air purifier

4 Ways to Clean Up the Air in Your House

June 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 35 Comments

Thanks to Airfree for providing a review sample and a giveaway item. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Since I work from home, I spend A LOT of time inside these four walls. My kids are also inside a lot since the summer temps have been too hot to safely play outside for over a week now, with no signs of cooling off in sight.

Do you ever wonder just how clean the air is inside your home? Chances are that it could use some improvement, and there are some pretty darn easy ways to clean up your air and breathe a little easier while inside.

1. Protect Your Bedding

Bed bugs and mites and all sorts of nasy things take up residence on our bodies, like it or not. And the bed is where many millions of them go to die, as well as to reproduce. UGH!!!! You can keep these microscopic critters from building up in your home and contributing to congestion by using mattress protectors and pillow protectors that are bug proof. They are easy to find, affordable, and very much worth it. Make sure you have them, friends!

2. Make Use of Technology

Technological innovations have been very impressive when it comes to devices you can put in your home to help rid the air of harmful particles. Airfree has the Onix 3000 that is well-suited for spaces up to 650 sq ft. It uses a little bit of heat in a concentrated area to destroy airborne allergens. You can feel the heat when you get very close to the machine, but you almost have to be touching it to feel it. I have not felt any difference at all in the temperature of a room when the Onix 3000 is on, just FYI. The air that is heated in the device is cooled back down before being released.

The Onix 3000 can help guard your home against bacteria, viruses, mildew, mold, dust mite allergens, pet allergens, pollen and tobacco odors. That’s some intense stuff it helps eliminate! All you do is plug the device in and it goes to work. It is completely silent, but does emit a blue light (it actually makes a great night light!).

As a default, our Airfree Onix 3000 sits in the room that serves as our primary entrance to the house, though I will also take it upstairs once a week to let it do its thing up there. 🙂

I LOVE that there are no filters to replace with this particular device. It’s also very lightweight (less than 5 lb) and compact, which makes it easy to make space for and to move around.

Want to learn more about how this awesome device works? Click here for details!

3. Ditch Your Chemical “Cleaners”

I totally get it…stuff that smells like bleach smells CLEAN! But friends, the truth is that you are just swapping one set of nasty airborne stuff (germs) for another (toxic chemicals). There are SO many natural alternatives that are effective without compromising your ability to take a deep breath (I’ve got detailed Honest Company reviews on my site; it’s our go-to brand!). If you can’t bear to give everything up at once, commit to making the switch to an eco-friendly (and lung-friendly) alternative as each of your cleaners gets used up.

4. Shoes Off!

My family has gotten in the habit of taking our shoes off once we get in the house (we toss them in a simple wooden crate). It has made a HUGE difference in the amount of dirt that gets on our floors, so there’s definitely a visible difference. I know there’s a difference that my eyes can’t see, too. Also? the shoes are near that Onix 3000, so what lingers on them doesn’t stand a chance!

Sneezing? Blurry Eyes? Best Buy Can Help With That, Too!

April 3, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Are you sneezing like crazy in your neck of the woods? I’m happy to report that whenever I’m inside my house these days, I’m feeling really good. But as soon as I step outside, the itchy nose, watery eyes, scratchy throat, sneezing and wheezing fun begins, usually in just the time it takes for me to get from my house to my car, which is about 10 seconds.

Yuck!

photo credit: bill barber via photopin cc

So why is the inside of my house a safe place for this allergy-prone gal? Because I have an air purifier, also known as my very best friend throughout the spring and the fall.

What’s that, you say? You don’t own one? Because they are on the pricey side?

Oh my friends. Let me help you out RIGHT NOW!!!! Best Buy, a store you already know and love, actually carries air purifiers (did you know that?!) and they want to help get your allergies under control and make it more affordable to do so! Right now they have a special Friends and Family coupon offer that I get to extend to my entire Stuff Parents Need family. It will take 20% off the price of any air purification product sold at Best Buy between now and April 15th! It is only valid in stores, so make sure you get it on your calendar to go in the next week and get some much needed relief.

