How to effectively WASH a "disposable" HEPA filter 

Coming from a background in industrial filtration, figured I'd offer some info for you DIY folks: The "disposable" HEPA filters are made of an 80/20 Polyester & Cellulose mixture with an ePTFE-like surface coating to increase efficiency. Rinsing these filters results in separation of the individual fibers of the filter media, which is why they fail after 2, 3, or 4 washes. The best method of cleaning if you must do so is going to be a controlled burst of compressed air. With these cheaper filters, you'd be looking for short (.2 or .3 seconds) of approximately 50-60 PSI, blown from the CLEAN SIDE towards the dirty. This will dislodge the dry dust and particulate, while slowing down the efficiency loss. In industry they use between 90-110 PSI to do exactly the same. Getting these filters wet even once will cut the efficiency nearly in half. It may not appear to be the case, but true HEPA Efficiency means 99% efficiency at .3 Microns or less, which is nowhere close to visible. In the case of washable HEPA filters, they are made of a glass fiber, and are therefore much more water resistant. The same surface coating is applied, resulting in a more water resistant, HEPA-rated filter. Compressed air does work well for these too, however it is safe to use water. With these, take care not to bend the filter "paper" or subject them to any impact, as it will break the glass fibers and cause premature failure.

it would be great if you could run some test with pm2.5 meter, comparing these washed hepa filter performance vs brand new. 👍🏻

happy to say that not all companies deny the washability of these filters. My Electrolux (Swedish company) air purifyer explicitly mention HEPA-filters to be washable (tough they recommend no more than 8 times). Found this video when looking _how_ best to clean it though. Good vid :)

I thought this was going to be a goof and the filter was going to get shot by some crazy slug😁

It's a good video. Some information for folks to remember, many of these use a cellulose filter media. HEPA has a few different specifications, but generally you are looking at 99.97% of .3 micron particles. Washing cellulose media is effective for larger particles that most people care about, namely dust and dander. Unfortunately you will not be able to filter at the true HEPA rating. Reuse as needed, but if you need the full rating, be careful what environments and contaminates you are removing. If you are trying to remove fine particles or smoke and virus particles, you are better off using a washed filter as a pre filter and finish off with a new HEPA. That gives you the best balance of life and performance. We built our own 24X12 panel filter using 6 inch HEPA panel, pre filtered with a 4 inch Merv 13, deep pleats

This works. Mine had mold growing on it, so I used a large ziplock freezer bag, with white vinegar. I used it undiluted initially, agitating it inside the bag, then after about an hour, added some water and a little dish soap. Agitated gently, rinsed in the bag, agitating gently several times ... A long, free flow rinse with cold water at the end, then allowed it to dry. I reset my filter replacement, and it is blue! Meaning, it's working just fine! I put the new replacement filter back into the bag to use for the future. I have 3 filters total, and am rotating them. I have the 2nd in a bag, soaking in white vinegar. We've moved out of our moldy icky place, and don't want to introduce those microbes into our new environment! Thank you for prompting me to test this!

I thought you were going to clean it with lead

Waiting for part II where you put the filters through a "Mass Accelerator."

I lost it at the “Coronas” Drain Washing comment 🤣😂 Instant Subscription after that

Depending on application washing Hepa filters can cause a problem. This is because the clean side gets contaminated with the dirty side during the wash process. A big deal if you had to absolutely keep out what is on the dirty side say Asbestos. The filter media also looses it's efficiency to trap smaller particles as the fibers lay down. This is amplified by the drying method you are using. This derates the filter allowing smaller particles to pass through with less chance of getting caught. They will still work but wont be the 99.8% that makes it a Hepa. Nothing wrong with washing them but be aware that they will not be as effective as new items. You can clearly see that on the unit displayed with the dust tracks on the draw through fan.

Before you wash the filters, run a hand vac over the top to remove the majority of loose gunk on the surface. this will remove a large amount of dirt and prevent it from embedding into the ilter paper as you wash it.

