Can air cleaners ease allergy symptoms?

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Air filtration systems work by taking in air from a room, trapping any particles that are floating in the air within the system, and then releasing filtered, purified air back into the space. Several of these particles, such as pollen, pet hair, and mold, are irritants, which can worsen allergy symptoms. When we breathe, these allergens might get into our bodies, resulting in runny noses, teary eyes, and other negative responses in those with allergen sensitivities.

Therefore, are air purifiers effective for allergies? In brief, yes, to some degree.

Air purifiers can successfully trap the tiny particles that spark allergic reactions, thereby preventing them from moving in the air and being inhaled. Yet, these devices aren’t a comprehensive answer, according to Dr. Payel Gupta, an assistant professor at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York and a spokesperson for the American Lung Association, who spoke to Live Science via email. “Each machine has limitations, and responses might differ from person to person,” she mentioned.

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Aneta Ivanova, a pediatric allergy nurse consultant at the Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in Birmingham, England, shares this point of view.

“Using air purification is often suggested as one way to improve the environment for individuals with allergic respiratory illnesses; however, there isn’t much medical data to definitively back up the idea that air purifiers greatly reduce allergies or respiratory symptoms,” Ivanova stated. She added, “More extensive randomized controlled trials are needed to demonstrate the actual efficacy of these devices scientifically.” (Randomized controlled trials have a placebo group, allowing for comparison, and they can furnish direct proof that an intervention reduces particular symptoms.)

Traditionally, studies that have been done indicate that air filtration might alleviate certain hay fever symptoms, for instance, sneezing, stuffy nose and watery eyes. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem to noticeably enhance individuals’ lung function, raise their life quality, or lessen their reliance on allergy drugs, as stated in a 2024 study featured in the Indoor Air journal.

These differing results could be due to limitations in the studies. For instance, it’s more common for air purifiers to undergo testing under carefully monitored lab conditions rather than in actual real-world settings. Elements, like the purifier’s location, its flow rate, and how long it runs, also influence how effectively it minimizes allergy symptoms, leading to study variations.

The various filters used inside air purifiers may also have an impact on their performance. The majority of today’s top-notch air purifiers come with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters; according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they can eliminate as much as 99.97% of airborne particles, dust, and pollen measuring 0.3 microns in the air. These filters are made of a multilayered network composed of extremely fine fiberglass threads — finer than a human hair.

“HEPA filters are particularly good at trapping particles in the air, and this includes a few common allergens,” Gupta stated.

For instance, air purifiers with HEPA filters proved superior to HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning units) in filtering particles as small as 2.5 microns, as mentioned in a 2025 study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. For 12 months, researchers tracked air pollution levels across 99 school classrooms using air purifiers that had HEPA filters and 87 school classrooms using HVAC systems. The data indicated that airborne particle levels were, on average, 39.9% greater in classrooms utilizing non-HEPA air cleaners.

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