I know air purifiers aren’t exactly the most glamorous purchase on earth, but as someone who lived without one for years and is now experiencing life with one, I wish so much that I purchased one sooner. I could have saved hundreds on allergy medication, not to mention boxes of tissue and lots of time spent feeling icky!

If your mortal enemy looks like mine (goldenrod, pictured above, is my kryptonite), then now is the time to get the very best weapon in the fight against allergies. Best Buy is a fantastic place to buy an air purifier. Don’t forget the 20% off coupon!

I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card in exchange for my time sharing this helpful information with you. All thoughts (and allergy woes) are mine alone!

How I Deal with Common Allergies at Home: Luma Comfort Air Purifier Giveaway

March 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 155 Comments

Spring used to be my favorite season of the year. Growing up, I didn’t suffer from common allergies or even from food allergies. I was so lucky! I could fully enjoy the trees budding and flowers blooming. But after I moved away from the South for 2 years to get my graduate degree, when I returned, I seemed to be allergic to all kinds of stuff. Did you know that changing your geographic location can actually trigger the onset of allergic reactions?

While I know many parents are concerned with and pay careful attention to food allergies, I want to talk about airborne allergies today, as one of the toughest times of the year for allergy sufferers is about to commence: Spring. Here’s a list of the most common airborne allergies that might be causing problems for you this Spring or any time of year or that might be causing problems for your kids.

Common Allergies

pollen
dust mites
animal dander
mold

I happen to live in a part of the country that has the honor of being ranked #5 on the list of worst cities in the U.S. for allergy sufferers. The pollen count is sky high for most of the Spring and Fall. For someone who is now allergic to SEVERAL types of trees and grass, this is a problem for me! My husband also suffers from seasonal allergies, and it seems that our youngest is also affected by what’s in the air.

How to Combat Allergies

This season, though, I’m prepared for battle. I have the Luma Comfort AP170W PureClean Air Purifier and I know for a fact that it is making a difference. How do I know? It’s simple, really. On the days when I have it running, I feel great. On the days when I have it unplugged (usually due to an overly curious baby who wants to press all the buttons) I get a stuffy nose. Maybe it isn’t the most scientific approach, but the difference is quite noticeable to me!

The Luma Comfort AP170W is an air purifier that is designed for any personal space up to 170 square feet. I have it placed in the guest room, which may sound odd at first, but here’s why: This back room, which also serves as my office, is also the back entry to our house, and the one we use when entering and exiting. Therefore, it is through this room that all those nasty common allergies are getting into our house. I love having the air purifier there as it traps them before they have the chance to go any further. Most people cannot afford to have an air purifier in every room, so if you need to be strategic about where you place yours, then I personally think putting it in the same room as the main entry to your house is smart.

If you are all allergy sufferer, and you don’t yet own an air purifier, I want to strongly encourage you to consider getting one this year. My Luma Comfor AP170W is making a very big difference in how my family feels right now, and so we aren’t having to rely on a lot of medicine to get us through the season. It is very light weight at only 8.8 pounds, so if I wanted to move it to another room for an air cleaning session, that would be no problem.

It is also marketed as “whisper quiet,” and while I would disagree with that, it does provide white noise that does not distract me at all while I am working. I would even go as far as to say that I find the sound it produces (sort of like an air conditioner) to be soothing.

Another thing I like about this particular air purifier is that it also eliminates odors in the air. My purifier is strategically placed near the door to the kitchen to help with food smells. The cat’s litter box is also in the bathroom that is connected to this guest room/office, and the air purifier helps keep those smells in check, too. It is SO nice!