Thanks! Keeps the environment from being filled with these. Been running a AEM Dryflow filter in car. Reusable and no oiling. Great video/tips

Huh, I just cleaned them because I'm poor as hell and "not as good as new but still works" is better than "You didn't make rent"

Thanks for the information. I tried this on one of my S&P paper filters for my Truck and it came out looking like new. I always have a profiler screen over the paper filter too. I’m now trying it on my Switzerland made high budget HEPA filters. Each paper filter is close to $70 and I have 6 of them.

do this with caution! most hepa filters WILL lose efficiency and, depending on the type+use+material they might lose their intended purpose. yes they still work fine as particulate filters, but most of them lose their functionality as "sterile" filters. if you have health issues, be very careful with washing your filters and if necessary rather replace them than washing them. if you just use them bc it is dusty outside and want to have "cleaner air" you are most likely fine with washing them a couple of times until you will notice a loss of flow through capability. :)

I just wanted to thank you for this video, I was paying around 24, to 30 dollar for filters. A week ago I went to reorder, and the price rised to 50 bucks (and these were the generics) My old ones were so clogged I was maybe getting 5% to 8% air flow. Anyways I watched this video yesterday, did all the steps, and ended up letting them dry by my coal stove over night. I put them in today, and my air flow has got to be 90% to even 100% back, and with bleaching them I'm confident the air will be cleaned, and not spreading any old bacteria, and whatnot. So just wanted to give you a big thank you for saving me money. You definitely got a subscriber out of me (it's the least I could do) as well as a few thumbs up. Really though thank you 🙏

I just washed my Shark Vac HEPA filter for the first time, it came out black in a bucket of water and laundry detergent. It's now dry and clean. Saves me $.

could you do some tests to see the air particulates it is able to clean? I know the guy over at "Vacuum wars" does tests like this a lot and I would be interested to see if the effectiveness for particles of whatever micron size still get stopped from going through the filter. The original size that the HEPA filter is designed for.

Independent tests have shown that washing with water greatly decreases the effectiveness of it. Yes it will flow more air but it also allows more particulate through. Wetting the filter alters the microscopic structure of the fibers and opens the pores killing its filtering ability. You do you but the filter probably isn't hepa anymore.

Jeff, one thing I will say about your show, You save us MONEY. even in your tests of different "accelerator" projectiles, as price does not equal performance. A special thanks to You, Gregg and Danny for taking the time, expense and harassment. you guys are top shelf dudes. -Dave

I've used the vacuum brush attachment for years on my home airfilter.... I also have a carbon prefilter that captures most dirt and dust which helps big time and vacuum that also... just changed the carbon filter after about 5 years of use just for this virus pandemic... great vids... keep up the great work!

I see the point posters have with small particle filtering, but I'm going to try washing the filters in one of our units. Our problem, even with running Roombas daily, is dust and pet dandruff . We also use pre-filter material.

The fibers are delicate and generally I have seen them through electron scanning microscopes. That said, it is a house hold appliance which means it is not a great filter to start with and is probably made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is tougher than glass fiber. Not by much, but enough to sorta wash it. Also, PET is one of the worst fibers efficiency wise, but it's cheap. Anyway, distilled water and an ultrasonic cleaner is a good route to go. Any soap you use, you want it to a type that can evaporate because you can never rinse it out enough. This because of how HEPA filters are designed. Even water has a hard time getting through the filter (talking about sub-micrometer size here, not the big globs you see going through the world is a bit different as things get smaller). I don't have a suggestion for a detergent, but to sterilize it, food grade hydrogen peroxide is a good option because it decomposes into water and oxygen. Food grade because medical grade has stabilizers for a longer shelf life. There is one cleaning method I read in a research paper not to long ago using supersaturated carbon dioxide that works well even for glass fiber pretty, neat since all other methods require metal fibers or other special fibers. But the average person won't have the equipment to do that and getting the specialty fibers for that little machine would be difficult. It is more for nuclear facilities and their filters to keep radiation particles under control or other manufacturing facilities clean rooms and that stuff. Still, that filter has been damaged, you just can't see it without the right tools. However, I am confident filters for machines like that aren't great to start with so it isn't a big loss, maybe an acceptable loss for the savings. Besides HEPA is more of a method most of the time when it comes to home appliances, MERV rating is more reliable measurement. Companies can say True HEPA or UltraHEPA and the efficiency can be whatever. It is at the point HEPA standard doesn't mean much for the average consumer, just a buzz word.

