Maintenance 101: How Do I Clean a Smoke Eater Filter?

Not many people are privileged to live in airy and spacious neighborhoods, so for now, smoke eaters and air purifiers are of utmost necessity to make city air breathable.

An air purifier can be a lifesaver in any home, literally making the air more breathable by cleaning it of a ton of impurities as well as smoke and gases. Contaminants in the air include different types of bacteria, viruses, animal dander, molds, mildew, house dust, mites, and pollen. Purifying the air of these harmful pollutants can help prevent and alleviate allergies and respiratory ailments. Thus, investing in an air purifier is an effective way to safeguard your family’s health today. 

Do Air Purifiers Need Maintenance?

Air purifiers no doubt help us enjoy a clean and healthy indoor environment. But how do they work and is air purifier maintenance a necessity? Do you need a smoke eater cleaning solution to maintain an air cleaner for tobacco smoke? Your Elegant Bar provides the answers to these frequently asked questions.

There are different types of air purifiers but the most commonly used appliances use filters to trap dirt. They work by pushing the air through a filter, which then cleans the air by trapping all types of contaminants including dirt, smoke, and gas. Once the air is cleaned it is then blown out through a fan so residents can breathe purified air.

So far so good. But what happens when the filters get so saturated with pollutants that they cannot block any more contaminants? That is why air purifiers need maintenance. These days, most purifiers are easy to use as well as maintain. For cleaning a smoke eater, you may need a smoke eater cleaning solution that will ensure optimum cleaning. Timely care and upkeep will keep you air purifier or smoke eater functioning at its best for years to come.

Keeping your space, whether it’s indoors or outdoor smoke-free, can sometimes be a challenge depending on where you live or work. The busy cities where all the car smoke, factory smoke, and restaurant exhausts can be a doozy to live close to.

However, the maintenance can also be a hassle, especially if you own a cigar lounge. Looking after commercial air cleaners for tobacco smoke can be a tedious job if not done correctly. Ensuring the entire cigar room is rid of polluted air sometimes begs the question, how do I clean a smoke eater filter properly?

This article will show you the ins and outs of proper maintenance to keep your trusty smoke eater around for a long time. 

Things You Will Need

1. The smoke eater’s manual 
2. Screwdriver
3. Rubber gloves
4. Detergent
5. Spray bottle 
6. Garden hose
7. Water

How Do I Clean a Smoke Eater Filter?

Step 1: Check your model’s manual before anything else.

Cleaning the filter always depends on the type of smoke eater you own. It could vary from once a month to twice a month if you have particular filters, from the pre-filter, carbon filter, electronic cell, and the HEPA filter. The user manual also dictates specific protocols regarding how to clean the smoke eater filter and maintain it properly.

Step 2: Use a screwdriver to remove the cover.

There is a cover over the filter, which is removable using a screwdriver. The key is to remove all the smoke eater cells. Since the cells are made from aluminum and look like filters themselves, it’s essential to unhinge every screw gently since it could damage the filters upon lifting the cover if not done correctly. 

Step 3: Prepare the solution.

So exactly how do you clean the smoke eater filters? Here’s an important tip: clean it with the right solution in the right amounts! It’s the secret to sustaining its longevity.

Grab a spray bottle, mix the detergent with water and funnel it inside. Ensure the solution is one part detergent to four parts water ratio. Another factor in double-checking is your preferred detergent quality since some brands may not be safe for cleaning a smoke eater filter.

Step 4: Spray and soak thoroughly.

This next step is quite self-explanatory, spray the smoke eater cells thoroughly with the solution. Allow the detergent solution to soak for a minimum of 5 minutes or 8 minutes max. This step is crucial when cleaning smoke eaters since many dust particles tend to clump together and require thorough spraying before hosing it down.

Step 5: Hose it down.

Turn on your garden hose and rinse the cells properly. How well you clean your smoke eater filter depends partly on how effectively you’ve covered all the crevices and corners of the grills and pens. Once the cleaning is completed, then air dry for at least an hour before substituting them into the smoke eater.