I like the touch screen controls, though I do wish they were located on the side of the device. They are actually optimally placed for convenience, unless you have a curious baby or toddler, as I do. In my case, they are all too easy for little hands to push, which is why I sometimes have to unplug the air purifier in order to keep my baby from messing with it. Maybe they need a child-proof version? 😉

The most important reason of all that I would recommend this product from LumaComfort.com, though, is because it is highly effective at what it is supposed to do, which is to remove airborne particles. It nabs 99% of them through a 5 step filtration process. It contains a high quality HEPA filer and a filter life indicator to let you know when it is time to change it for optimal effectiveness. It even has a programmable timer if you only want the air purifier to run at certain times of the day or night.

The air outside might be difficult to breathe, but the air inside my home is much healthier for me and my family, and that is a really big deal to me. I’m very pleased with the effectiveness (not to mention the sleek, lightweight design) of the Luma Comfort AP170W, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is suffering from airborne allergies. It is currently on sale at Amazon for $179.99 and it is worth the money. That’s coming from someone who doesn’t like to spend it!

Win it!: One VERY lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Luma Comfort AP170W Air Purifier, just like the one I reviewed!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

photo credit for first photo: A Guy Taking Pictures via photopin cc

Crane Air Purifier Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

August 27, 2011 · by Tiffany Merritt · 316 Comments

Darah will be back in school in 2 short weeks. In 2 1/2 short weeks, I predict she will get her first case of the crud for the school year. I know, I’m not very optimistic. But if you have kids in school, then you know I speak the truth. When that crud crosses the threshold of Darah’s room, we’ll be ready, though. We are armed with the most fierce secret weapon out there.

And it’s a penguin.

Crane, the makers of the cutest humidifiers in the history of life (including the pig humidifer, which we own), also has air purifiers specially designed for children’s rooms. Our penguin is named Aaron (since he cleans the air). He may look adorable, but he is a death sentence to germs, dust and dander.

Here are the features of the Crane Personal Air Purifiers:

Five level filtration helps remove airborne allergens, bacteria, viruses and germs.
Germicidal UV light kills viruses and bacteria to deliver germ-free fresh air.
True HEPA filter captures up to 99.97% of airborne dust as well as pollen as small as 0.3 microns from air passing through the filter.
HEPA filter also helps reduce smoke, mold spores and pet dander.
Active carbon filter captures large particles as well as common household odors caused from tobacco, pets, garbage and cooking by absorbing them in the active carbon filter.
Photocatalyst filter works in conjunction with the internal UV light to create advanced oxidation that eliminates airborne odors and neutralizes odors and harmful fumes.
Washable particle filter uses a foam filter to help capture larger airborne particles and helps extend the life of the HEPA filter.
Three-speed control as a low noise setting for continuous quiet operation
Easy-to-change filters
Tip-over switch with auto-shut-off function.

In addition to all of these great features, we find that the penguin is great at providing white noise. We have a fan that we run in Darah’s room at night for that purpose, but I think that we can now replace it with the penguin. And the penguin is doing a lot more for the air quality than that fan was!

The filter in the air purifier does need to be replaced, roughly every 2-3 months, just depending on use (we run the purifier overnight as our standard practice). The instructions for replacing them couldn’t be easier, and are located on the inside of the penguin (hooray for not having to go find the instruction manual!).

We are extremely pleased with the Crane Personal Air Purifier. It is a comfort to me to know that Darah’s room has the cleanest air in the house and that when she comes home with all those germs, she only needs to go play in her room to have the airborne ones be eliminated! Love it! Darah’s bathroom also houses the cat litter box, and I have noticed a SIGNIFICANT improvement in the air quality there, as well.

Click here to check out a list of national stores where Crane products are sold.

Edit: this giveaway is closed.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Crane Personal Air Purifier in your choice of penguin or shark (SRP $79.99)!! The contest will run until September 4th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via And the Winner Is. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me which product, specifically, Crane makes that you would love to have in your home.

Additional entries:

1. Sponsor love: Like Crane USA on Facebook

2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS or email

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my blog.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post contains affiliate links.