How to Clean a Coway Air Purifier: The Ultimate Guide

Knowing how to clean a Coway air purifier is important when you own one.

Air purifiers are handy tools that can help improve your home’s air quality by removing small, airborne particles such as dust, pet dander, and allergens like pollen. 

However, for your air purifier to be effective, you must maintain it properly. How you do so will depend on your specific brand of air purifier.

Typically, the cleaning process will involve cleaning the pre-filter, clearing any buildup on the machine, and changing the filters. 

However, the exact process for this and how you do it will vary based on the brand and model of the air purifier that you decide to purchase.

Read on to learn more about all the ins and outs of how to clean a Coway air purifier.

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How to Clean a Coway Air Purifier Pre-Filter

One of the benefits of Coway air purifiers is that they have multiple filters. This allows the filter to be more effective since the air must pass through multiple layers of filtration.

However, with multiple filters come multiple things to learn about how to clean a Coway air purifier.

The pre-filter is the first step of physical filtration that the air must pass through. Coway pre-filters are made from a mesh-like material and are designed to filter out all the large particles like pet hair and clumps of dust.

Trapping the larger particles helps extend the inner filters’ lifetime, allowing you to replace them less often. 

The pre-filter is also reusable, which means that as long as you clean it regularly, you’ll be able to clean out and reuse the filter multiple times.

On average, you must clean your pre-filter every 2-4 weeks. This will ensure that air can easily pass through the air purifier and won’t decrease the machine’s efficiency.

Step 1: Remove the Pre-Filter

To remove the pre-filter, you will first need to take off the side panel. This should come off relatively quickly as it’s attached using magnets.

After you have pulled the side panel off, you should be able to see the pre-filter. 

Coway air purifiers use a cartridge system with all their filters, allowing you to slide them in and out easily.

All you need to do is grab the pre-filter using the tabs located at the top and pull it out. It should come out very easily; if it is difficult to pull out, it is likely jammed.

Step 2: Vacuum

After you pull your pre-filter out, you will likely notice it covered with hair and dust. 

To remove most of this dust, you can gently brush it off with your hand or a soft brush, or you can use a vacuum.

If you use a vacuum, use it on its lowest setting, and don’t press the vacuum’s nozzle too hard against the filter. 

This could cause the filter to break, which would result in having to buy a new one.

Once most of the grime has been removed, you can move on to the next step.

Step 3: Rinse

Once you have removed most of the larger debris from the filter, you will want to rinse the pre-filter with water to remove the rest of the smaller debris and residue. 

Hold the filter under running water and gently wipe the surface of the filter using your hands.

Like with the vacuum step, you want to ensure you’re being as gentle as possible. 

Although reusable, the pre-filter is made from a relatively delicate mesh material that can be damaged if you apply too much force to the filter.

Step 4: Dry

After you’re done cleaning, you must thoroughly dry the pre-filter before you reinstall it. 

You want to avoid adding extra moisture to your air purifier as much as possible, as it can cause an odor and potentially cause the machine to malfunction.

You can simply hang the pre-filter to air dry or hang it before a fan. Hanging the pre-filter in front of a fan will allow more air to pass through the mesh and make it dry more quickly.

Step 5: Reinstall

Once your pre-filter is completely dry, it is time to reinstall it. To do this, you will simply open the air purifier back up by removing the side panel and sliding the cartridge in.

Ensure you have fully slid the filter back into place and leave the tabs exposed so it can be easily removed again.

Once you have reinstalled your pre-filter, you are ready to turn your air purifier back on, and it should be good for another 2-4 weeks.

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How to Clean a Coway Air Purifier Internal Filters

One of the most important parts of learning how to clean a Coway air purifier is changing the internal filters. 

Coway filters typically have two internal filters, the deodorization, and HEPA filters. Both must be switched out regularly to maintain the air purifier’s efficiency.

The deodorization filter contains activated carbon and sits between the pre-filter and the HEPA filter. 

Its job is to absorb any tiny, odor-causing molecules from the air and neutralize them.

Odor-causing particles are typically too small to capture by a HEPA filter effectively. 

The spaces between the carbon molecules can absorb even the tiniest of odor-causing particles, which helps to reduce odors.

Coway recommends that you change out your deodorizing filter every 6-12 months however, you may need to change them out more frequently if you notice the filter stops deodorizing. 

Once the activated carbon becomes saturated, it will stop absorbing the odors as effectively.

The HEPA filter is a high-quality filter that can filter out 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 micrometers in size. 

It is responsible for catching smaller dust, pollen, and mold particles that are often responsible for respiratory problems and allergy symptoms.

When used correctly, HEPA filters can even absorb some viruses, making them great if virus transmission concerns you and your family.