I have 3 dogs and a very drafty house so my Honeywell HPA304 (the 3 filter kind) can get extremely expensive. I'm not looking to create a clean room environment so any filtration works. After 3 months of initial use the 3 HEPAs and 1 charcoal were nasty. Hosed off the charcoal outer filter and followed the directions in this video for the HEPAs. Man, the water afterward was BLACK with contaminants and dirt. I have no illusions that subsequent to washing they are as effective as new but I don't need them to be. Thanks for the informative and $$ saving video.

the question is, have you compromised the HEPA filtration specifications, surely you would only know if you analysed it with special measuring equipment? Correct me if I'm wrong!

this is a briliant idea. i have a vacuum with HEPA filter and was looking for idea that was better than what i was doing. this is safer for filter than what i was doing. THANK YOU JAMES

Thats a good way to reduce the filtering effectiveness of a paper filter, getting it wet and letting laundry detergent or bleach eat at it. You've damaged the element on a level that cant be seen with the naked eye. Not satisfied until you dissect one thats been washed more than a few times, and a brand new one, and compare them under magnification. But hey, its your lungs. Believe whatever makes you feel better. Out of sight, out of mind... Also, since other people are comparing these to car filters, those are two completely different levels of filtration. On top of that, what your car can take, and what your lungs can take, are on two completely different levels as well.

Once , when I was really broke, I just draped toilet paper over the intake and replaced every week or so. Worked like a charm.

I also have an Oric Professional air cleaner. The electro static element you use a little oven cleaner to clean it.

I live in colorado so i just dry it outside but i did this with my shop vac filter. Thank you!

Wow, thanks for sharing this, I had no idea! I'm going to try this on the HEPA filter in our vacuum.

Well done Jeff. My viewers have also complained to me about being unsubscribed automatically. I'm not sure what's going on but at one point I could literally see the subscriber count dropping after uploading a new video. It is normally the other way around.

Airflow direction is key! Very good info here. You can always establish the airflow direction of the cabin blower fan by holding a light piece of tissue paper over it while running the a/c (don’t stick your fingers into moving parts!) and watch which direction it pulls the paper. That is your air flow direction and that is the direction in which you should install the arrow on your filter.

It also works on Ther Pure model no:TTP201 Version B filter. Thank-you very much. Got the filter cleaned from smoke stains. It had not been cleaned in 15 years

It all depends on your purpose of a HEPA. If 1 single mold spore in a sterile environment will completely ruin your lab work and cost you a lot of time and money, then you need to buy new filters and store them correctly. If cleaner air (compared to no air filtering) is your goal, washing is worth a try. Even a fan blade and countertop will collect dust, so anything with air moving through it will help trap airborne particles, regardless of any change in efficiency.

You came up in my feed, regular name, I don't know if I missed videos or not, but I see you pretty regularly in my feed. Timely video. Thanks for posting. Not everybody can get down to the store or afford a replacement.

Good Video, Thank you I tend to just use my mini compressor that i use for blowing up kids beach inflatables, and give it a blast from the clean side through the dirty side. Obviously I do this outside and aim down wind so the wind blows the dust away from me and my house. Yes you guessed it, I didnt think about which way the wind was blowing the first time and got covered.

Good to finally see someone stick it to Big Filter! 😂

Havent gotten a video in my feed from you in months this is the first. Been subscribed for years.

Thank you! This was a great fix for my filter which I could not find a replacement for. Thank you again.

