If you run an animal shelter, you know that how clean it looks and smells are two big indicators for prospective clients of how well the shelter is being run. An air purifier is the best way to help your shelter look clean and smell fresh all day every day. Here are 5 best features to choose from in your shelter air purifier that will make it more effective.

Various filters— Many cleaners on the market today do not have filters. Avoid these types at all costs. An unfiltered purifier is of little use and will likely require frequent cleaning. And once you find that it is having very little effect, you will need to spend more money to replace it.

The most effective cleaners have a variety of filters because the types of pollutants that affect a shelter are varied, including particles, odors, bacteria, and viruses. By choosing a cleaner that can multitask by removing all types of contaminants, one cleaner can handle all solid and gaseous contaminants.

Charcoal filter—- The smell in a shelter can cause a big problem. That is why carbon filtration is a must. This type of filtration is known for its ability to remove odors and odors. And because urine odor is one of the crucial odors that a cleaner should be able to remove, an ammonia-based additive has been shown to be the most effective at removing the stench from pet urine.

Prefilters— These blanket type filters are what separate a high maintenance cleaner from a low maintenance one. Sized for large and medium particles, they collect particles that you can see, such as hair and dust.

This saves the other filters for the contaminants they remove best. Vacuuming the exterior of the cleaner can clean the pre-filters and extend the life of the smaller filters that should be present in the unit. Without these filters, expect to replace the filters every two months. With them, the filters can last up to 5 years.

HEPA filter— High Efficiency Particulate Detention Filtration (abbreviated as HEPA) is the type that hospitals use to ensure clean air. To achieve this designation, you must be able to remove particles as small as 3 microns with an efficiency of 99.97%. A micron is defined as one millionth of a meter and is much smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

This type of filtration is necessary to remove invisible dander that can linger in the air for long periods of time. And since dander also contains a protein that triggers allergies and asthma, being able to reliably remove this irritant means animals, staff, and clients will stay healthier and feel much more comfortable living, working, and visiting the shelter.

Split capacitor motor— Because the animals in your shelter depend on you to take care of them 24 hours a day, an air purifier should be part of that solution by being able to operate 24 hours a day as well. Verify that the unit you are considering has a split capacitor motor that will allow it to run safely and effectively all the time.