How can I get rid of the musty smell in my apartment? Do ionic air purifiers work?
I don’t think ionic air purifiers work on the principle of overpowering existing smells with the smell of ozone. They emit charged particles (ions) which bind to anything floating around in the air, making it so heavy that it falls to the ground. There’s less crap in the air, as a result, but it all winds up on the floor (tabletops, windowsills, etc). This accounts for the “make everything dirty” aspect. I had one for a while and it dried my sinuses (perhaps the same effect that ruins rubber?). I can’t recommend one that shoots ions into the air. There are some that simply create a charged surface inside the unit, and draw air across it, accumulating dirt. That might be better than replacing an expensive HEPA filter every week, but I haven’t tried it. The general ion-cannon approach is fine for controlling major odors (like a dead body you may be working on dismembering), but is a little harsh for living spaces.