There are two things I find immediately wrong with this video. ( I work in the Asbestos Abatement field ) 1. Paper filters are designed to filter out partials as small as .5 microns in my field. Getting these fibers wet de laminates their structure and causes them to “ clump together” creating larger holes in the filter that you cannot see with the naked eye, but destroy the usefulness of the filter for what it was INTENDED to filter out. 2. Washing them in the manner shown in the video CONTAMINATES the other side of the filter. This is the equivalent to pissing in one area of the pool and expecting it to stay in that area. Those things that you are TRYING to keep out are now on the other side of the filter. Which when they dry out in the filter may dislodge into the very air space your trying to prevent them from entering. Think about your safety first. Weigh that against what your trying to filter out. Then compare that to the cost of a new filter. To get more life out of a HEPA filter with the LEAST amount of damage is to vacuum it off with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter of its own. ( Yeah kinda stupid I know...) This is the only way I recommend attempting to clean a paper filter. This controls the spread of the contaminants that were trapped in the filter in the first place. ( Do Not Use High Pressure Air to Blow off Filters. Your only pissing in the pool faster) Sadly vacuuming usually only extends the life of the filter by maybe half factoring in humidity and previous saturation. I’m assuming if you watched this video and bothered to read any of this your thinking about the corvid -19 virus. Please check the CDC website for recommendations for cleaning filters. For this nasty little bug I’m not qualified to give you a solution.

I just got an air purifier on clearance at walmart for like $20. It said it had a permanent washable hepa filter. Figured thats why its on clearance, ppl see that and think BS, you gotta eventually replace the filter, and you can't buy em. I was actually skeptical, but figured for the price it be worth it, and found you can order the filters from the company. Nice to see though that you actually can just wash them.

Thank You for the video, you are still in my feed.

Your vids always pop up in my feed reliably. No issues yet.

I have the febreze filters and you change them every 4 months. These works for me! 😊 and for the cost there cheap 2 for $16, I'm not wasting time on trying to wash them. Lol. If, it doesn't say washable on the package. Your NOT getting your 💯% effectiveness from your filter. It's better to just buy new ones, so there beneficial for your health. It's worth the extra cost to me for my health!!! Each its own! 💯😷✌🏾😍🙏🏽

So I tried this, and my results say: don't do it if you care about filtering of microscopic particles. Before I washed the filter, it was used for 12 months in a dusty room. After those 12 months, he air flow decreased by 30% compared to new, and the PM2.5 levels increased by 10% compared to new. After washing, the airflow increased by 110% compared to dirty (increase by 50% compared to new), while the PM2.5 particle levels INCREASED by 50% compared to dirty (increase by 65% compared to new) So washing it makes the filtering faster, but it's actually doing less than if you just not wash it. I suspect because the water makes the fibres clump together, which makes the pores larger, allowing microscopic particles to pass through more easily. I repeat that my measurements are looking at invisible PM2.5 particles, not visible dust. If you care just about the dust, then sure, wash your filters. But a lot of the negative health effects are caused by microscopic particles, so I will just keep buying new filters. I've heard about a trick of using compressed air to blow the particles out, but have not tried that yet.

Seems like wetting a paper filter that is full of dirt will cause the dirt to just bond with the paper. It seems like carefully blowing it out in a reverse direction would be a better way to clean it.

Of all places I'd learned this was when I sold Silver King "vacuum" cleaners. They utilized a large round flat HEPA filter. Those could be washed 5-10 times. Also, NEVER dry using any type of forced air. Also it is/was not recommended to put filters in a clothes dryer as the heat loosens the filter marerial.

This was why I liked my Ionic Breeze air purifiers so much as they had stainless steel filters that were easier than this to clean. Too bad the ozone destroys the machines internally.

thanks for video!! I'm gonna wash mine today. I'm gonna dry it in the sun too. 🌞

This is the 1st video of yours I've had in my feed in about 3 weeks

That is good to know, very informative!

I washed my home filter like this even though it looked clean but was starting to smell. The water turned dark brown! Saved me a lot of money anyway. I also have a Dyson vac that has a HEPA designed to be washed. Now I’m curious to see how dirty that one is.

Man, I thought you'd be cleaning it with lead shot! Kidding, of course. Thanks for teaching me something! I'll have to clean my filters now!