Pro Tip:  For promising and consistent results, practice this routine for two weeks to a month when cleaning smoke eaters.

How Electronic Air Cleaners Work

Electronic air cleaners have built-in air purifiers and have been designed with proper filters to ensure they are optimized for long-term use. However, have you ever found yourself staring at your smoke eater and wanting to skip the step of finding someone to clean it for you? Do you ever say, “how do I clean a smoke eater filter by myself?”

But before DIY-ing your cleaning process, it’s best to understand how electronic air cleaners work. 

Pre-filter 

Smoke eaters or electronic air cleaners are also known as ionizers or electronic air purifiers. These devices are usually bigger and uses electrically charged filters to eliminate contaminants in the air. Air cleaners have heating and cooling systems in place, large particles found in dust or dander are trapped in the pre-filter.

The way it’s built is similar to an electromagnet, where the remaining particles are then charged as it passes through the ionizing wires. It will then attract charged particles to their opposite charge found on the collector plates.

HEPA filter

How to clean smoke eater filters may include going through the HEPA air cleaning system. You should know that air cleaners operate with a filter that uses passive air. After large particles pass through the pre-filter, the air will have to go through a dense pathway of fibers where the power blower will lower the microns to 0.3 with a 99.97% cleaning efficiency rate.

What Not to Do When Cleaning Smoke Eater Filters

We’ve tackled the steps on what to do when cleaning your smoke eater’s filters. Now, we will list down the things you should avoid to prevent your smoke eater from faulty cleaning techniques. Here are the don’ts to observe during maintenance.

• Do not place the smoke eater in the corner where dust accumulates fast.
• Do not use coil cleaners or contact cleaners for the vents and grills.
• Do not yank out the cells after washing because sharp edges may cut you when removing them from the duct.
• Don’t just use any soap. Ensure it’s safe for aluminum and is composed of automatic dishwasher detergent ingredients. 
• Do not place the smoke eater back in its original spot without cleaning its surrounding area.

Always Read the Manual

This is already a rule of thumb when it comes to buying a new appliance. Read through the manual that goes with your smoke eater and makes sure the filters that work best with your preferred cleaning method.

When cleaning smoke eater filters, it’s a must to note that some detergents may not be safe for certain filters, which could damage the whole machine entirely - that’s the last thing you want if you live in a heavily polluted area in the city. 

Explore Air Purification & Smoke Removal with Elegant Bar

For better air quality, maintenance is vital. Cleaning your smoke eater filters doesn’t have to be complicated. So, ensure you follow all the right steps without jeopardizing the filtration systems in place.

Learn more about our range of air purifiers, smoke eaters, coolers, humidifiers, and cigar accessories, including our humidor cabinets. Shop now!

How Long Do Smoke Filters Last?

How long a smoke filter lasts depends on the type of filter, size, and usage. By what method is it removing the smoke and impurities and how often it’s getting accumulated will determine the life of your smoke eater filter. However regardless of whether you’re using a HEPA or carbon filter, both these will need to be replaced when they reach their maximum cleaning capacity.

For instance, many HEPA filters are equipped with a thin, porous layer that traps smoke, dust, and particulates from indoor air. Eventually it will become too full to capture any more particles and will then need to be changed. There are also carbon filters that have a slightly different cleaning mechanism. Activated carbon traps smoke, gases, odors, impurities, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air. Again when the maximum holding threshold of impurities is reached, the filter has reached its expiry. Carbon filters especially can quickly become saturated with impure matter.

Once a filter reaches expiry, it’s crucial to clean or replace it to ensure optimum indoor air quality. If you continue to operate your smoke eater without cleaning or changing its filter, even after it has reached its maximum capacity, it may pose health hazards as the harmful gases and particulate matters that are trapped inside are slowly released back into the air.

Do Smoke Eater Filters Absorb the Smell of Smoke?

If you’re wondering whether smoke eater filters can absorb the smell of smoke, they do. In fact all filters that are designed to remove smoke can also eliminate the resulting smoke odors. However, naturally one can be more effective than the other. At the same time, it’d be worthwhile to note that no filter can remove it all.