold eliminator, designed for office, store, apartment, condo, etc.

#2. Types of Air Purifiers for Mold Spores

Mold can grow on any surface containing organic material and moisture. Use of air purifiers can filter out and trap these mold spores and keep air in your home fresh and clean.

Air purifiers adopt different filtering and air purifying technologies to clean and control molds, including HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, ionizers, UV lights, PCO and PECO technology.

1. HEPA Filters

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) air purifiers adopt HEPA filters with a fine mesh that trap ultrafine particles.

The dirty air goes through the HEPA filter, and then the HEPA filter blocks and traps pollen, dust, pet fur/dander, smoke, mold spores, dust mites. H13 true HEPA filters are capable of removing up to 99.97% of airborne particles large than 0.3 micrometer in dimeter.

HEPA filters need to be changed every 3-6 months for the efficient mold spore or particle filtration. Please note that HEPA-only filters only trap particles and will not adsorb gases, VOCs, smells or odors.

Do note those HEPA-like or HEPA-type air purifiers that typically won't have HEPA filters. These filters fail to meet the standards by US Department of Energy – HEPA filters can filter 99.97% of particles larger than 0.3 micrometer. Do look for HEPA or true HEPA filters.

2. Activated Carbon Filters

Activated carbon filters are porous, which are designed for adsorbing mold or mildew smells, odors, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and gases.

Most air purifiers with activated carbon filters also include HEPA filters, like the above 201B and V3, to combat airborne particulates and smells. Same as the HEPA filters, activated carbon filters need replacement every 3-6 months to stay effective when it comes to removing musty smells from mold, cooking smells or other odors.

3. Ionizer Technology

Ionic air purifiers create electrically charged molecules that attach to airborne contaminants. These particles are attached to a collector plate, so this type of air cleaners can remove the particulates from the air.

However, those particles may also attract to each other or attach to other surfaces, causing them to be removed out of the air. This is often criticized by experts. Ionizer air filters may not actually get rid of particles since these particles simply attach to other surfaces nearby. Particles are removed from the air, but they are still inside the room.

Another drawback of ionic air cleaners is that they produce ozone. Based on EPA, ozone can damage the lungs when inhaled. Thus, for your and your family's health, go for ozone-free air purifiers for mold, such as the HEPA or activated carbon filter air cleaners.

4. UV Lights

UV (ultraviolet) air purifiers use short-wave ultraviolet light to inactivate airborne microorganisms, like mold spores, viruses, germs, etc.

To make UV air purifiers work effectively, the light must have sufficient contact time with the mold or bacteria, usually minutes to hours. Without enough contact time, this type of air cleaners fails to remove mildew.

UV light air filters cannot kill every mold spore because some strains are resistant to UV radiation. Meanwhile, air cleaners with UV light cannot remove particles, like dust, pet dander or pollen.

Also, exposure to UV light may damage your eyes and skins. Be cautious when you use this type of air cleaners.

5. PCO & PECO Technology

Photoreactor-based air purifiers generally include photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) and photo electrochemical oxidation (PECO) types.

PCO technology uses the light-activated catalyst reacting with organic pollutants. These gaseous pollutants undergo a chemical reaction that transforms the pollutants to non-toxic substances. Based on EPA, most PCO air purifiers are not that effective in destroying the gaseous pollutants, and cannot filter out particles, like mold spores.

PECO is a photon-based air purification process that destroys organic matter with a photoelectrochemical reaction. The process is much faster and more effective than PCO technology.

PECO air purifiers are able to remove VOCs, bacteria, mold spores. However, both PCO and PECO would produce byproducts like ozone.

Quick Verdict

What type of air purifiers is best for mold?

After checking the above air purifier types, the best choices are HEPA and activated carbon filter types.

Ozone-free HEPA and activated carbon filter air purifiers are good for mold removal, and able to remove dust & dust mites, pet fur & dander, pollen, smoke or smog, smells and odors.

#3. FAQs of Air Purifiers for Mildew, Mold and Fungus

Here are some questions that you may have when using an air purifier in your apartment for getting rid of mold.

1. Air purifier or dehumidifier for mold, what's better?

Both dehumidifiers and air purifiers are effective in mold control. Dehumidifiers limit the mold spores by decreasing the humidity in your house.

Mold normally grows in a humid environment. A dehumidifier suppresses the mold from growing by removing the water in the air.

Air purifiers remove the mold by trapping and removing mold spores out of the air, preventing you from inhaling the moldy, musty air.

You can use both devices in your room, such as bathroom, basement, kitchen, to remove mold to the greatest extent.

2. Do air purifiers work on removing mold?

Will an air purifier help with ONGOING mold issues?
Do air purifiers help cleanse basic mold in a room?
Do air purifiers help with mold?

Yes, air purifiers work effectively in removing mold spores, mildew, fungus. Putting air purifiers in areas where mold grows will suppress the mold from growing, reproducing and spreading.

3. Will a HEPA air purifier remove mold?

Yes, HEPA air purifiers filter out mold spores and other pollutants in the air, able to remove 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 micron in size or greater.