# ionic fans, cleaners \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030 "2003-10-17T15:41:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/1 "2003-10-17T15:41:30Z")
Do these ionic fans do much? After blowing the air around like any fan, and some dust gathering on them, like any fan, do they actually do anything else productive relative to indoor air quality? Thanks. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/2 "2003-10-17T15:49:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drhess \* > **Do these ionic fans do much?** [Not really](http://www.wral.com/money/2518652/detail.html). ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/3 "2003-10-17T15:59:24Z")
Oh, _ionic_ fansā€¦ By the thread title, I thought this was going to be about that guy in the stands at the Cubsā€™ game. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/4 "2003-10-17T17:00:46Z")
Weā€™ve got the sharper image one in our house and I love it. Iā€™m not sure what their point is in saying that ā€œOur tests show, and independent experts confirm, that these air cleaners donā€™t work fast enough to be effectiveā€. I clean my purifier every 10 days or so and it is amazing how much crap it pulls out of the air. Also, it gives off a ā€œcleanā€ smell which I like. I have not done any scientific research on how healthy the air is in my home before and after, but I do know that all that gunk that goes down the drain after I clean it had to come from the air ā€“ so I know itā€™s doing something. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/5 "2003-10-17T17:42:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Iā€™m not sure what their point is in saying that ā€œOur tests show, and independent experts confirm, that these air cleaners donā€™t work fast enough to be effectiveā€. It means that the ionic cleaners do not remove stuff from the air very fast. They remove stuff so slowly that the normal every day processes of coming in and out of a room fill the room with stuff faster than the ionic cleaners can remove it. I can go vacuum my back yard and I will get a bunch of dirt in the bag so I am removing something. I am not however making my back yard less dusty in any appreciable way. That is what the article is saying. ---
**Author:** ![PhilAlex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@PhilAlex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilAlex)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/6 "2003-10-17T18:22:06Z")
I will say: The ionic cleaner you stick in your shoes to get rid of odour is amazing. Ozone just zaps the ā€œstinkā€ bacteria overnight. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/7 "2003-10-17T18:22:45Z")
I just got something similar at Radio Shack for about $100. I just put it im my room (which smells of Man Fumes, if ya know what I mean) and close the door. A few hours later, the manfumes are replaced by the fresh scent of atmosphere after a thunderstorm. A week later the collection element has some dust and a lot of black crud wiped off on the damp sponge. Iā€™m satisfied. ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/8 "2003-10-17T18:34:07Z")
Thanks for the link. I have wondered why the Sharper Image keeps focused on ā€œitā€™s quietā€ and ā€œit does not use a lot of energyā€ and ā€œno filters to changeā€ but then seem to ignore an objective comparison of how much clean is going on. My neighbor has two and he does not believe it makes any difference. My BS detector goes off when they show people attempting to change an air filter, and the air filter replacement act looks like an attempt to brush the teeth of a trapped bobcat. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/9 "2003-10-17T19:09:41Z")
Thanks, all. I didnā€™t mean iron, but I guess if a fan cleans you of money and not pollen, itā€™s kinda ironic. Hereā€™s a good link with testing info. I thinkā€¦ > **[Best HEPA Air Purifiers by Category | Air Purifiers America](https://air-purifiers-america.com/pages/air-purifiers-by-concern)** > > The best HEPA air purifiers to your specific needs. Expert reviews balanced with customer testimonials to help you research and buy the best one for you. Cannā€™t tell if this group is sound or not: > **[Consumers](https://ahamverifide.org/)** > > Looking for the Kitchen Range Hood Certification Program? Find it here. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/10 "2003-10-18T02:11:51Z")
Important note: The biggest problem with many ionic air cleaners and air ionizers is that they produce ozone. Breathing ozone is not good for you. If you have that fresh/thunderstorm smell then you should _turn it off_ and contact the manufacturer about returning the _defective_ product. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/11 "2003-10-18T03:11:05Z")
I have edited the title to correct the spelling. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/12 "2003-10-18T03:39:58Z")
Iā€™ll see if I can find the exact quote. I almost bought one then I read in Consumerā€™s Reports how bad they are. In fact CR rated the IONIC BREEZE as ā€œslightly better than nothingā€.(that is a quote) It didnā€™t remove allergens or dust as they claimed EVEN after 12 hours. The smell is the ozone produced which makes you think it is doing something. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/13 "2003-10-18T03:46:46Z")
Iā€™ll see if I can find the exact quote. I almost bought one then I read in Consumerā€™s Reports how bad they are. In fact CR rated the IONIC BREEZE as ā€œslightly better than nothingā€.(that is a quote) It didnā€™t remove allergens or dust as they claimed EVEN after 12 hours. The smell is the ozone produced which makes you think it is doing something. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ionic-fans-cleaners-edited-title/208030/14 "2003-10-18T04:11:43Z")
not to mention that ozone can have effects on photos. iā€™m not sure about older prints, but digital prints, even quality ones, can shift colors more quickly when lots of ozone is present.