Coway recommends that your HEPA filter be changed at least every 12 months. However, just like with the deodorization filter, this time could vary depending on the level of contaminants in your air and how quickly the filter fills up.

If you notice that the quality indicator light on your air purifier was in the red zone when it used to be blue consistently, it might be time to change your HEPA filter. 

A new HEPA filter can better absorb the contaminants floating around in the air that negatively affect your air quality.

Step 1: Remove the Filters

To access the internal filters, you must remove both the side panel and the pre-filter. 

To remove the side panel, you will simply grab it and pull it off. It is attached by magnets, so it should be pretty easy to remove.

After you’ve removed the side panel, you will see the pre-filter. To remove it, you will simply grab onto the tabs at the top of the filter and slide it out.

Once both the side panel and the pre-filter are removed, you should be able to see the internal filters. 

Both of these will be removed just like the pre-filter, just pull on the tabs, and they should come sliding out.

Step 2: Throw the Internal Filters Away

After you have removed the used internal filters, all you need to do is throw them away. Unlike the pre-filter, the internal filters should never be reused.

Step 3: Clean Out the Air Purifier

After all the filters have been removed, you can take this as an opportunity to clean the entire air purifier thoroughly. 

Although the air filters catch most of the dust, some of it will end up on the internal and external parts of the air purifier.

To clean your air purifier, you will want to take a slightly damp cloth and wipe all surfaces. This will catch dust and debris accumulated on the air purifier’s surfaces.

After you have wiped away all of the debris, make sure to let your air purifier dry completely before reinstalling the filters and turning them back on. 

You want to avoid introducing any excess moisture to the air purification system.

Step 4: Reinstall the Filters

After the air purifier has dried and is ready for new filters, you will want to open the packages to the new filters. 

You can purchase new filters for your exact Coway air purifier model from the Coway website or Amazon.

The reinstallation process for the internal filters is straightforward. All you have to do is slide them into the opening.

The first filter should be the HEPA, followed by the deodorization filter, and then you’ll top it off with the pre-filter. 

Once all the filters are installed, you should replace the side panel, and your air purifier will be ready.

Step 5: Reset the Filter Cycle

Once your internal filter has been replaced, you will want to reset the filter cycle. 

Coway air purifiers have a helpful feature that monitors the age of the internal filters and tells you when to replace them.

You’ll know that you need to replace your filters when the recommended time has passed or when the indicator light for each filter comes on.

You won’t want to miss this when learning how to clean a Coway air purifier. 

If you don’t reset the filter cycle, it could go off prematurely, resulting in you changing the filters more than you have to.

To reset the filter cycle, look for the reset button on the top of the Coway air purifier. 

Hold it down for 3 seconds, and your filter cycle should be reset.

After you have reset your filter cycle, your air purifier is good to go until the next filter change!

FAQs on How to Clean a Coway Air Purifier

How do you tell if an air filter is too dirty?

The easiest way to know if an air purifier is too dirty and needs to be replaced is by tracking how long it has been in use. 

Generally speaking, HEPA air filters should be changed at least once yearly, preferably more often, for maximum air cleaning efficiency.

If you are unsure how old your air filter is, you should be able to tell if it is too dirty by looking at it. 

If the filter has a significant amount of dust built up on it or is discolored and has taken on a yellow hue, you should change it out for a new air filter.

Can a dirty air filter make you sick?

Although air filters are generally recommended to improve your health, a dirty one can worsen it. 

Over time, dirt, dust, and mold spores can build up in your air purifier’s filter.

If you do not regularly change your air filter, some contaminants could begin to seep back out of the filter and into the air. 

This can exacerbate your symptoms and make you sick.

To avoid this issue, you should change your filter regularly.

Are expensive air filters better?

HEPA filters are often considered the best filters available. Because of that, they tend to come at a higher price. 

They can filter out almost 100% of even the tiniest particles in the air, making them one of the most commonly recommended filters for air purifiers.

However, a cheap filter is better than no filter. 

Purchase the best quality filter you can, which will make a difference in your air quality.

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Final Thoughts: How to Clean a Coway Air Purifier

For your Coway air purifier to be as effective as possible, you must learn how to clean a Coway air purifier correctly. 

This will involve learning how to remove, clean, and replace all three of the filters that Coway air purifiers contain.

These air purifiers contain a pre-filter for large particles, a deodorizing filter, and a HEPA filter. 

The pre-filter can be washed and reused multiple times, whereas the deodorizing and HEPA filters should be thrown away and replaced every time you take them out.

On average, you must remove and clean your pre-filter every 2-4 weeks, depending on how much buildup it accumulates. 

Coway recommends replacing your deodorizing filter every 6-12 months and your HEPA filter every 12 months.

READ NEXT: What Does the Coway Air Purifier Odor Light Mean?