Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Chow]

My apartment has a serious dust problem (2 kinds -- the normal, everyday gray "bunnies under the sofa" type, and the infamous "Cheongju Black"). I've never been a clean freak or anything, but as time goes by I'm becoming more and more manic trying to keep it under control!

I'be been considering an air purifier, but I know nothing about them. Anybody out there have any luck with a good, inexpensive, purifier? I saw a couple on the buy/sell forum but I was too late . . . .

Advice?

[matthews_world]

Dust bunnies are my pet peeves. Where do those things come from?

I've got a mattress that I think may be the culprit. How to get rid of those pesky dust bunnies?

I usually wipe mine up with a sponge mop. If I wanted to forego the expense, I'd try a vacuum cleaner or steam cleaner.

[BigBlackEquus]

Those electrostatic air cleaners were all the rage here 3 years ago, until people realized they didn't work well, and doctors starting warning that the ozone levels they create are unhealthy/cancerous.

Best bet is to buy an air cleaner with a HEPA filter. The trick is to find a low-priced one that has filters that are also Low-priced. Make sure it has a good airflow. The tiny ones are worthless.

[Dodgy Al]

[matthews_world]

Do those HEPA filters work with dust bunnies? Or am I gonna have to just use a vacuum to combat those intrusive critters?

[Dodgy Al]

I bought one of those lightweight cordless vacuums, and it works wonders against the 'dust bunnies'.

i also recently bought one of those electrostatic air cleaners - BBE i hope you're wrong, otherwise i've just bought a 100000 won cancer box! EEK!!

oh well... at least my apartment smells of peppermint now

[BigBlackEquus]

I used to have one, too. It died after 4 months of use. Bummer at the time, but maybe it was a good thing. The smell it made is one of my first memories of Korea, and I am now reminded of the 2002 World Cup whenever I take a passing whiff of ozone. If it means anything, I also caught pneumonia for the first time in my life that year. Probably unrelated.

http://www.beyondhealth.com/airpollution.htm

"Two years ago, I set out to find an air filter suitable for homes and offices that would meet my exacting standards for quality, safety, and effectiveness—a filter I could recommend to the public. The first units I looked at were the heavily-advertised ��ionic�� air filters. I rejected these devices. The February 2002 Consumer Reports rated them at the bottom for removing air particles and they do not remove chemicals. Worse, they are ozone generators. Ionic air filters are capable of generating worrisome levels of ozone that have actually been measured to exceed safety standards. This is especially bad if you sleep in a small bedroom with the door closed.

Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that will deplete the body��s stores of precious antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E. Even low levels of ozone can irritate the nose and airways, increasing the symptoms of allergies and asthma. Low-level exposures to ozone have been shown to cause significant temporary decreases in lung capacity, and people with lung disease or asthma would be particularly at risk. Population studies on humans showed that long-term exposures to low-level ozone can lead to permanent reduction in lung capacity. Humans exposed to 0.5 ppm for three hours a day, six days a week, for twelve weeks showed significant changes in lung function. Animals exposed to 1 ppm for just two days suffered lung damage.

The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard is an hourly average of 0.12 ppm (parts per million). I think this standard is too high. My rule of thumb is this: if you can smell it, it��s too much. The odor of ozone becomes obvious at about 0.05 ppm. Short-term exposures to little more than this can cause increased sensitivity to airborne allergens and irritants. In one study, increased bronchial response was measured following seven hours of exposure to just 0.08 ppm of ozone, and the effects lasted for 18 hours. Given that the effects at 0.08 ppm are not far above the 0.05 ppm detection threshold, one could easily be exposed to these amounts without being aware. To make matters worse, you can��t always trust odor as a reliable indicator. Ozone will initially produce a sharp odor, but after a brief period of exposure, it dulls the sense of smell. Ozone concentrations could increase and you would not be able to detect it.

Ozone toxicity is bad enough, but ozone can react with other pollutants in household air to create even more harmful chemicals. For example, in May 2004, researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned that ozone can react with the chemicals in the air fresheners people often use in their kitchens and bathrooms, producing unhealthy levels of formaldehyde-related compounds. It is a bad idea to pollute the air in your home with these toxic air fresheners in the first place, but when these chemicals react with ozone, it becomes even more toxic."

[Dodgy Al]

anyone wanna buy an air purifier?!