Does it matter where I position an air purifier in the room? Can I put my air purifier on the floor?

Position does matter if you want to maximize your air purifier’s efficiency.

There are several aspects to consider while purchasing an air purifier. Capacity, filter type, and features are all key considerations to make throughout the purchase process. However, one element that is sometimes ignored is where to place your air purifier after you have it. So, once you’ve settled on the right model, where should you put it in the room?

In general, proper placement of an air purifier in the room can boost its efficiency by up to 20%. What’s more, if you put it in an inappropriate place like a corner or behind a television, you might lose more than half of its entire capacity.

Continue reading for our top tips on air purifier placement in the room.

Note: If you need answers to common questions about air purifiers, please read our air purifier FAQs.

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Should I place my air purifier on the floor? Does my air purifier work on the floor?

Not really. Some big air purifiers are powerful enough to clean the air when placed on the ground, but for most popular air purifiers, positioning on the floor is not recommended. The ground floor, rugs, carpets, and mats contain a lot of heavy dust, contaminants, pet waste, dampness, and whatever other impurities you can think of. The reason is that we occasionally enter the house with a lot of dust under our feet or because our pets and infants bring a lot of filth with them.

As a result, if you lay the device on the ground, there’s a high chance that the contaminants will gradually accumulate on all potential surfaces of the air purifier. Moisture contamination will easily adhere to air purifier components such as fans, bearings, and other exposed parts. In those circumstances, it may have an effect on the operation of the air purifier.

Over time, this will result in air purifier repairs and also shorten the life of the air purifier.

Should I place my air purifier high or low?

As mentioned earlier, in most cases, you shouldn’t place your air purifier on the floor. Instead, we recommend keeping it off the ground (3 to 5 feet is ideal). Elevating the air purifier above the ground not only captures horizontal indoor air movement but also exposes it to vertical air movement, thereby eliminating a tripping hazard. It also improves floor-to-ceiling cleaning effectiveness by catching airborne particles near the ceiling more quickly.

For that reason, you can place your air purifier on any surface with a flat region on top, and it will most likely retain its shape without dropping. You may utilize what you already have around the house with a strong raised surface or piece of furniture, such as a desk, dresser, or table, as long as the surface can support the weight. In the workplace, you may place it on the desk. Smaller air purifiers (less than 10 pounds) are best for this. An air purifier placed in the bedroom can be placed on a windowsill or even on the nightstand. Just make sure that those holding objects create a firm, solid space to position an air purifier without any movement.

There are also wall-mountable air purifiers available, which save space while boosting the purifying efficacy from floor to ceiling. Of course, to hang it on the wall, you must raise and secure it in the same way as you would with a painting.

Can I place my air purifier against the wall?

It is determined by the location of your air purifier’s air intakes. There are no side effects to your air purifier’s operation if its air intakes are positioned on either side of the unit and the air outtake is located on top of the unit. Furthermore, make sure the air purifier generates no heat and does not expel or emit anything that might damage the wall surface. Then, placing the air purifier against a wall is entirely safe.

However, if the air intake is positioned at the back of the unit, it is not advised that the unit be placed against a wall.

Wall-mounted air purifiers are able to capture both horizontal and vertical interior air circulation. Simultaneously, mounting an air purifier on the wall exposes the device to the most accessible indoor air, allowing it to eliminate more indoor airborne particles.

Furthermore, wall-mounted air purifiers do not take up floor space. If you have kids or pets, you don’t have to worry that they will accidentally knock over the air purifier, leading to any damage by chance.

Can I place my air purifier on a shelf?

Placing an air purifier on a rack is almost the same as placing it against a wall. It is not advised to place your air purifier’s air intake at the back or at the top if you intend to place it beneath the shelves.

The rule of thumb to ensure maximum efficiency, in short, is to keep a few feet of clearance (at least 3 feet is recommended) at your air purifier’s air intakes, since any obstacles might obstruct the operation of air purifiers.

