Air Purifier vs Humidifier for baby

Keeping air pollution away and maintaining seamless indoor air quality are important. This applies to all of us, but most importantly it has to be followed in the baby’s room. The baby’s immune system is underdeveloped soon after birth and the baby’s health is at a greater risk of being affected by air pollutants that trigger allergies. This is why babies tend to fall ill easily with exposure to everyday air pollutants like dust mites, mold, pet dander, etc.

The best way to protect your baby’s health and baby’s body is to improve the air quality in the baby’s nursery. Investing in the best air purifier and humidifier for the baby is the best decision that will not just keep the baby’s room free from polluted air by removing pollutants of all kinds, but will also maintain the humidity levels of the space. The ideal moisture level in the baby’s room will give cleaner air, and freedom from dry skin, allergies, etc.

In this article, we will discuss how important it is to have both an air purifier and air humidifier, how air humidifiers add moisture to very dry climates, how a good air purifier can support the air purification process to give clean air, and more. Let us get started!

Does an air purifier help with baby congestion?

Does an air purifier help with baby congestion?
Air Purifier in Home

Air purifiers are excellent devices that are specially designed with different types of filters that are equipped in removing pollutants from indoor air. UV light, Activated carbon filter, HEPA filter, or high-efficiency particulate air filter are the most common names one will come across while learning about how air purifiers work. Air purifiers clean that air passing through the HEPA filters and the activated carbon filter which will have different layers to them.

The HEPA filters and the activated carbon filter along with the UV light will ensure that the air inside the baby’s room is free from air pollutants and the air pollution in the surrounding air is minimum. A reduced level of polluted air is exactly what babies require for their developing immune systems. The baby’s nose and eyes and the baby’s immune system are sensitive to the home’s air and its contents. These might include volatile organic compounds, high humidity levels, dry air, dust particles, pet dander, etc.

Finding the right solution to provide pure air for the baby’s room is important not just for the baby’s body but also for the baby’s sleep quality. It is crucial that babies maintain better sleep quality for their overall development and the right environment in the surrounding air in a baby’s nursery can ensure that the baby’s sleep quality is not affected.

Air purifiers work to trap all the allergens that it comes across. The air purification process can successfully improve air quality. Once the indoor air quality is improved, problems that arise from allergens like dust mites, pet dander, and volatile organic compounds are removed. If you notice that the baby’s health and congestion issues are from pollutants that trigger allergies in the baby’s air environment, you can invest in a good air purifier to meet your needs. Or, you can also invest in both an air purifier and humidifier to keep congestion away.

While air purifiers clean air, humidifiers add moisture to dry air. A very dry climate is another common reason for dry skin, allergies, and congestion. Maintaining the right balance between low humidity level and high humidity level, dry air, moist air, etc., can be done by humidifiers. When it comes down to air purifiers vs humidifiers for the baby’s room you must also look into which appliance will best meet your needs.

What is better air purifier or humidifier for a baby?

Some concerned parents might be confused about which is the best choice when it comes down to an air purifier vs a humidifier for a baby’s nursery. Some may even find air purifiers safe for a baby’s air environment. Well, the answer is both air purifiers and humidifiers are safe for use in a baby’s nursery. You must however consult with your child’s pediatrician before you use either of them.

Air Purifier or Humidifier
Air Purifier or Humidifier

For us to fully understand what lies behind the discussion of air purifiers vs humidifiers for babies, the safety of using air purifiers, using a humidifier frequently, the impacts of humidifiers on low humidity levels, etc., we must begin by knowing what each of the appliances does.

Advantages of using air purifiers for baby

Air purifiers come with a whole list of advantages. Purifying the air passing through them is the most important of them all. If your aim is to keep the air inside the house free from health hazards you can bank on a good air purifier. Most people find all air purifiers safe and jump into a purchase which isn’t a wise thing to do.

Advantages of using air purifiers for baby
An air purifier helps the baby sleep soundly

Do thorough research on how air purifiers work on home’s air, how the surrounding air in the room is converted to pure air, and more. The hazards of air purifiers are that they deal with more air and do possess an ozone threat. However, the latest safe ozone technology models are manufactured which makes using an air purifier safe. Do your research and speak to your physician before you install combustion appliances at home.

Enhanced air quality

Improved indoor air quality is the primary advantage. Your baby’s room will have fewer dust particles, pet dander, pollen, ash, mold spores, etc. The high-efficiency particulate air or HEPA filter is designed to trap microscopic allergens.

Enhanced air quality
Enhanced air quality

UV light filters, Carbon filters, and HEPA filters are specially made to make the air filtration process easy. Choose the type of HEPA filter that you prefer for your baby after careful consideration of its features.

Cleaner air free from chemical vapors

Apart from dust, pollen, and tangible allergens, in the same way, the activated carbon filter along with the HEPA filter is also capable of keeping the air quality in the room seamless by removing chemical vapors.

Cleaner air free from chemical vapors

Keeping the surrounding air free from chemical vapors like asbestos, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, etc., is crucial when it comes to a delicate baby’s respiratory system. These compounds render more harm and babies tend to fall sick easily when exposed to them. Carrying out more air filtration by extracting these vapors from the air can be done by a carbon filter and HEPA filter.

Fresh smelling home

Keeping the baby’s nursery smelling fresh and free from musty odors can also be taken care of by an air purifier.

Fresh Smelling Home
Fresh smelling home

Better sleep quality

The different pollutants that move around in the air not just cause more harm, but will also disrupt sleep. As much as protecting the baby’s health is important, in the same way, providing better sleep quality is also crucial. When the pollutants from the air are removed by the HEPA filters in the air purifier, your baby will naturally sleep at peace.