Awesome an thanks for the knowledge , Sir !!! I do the same thing with my Dyson vacuum filters , every 8 months !!!!!

Watched this right before buying a heap filter. Glad I watched this first. I would’ve probably sprayed it with a hose. I’d be pretty upset to see the lapsed just devolving as I sprayed 😬

Thank you. Used this on Ansio Aeropura Elegance - and it worked a treat - thank you 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 🙏🏻

You can also cover the filter inlet with some toilet paper when installing. Throw the TP away and you're left with a much cleaner filter come cleaning time.

Its great not only saving money. But also taking care of the environment. But once the manufacturers saw this video they will produce the filter to desintagrate once wet...

I've been cleaning the same original HEPA filter on my vacuum cleaner for like 10 years now... Still running good... I've bought a second filter, so when one is drying out in the wind, I install the other on the vacuum and it's ready to go. P.S.: The video was on my YT front page, fourth video to be exact

Great video 👍 I'm always looking for ways to save money. I think I'll be doing something like that for my car and shopvac from now on

l am glad you are showing this to....People great idea...l have been doing this to my Car and Truck air filter for at least 20 years now....Thanks Jeff...Stay safe my friend...God Speed, keep on keeping on....Don't let the left part of youtube stop you...You do have some friend there...!

Thank you for this video. I will give this a try.

Only thing I’d add is if you have an air compressor blow the chunks out first. Blow from the less dirty side. Then proceed with your instructions. Means a little less mess and cleans a bit faster. 😄. Thanks for sharing with us Jeff!

I use an air hose to blow pollen, dust and other particles out of the filter. Just make sure you are applying the air opposite to the way the filter operates when mounted. Blown " clean side" out and it's good as new

Cleaning filters like this is a great way to save money. We do it for out vacuum filters.

Have a little Bionaire model with a hepa, the blue one you show near the end. Thanks for the tip! 👍 "Coronas down the drain" lol 😄

A "Shamwow" would be great for drying this out.

I'm going to try this. I have three Winix air purifiers in my house. Each filter costs $55. Two of them have about 30% life left in them according to the app. One I did replace and it was very black. But I saved it in the plastic housing of the new one. I'm going to try to clean it!

I just got the notification of your video, I don't know if it's because I'm in Canada?? Maybe? But anyway, I'm glad it came through. I would never have thought to clean those filters like this. I let myself get 'conned' into buying two of those larger room filter systems from Aerus and when It was time for a replacement filter, there's where the thought of " I just got scammed" came in. I think I'll try cleaning one of these big filter elements and see what happens. ( I was going to throw both of these machines out anyway ). We'll soon see how this works for me. Thanks Jeff.

Deff thought I was going to see this thing get demolished by a crazy slug lol

I'm subbed and this was in my feed. Ppl have to interact with the channels they want to see more of.

Tks! I was about to order another filter just after less than a year.

Great info, thanks!

The purpose of the HEPA filter is to filter tiny tiny particles like viruses for instance. You can wash it and it will work but it wont be a HEPA filter anymore since it wont stop tiny things like viruses anymore. It will be fine for dust and pet hair and big things.

I wasn't aware I wasn't supposed to be washing these things... I wash the ones I'm my vacuum too.

Oh wow. Thank you!

No name change and still subscribed. Nice trick. I've seen something similar, but the doughnut shaped and box air filter for a car's engine or that of a motorcycle.

I also did this to a xiaomi air purifier filter. I use mine mainly to clean the cigarete smoke and during the pandemic, I simply didn't had the money to buy a replacement so I started cleaning it. I 3D printed a clamp system to be able to use the power drill to spin the filter in water (attached to a bucket cover). The bucket has a air pipe in the middle to aerate the filter during the spinning process. I do the spinning and airing after I let the filter sit in hot water for a couple of minutes (till the water cools). Then I rinse a couple of times. during the last rinsing, as a bonus, in the rinsing water, I use few drops of essential oil to make the filter smell nice

Chuck it in the washing machine, gotcha.