Can air purifier sit on carpet?

Of course. But don’t think, like many do, that since an air purifier can eliminate odors, germs, and other contaminants, it can do the same for the carpet. Air purifiers can only clean the air in the room. The air purifier can only process odors or germs in the carpet if they are raised into the air by a gaseous condition or movement. Air purifiers cannot remove anything from their surroundings.

Where should I place my air purifier in a room?

Before determining where to place your air purifier in the room, several factors must be addressed. The most important one is to keep it close to the source of pollution, but other factors must also be considered. Here are some tips on the best position to place your air purifier in the room:

Place the air purifier near the source of the odor

If you use air purifiers to remove odors, following this advice will prevent the stink from spreading throughout the entire house. Unpleasant odors and smells will be kept at the source, so you might not even notice any in your home.

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Consider the size and shape of the room

Your air purifier’s size should match the size of your room. Weak air purifiers in big rooms will not filter the air frequently, allowing pollutants to accumulate, and you will gain nothing from an air purifier. A large air purifier in a small space might filter previously cleaned air, wasting your money. Hence, always read the air purifier manufacturer’s suggested room size.

You can consider using multiple small air purifiers instead of one big unit if your room is your space has poor air circulation or has a complicated form (such as a L shape or a long thin shape. Placing two air purifiers in different areas of your room may aid in improving air circulation.

Avoid tight spaces and corners

The majority of air purifiers perform best when installed in an open space with unobstructed circulation from all sides. In this position, an air purifier can pull in air from all sides and work as well as possible.

If you put them in a tight area, they may be too weak to suck air from the other part of the room, leaving the air contaminated in that corner. If you don’t have enough room for a standard air purifier, look for one that can be wall-mounted.

Do not place your air purifier behind or beneath furniture

Air purifiers require sufficient airflow and perform best when there are no obstructions in their path. It is critical not to position an air purifier behind or beneath furniture, since this will restrict ventilation and prevent the air purifier from cleaning all the air in the room.

It may be tempting to place small air purifiers inside a closet or on a shelf. But make sure to keep at least 3 feet of space around your air purifier’s air intakes; otherwise, its performance may suffer significantly.

Place it near places with highest airflow (doorways, walls, windows)

If you position an air purifier at the entry points, it will serve as a security guard. It will collect any unwanted airborne particles at the doors and windows and prevent pollutants from entering your house.

This is especially helpful if you have cats, dogs, or a lot of people coming and going. Getting rid of air pollution at entry points, like front doors or open windows, is also a good first line of defense against air pollution from outside, which would otherwise spread through the whole house.

Keep electronic devices away (TV, Stereo, Microwave)

Some low-cost air purifiers are sensitive to other electronics and will not function properly if placed near TVs, microwaves, or other electrical devices. It is also likely that the air purifier will cause interference with other electrical devices. Just keep this in mind, and if you notice any interference between pieces of equipment, simply shift one of them to another section of the room, or at least keep them a minimum of 5 feet apart from each other. However, a high-quality air purifier will not interact with other equipment in your house, so you should also think about that when purchasing an air purifier for your home.

Avoid high humidity areas

High humidity indicates that the air is heavier. For air purifiers, this implies trouble because:

• To produce airflow with heavy air, the air cleaner will consume more energy.
• Filters’ capacity will be reduced by humid air (especially HEPA filters).
• High humidity areas are excellent mold breeding grounds, which may result in your air purifiers emitting unpleasant odors over time.

There are 2 common rooms requiring air purifiers, i.e., the bathroom and kitchen, that usually have high levels of humidity. Choose air purifiers that are specifically designed for bathrooms and kitchens, and keep them as far away from high moisture areas as possible.

If you use a humidifier in the same room as your air purifier, place them at different ends of the room and set the humidifier to the lowest level.

You can also consider using an air purifier and a dehumidifier together while you are not actively using the bathroom (during the night, for example). Just keep in mind that relative humidity should be less than 50%.