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Here's a question from a reader:
"My husband and I have 2 cats and a dog and they are shedding fur everywhere. The dog is not as bad but the cats are getting it onto everything and it leaves kind of a funky smell. Also the litter area is real bad. Can an air cleaner get rid of this or is it already stuck in my furniture."
It depends on the brand for the smell, but generally the answer is going to be yes. I've got a cat, and I've used several different brands (Hunter and the Ionic Breeze) and there is a noticeable difference in terms of the amount of fur floating around. You can know it's working just by looking at the filter, which I actually have to clean more frequently with a cat because it can get visibly clogged up with fur during shedding season. Pet fur, besides being annoying to have floating around everywhere, can also add to the smells you're getting.
To actually get odor out of the air, though (such as stuff near the litter box), you need a specific kind of filter. You want to look and make sure you are buying one with a "carbon" or "charcoal" filter. The problem with odors is that the particles that make them are very tiny gases - they won't get caught up by many kinds of filters. A carbon filter, however, is specifically designed to absorb odors. Many air purifiers have this, as well as a bunch of other filters put together to deal with multiple different things. Your best bet is one that has both a HEPA filter (to get fur and dander) as well as a carbon filter (for the smell). They generally work pretty well - they don't actually get rid of the source, but they do keep the smell from spreading around the room.
As far as placement for the cleaner, it can make a big difference. With cats, right by the litter box is a good idea. With dogs, it can be a good idea to put it wherever you're getting the smell - often near their beds or where they sleep most often.
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