Better Sleep Quality
Better Sleep Quality

Improved Health

With undisturbed sleep and a lack of allergens, you can be assured that air purifiers will prevent babies from falling sick often. This is beneficial for the baby’s immune system by giving it a way to grow.

Improved Health
Improved Health

Advantages of using a humidifier for baby

Humidifiers are also trusted appliances to keep indoor air quality in check. If you bank on the fact-finding air purifiers safe, you must give humidifiers also a try if your home needs them. The humidity level must be balanced in any environment. Low humidity levels and high humidity are equally bad for one’s health, especially for a baby. Maintaining the ideal humidity levels of your home can be done by a humidifier if the place is in need of moisture.

Advantages of using humidifier for baby

The sole function of a humidifier is adding moisture and maintaining the perfect moisture level in the space it is placed in. A very dry climate will lack moisture and might need external support to add moisture to it. Dry climates are seen in extremely cold areas where cold air and dry air can also damage health and property. A dry climate with dry air and cold air can make it difficult for a baby to breathe. It can lead to problems like a stuffy nose and even drying out the baby’s nose. Problems like these can be tackled with humidifiers that can add moisture and maintain a balanced moisture level and humidity level.

Cool fine mist

It is important to select a cool fine mist humidifier that can go about adding moisture without harming the baby. Warm fine mist humidifiers can make matters worse because they might cause dilation of the nasal passage. This can make congestion and stuffy nose worse.

Cool Fine Mist

The cool fine mist humidifiers not just add moisture to the surrounding, but will also reduce allergies, and congestion, and provide your baby with better sleep quality. Ensure the distilled water used for the device is changed often and do not let any standing water accumulate around the machine.

Provides white noise

A humidifier is a perfect white noise machine that can soothe the baby and lull the baby to sleep.

Keeps dry air away

Dry air can also increase the spread of allergens similar to moist air. This is why it is essential to maintain a balanced humidity level and you need a humidifier to add moisture to the air in the baby’s room.

Can you run a humidifier and air purifier at the same time?

Although there are several discussions about air purifiers vs humidifiers for babies, there are many homes that use them both together. It is perfectly safe to use an air purifier and humidifier at the same time. There are also plentiful recent models that combine the two units into one to get the best of both.

Can you run a humidifier and air purifier at the same time?

It is recommended that you consult with your physician before you use combustion appliances in your room. Keeping track of the humidity levels is also crucial since you do not want to cause a high humidity level environment.

6 Things to keep in baby room to make them sleep better:

The things that parents keep in their baby’s bedroom will vary based on their preferences and the needs specific to the baby. Here are a few common things that many parents swear by that help babies sleep better.

  1. Air purifier: Extremely helpful to purify the air that your baby breathes in. Helps to maintain perfect air quality by trapping allergens in its HEPA filter.
  2. Dehumidifier: Keeps excess moisture and dampness away. Capable of monitoring and maintaining the desired humidity level in the room.
  3. Humidifier: Adds moisture to the environment when there is a trouble due to dry air.
  4. Blackout curtains: Keeps the sunlight or natural light source away. Can block out the light and provide the perfect sleep environment if your baby prefers a darker room for sleep.
  5. Sleepsuit: Ideal choice to provide comfort and to keep baby swaddled and warm.
  6. White noise machine: A suitable white noise machine to meet your baby’s liking.

FAQ Section

1. What type of humidifier is best for baby?

As aforementioned, cool fine mist humidifiers with clean distilled water are a better choice when compared to warm mist humidifiers.

2. Do doctors recommend air purifiers?

Yes, some doctors recommend using air purifiers with good quality HEPA filter installation to keep allergies and respiratory illness away.

3. Do air purifiers help lungs?

Yes. When you breathe in air that is free from allergens and other potentially hazardous compounds that can damage your respiratory system; either over time or lead to immediate side effects, it is going to damage your lungs. This is where an air purifier comes in helpful to trap all the allergens in its HEPA filters to give you clean air.

4. Does air purifier affect immunity?

This is an argument that is often left to the best judgment of the user. While exposure to antigens is essential to naturally build one’s immune system, it is also true that not everyone is capable of doing it.

Some people who have innate respiratory complications or acute allergies, childern with asthma, wheezing, and the like, will certainly benefit from using an air purifier.

5. Do air purifiers help babies sleep?

Yes, definitely! If the air quality in your home is poor and is causing your baby to run into allergic reactions and stuffy nose often, it is time you invested in a good air purifier with a HEPA filter to avoid it.

With this, we have reached the end of this article. We hope you were able to get a look at both sides of air purifier vs humidifier for baby and their impacts on air quality. We recommend that you purchase the best quality air purifiers or humidifiers are careful consideration of which is most suitable to the needs of your baby and home and insist you consult with the pediatrician as the first step. Share with us your experiences of using air purifiers and humidifiers and how they have improved the air quality in your home.

Wrapping Up

With this, we have reached the end of this article. We hope you were able to get a look at both sides of air purifier vs humidifier for baby and their impacts on air quality. We recommend that you purchase the best quality air purifiers or humidifiers are careful consideration of which is most suitable to the needs of your baby and home and insist you consult with the pediatrician as the first step. Share with us your experiences of using air purifiers and humidifiers and how they have improved the air quality in your home.

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About The Author

Olivia — a self-confessed air quality addict — is a home climate enthusiast, fresh air advocate, and someone with deep personal experience and knowledge about mold extermination. Her work was mentioned in countless notable humidity publications. Previously she was an editor at Mold Remediation.