Excellent video will this work with a humidifier filter as well?

This is great to know! My filter is longer but I can do the same thing in my bathtub.

Thank-you Thank-you I'm going to go soak mine right now

Thanks! Just wanted to wash it while I wait for the new filters to come in.

Thank you 🙏🏻 was wondering whether HEPA filter for my vacuum cleaner is washable

Thank you. What a helpful PSA. 💕

Thank you for the video. I am glad that i can save money and a bit of the environment. Question: After cleaning both filters on my cuisinart air purifier, the red light indicating to change the filter is still on. Should I just buy new ones?

This wont work with filters that have activated charcoal or activated carbon inside as the carbon becomes saturated. But you can try and replace the charcoal.

Thanks Jeff!!!!!!!! "sensitive hands" must be a OG poke!!!!!!

Thanks for the useful information.

What the heck -- I was waiting for - or - expecting Danny or O G to clean it with the mass accelerator and a special HEPA slug. That being said good advice, thanks

3:39 Can't get to the barber either, eh?

I buy the yearly disposable ones because I want it to work like it’s supposed to but I get it. I guess it’s better than not cleaning it at all.

Thank you, the last time I washed mine I just used plain water and I was dissatisfied. Glad you posted this video I appreciate it. I think Winix rates the filter for 10 cleanings I gave up after one because of the horrible plain water results.

Washing a HEPA filter will make in no longer HEPA-rated because it causes clumps in the fibers. If you don't NEED HEPA rating (most people do not), then this is fine. Of course, if you don't need HEPA rating, you'd save even more money by building a filter with a 20" box fan and one or more 20" furnace filters. FAR more airflow, it just won't stop the really tiny particles. There's a video on YT from a university where the guy is actually selling HEPA filters, but shows that just sticking a furnace filter in front of the fan is 90% effective (HEPA filters are 99%+). For maximum air-cleaning speed, put 5 of them together with duct tape to make a cube with the fan as the sixth side. Just be sure to only run the fan on low, as higher speeds will created more back-pressure and possibly burn out your fan motor.

One thing you got to watch out for washing those filters or any washable or non washable filter doesn't matter is what I noticed I had a washable filter for my air conditioning in my home used it for years washed up many times at least once a month and what we found is because we had hard water deposits in the tap water it unbeknownst to us we didn't think of it at the time we should have it clog the filter however we cleaned it it knocked you know most of the dirt and dust and dander and pollen and microscopic organisms out of there however over time and not probably very long either we didn't notice it cuz it was so gradual and we got used to the way it sounded in performed but when we replaced it with a brand new one the different even after just washing and letting it dry up you know all day and all night we replaced it with a brand new one same one but brand new never used before and the difference of airflow sound and the way it felt coming out of the vents compared to the amount of flow coming out even after a clean filter was night and day just from the hard water deposits calcium lime rust whatever so keep that in mind if you have hard water you may want to use filtered water or something like a detachable hose filter or Brita filter PUR Filter Zero Water something like that to get out the hard water deposits and and debris and stuff that will end up mineralizing in the filter material and really destroying the air flow and straining your air system whatever it is air conditioning heater or filter system so unless you have incredibly soft water or filtered water I would be careful of using oh Priya wash filters over and over and after we realize that we ended up buying some very high quality disposable not the cheap fiberglass ones but very high quality 3M brand Filtrete filters and got the best ones money could buy and the airflow was fantastic get it caught guaranteed like until almost one micron of material in there for over 90 days and then we just threw it away the wash one had to be washed at least once a month where we were living and with the all the dust and pet hair and dander and stuff and even though we did that overtime and probably not very long it built up a lot of minerals we didn't even know about it because it was so gradual it sounded find us it wasn't such an Abrupt change that we we knew something was sounding different or feeling different but it was straining our system

Don't ask Jeff about the chest rattle.......... I kid

Thank you for this!!!! My air filter replacements are sold out. You saved me some cash!!

Thank you! Just saved my day.

Reloaders always save everything we can. Good vidio. One reason I have some clutter, might be able to reuse something.