This post brought to you by Fellowes . All opinions are 100% mine.
Well, it's officially here an in full swing...the dreaded cold and flu season! I know that we all wash our hands and cover our mouths when we sneeze, but sometimes that just isn't enough to ward off those pesky cold and flu germs! Did you know that the air inside our homes is five times more polluted than the air outside? That's five times the germs and viruses (which are the leading causes of colds and flu) than we face outside, and as a work at home mom, I breathe it all day long! I was sent a Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier to try out in our home this cold and flu season so that we can try to keep the colds and flu away.
Not-So-Fun Facts about Colds and Flu
The flu can spread to people up to 6 feet away, even without a sneeze or cough to propel it!
After a cough or a sneeze, some viruses stay suspended in the air for hours before landing on surfaces, where they can live for up to 24 hours.
Pretty gross, right? Using an air purifier can help clean the air in your home, which can be really helpful in keeping germs and viruses at bay during cold and flu season. The new Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier employs state-of-the-art, ultra-quiet technology that automatically monitors the air in the room and adjusts its settings to offer invisible protection for the air you breathe during cold and flu season.
According to the Fellowes® 2014 Cold and Flu Report, half (46%) of Americans are somewhat or very concerned about getting sick during cold and season. And while 60 percent of survey respondents encourage frequent hand washing with soap and water and nearly half (40%) frequently clean surfaces in the home using a disinfectant, a 4-step process is truly necessary to reducing cold and flu season risk in the home.
The 4 Step Process is quite simple, and you might already be doing some of the steps!
Step 1: Ask about the flu shot at your local pharmacy or doctor's office. You can often find a very reasonably priced flu shot available at your local Walgreens or CVS/Pharmacy; my local pharmacies offer the flu shot even if they do not have a full clinic in the store.
Step 2: Wash and sanitize your hands regularly. Not just after going to the bathroom, but throughout the day when you touch public doors, handle a shopping cart, etc. Keep your hands clean!
Step 3: Wipe down the surfaces in your home with powerful disinfectants. The best way to kill germs on the surfaces throughout your home is by doing just that: killing them with
Step 4: Purify the air indoors.
While we have personally made the decision to forgo the flu shot this year, we are embracing the other points in the 4 step process. You should have seen me going crazy with the cleaners last month after Angeline recovered from being sick - we are taking NO chances of letting those nasty germs stick around the house!
My personal tip for when you think you might be getting sick is to load up on Vitamin C, whether it be in a supplement form or lots and lots of orange juice! I've also started buying Elderberry syrup to help boost our immune systems when we start feeling that icky, I'm-about-to-get-sick feeling!
We just received the Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier and I am pretty excited about bringing this extra step into our home. The Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier technology is pretty cool!
Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier
Fellowes® AeraMax™ Air Purifiers are effective at removing influenza and cold viruses from indoor air and offer the following features:
- Only a True HEPA filter – like the one found inside the Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier – safely removes 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses, germs, dust, mold, pollen, ragweed, pet dander and cigarette smoke.
- The new Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier comes with certifications from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and the California Air Resource Board (CARB), Certified asthma & allergy friendly™ by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), UL Listed and Energy Star-Certified.
- The Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier offers total innovation and convenience with: Ultra Quiet operation, Automatic filter change indicators, Automatic sensor that monitors the air quality and automatically adjusts the fan speed to keep your air purified, User-friendly touch screen technology with back-lit performance LEDs.
As a pet owner, I am really excited that on top of helping to get rid of viruses and germs, the Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier helps get rid of pet dander too! With three cats and three dogs in the house, we always have pet dander, no matter how much I vacuum or dust the house. I am really excited about having an extra helper in this aspect, because even though no one in our house is actually allergic, the dander does bother us when it piles up.
We have it set to turn on automatically, so it does all of the work for us - we never have to worry about knowing when it needs to turn on. Pretty awesome, right?
I will be checking back with you guys in a while, after we have been using the Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier for a while to let you know how it is working for us! Be sure to stay tuned for my update!
The Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 Air Purifier starts at $189.99, and you can purchase it at BestBuy.com!
Beth
We have an air cleaner in our bedroom to help with my allergies. It is an older model. This looks like a great option to upgrade to!
Kenda Smith
After this past spring's repeated colds and allergy attacks, we've seriously been considering an air purifier. I had no idea Fellowes made one. We already use a Fellowe's paper shredder that we love - great brand. We'll have to look into this one as well.
Felissa (Two Little Cavaliers)
I really should look into this. With as sick as I have been and all of the dog fur flying around in my house I bet a high quality air purifier like this would make a difference.
Amber Edwards
I want this air purifier so badly! We have the worst allergies all year long. This would seriously help us out a bit!
Robin Gagnon {Mom Foodie}
I have been thinking about getting a good air purifier. I ran an inexpensive one in my room when I was pregnant and liked the freshness of the air it provided.
Sarah
We really need an air purifier! My son has terrible allergies and we are having a new baby tomorrow so I'd love to cut down on the germs floating around in the air! I need to check this one out
brett
i need 3 purifiers in this house. one for my son's room, one for the girls' and one for our downstairs. kids with allergies 🙁
Nicole B
The air purifier is so cool. I want one to clean our germs out. Our current system is to open the windows and doors for about 10 minutes and try to get new air in the house. And that just isn't fun to do when it's freezing cold outside. LOL The Fellowes machine seems like a much more effective way to go.
Kay M.
We have a small air purifier in our living room/kitchen area. It does a pretty good job considering it's size. I sure could use a large one like this though, since we all suffer from allergies.
Michelle
I love that this also works on pet dander! In addition to all the other benefits, it would be great for that alone since we have 4 cats!
mel
This air purifier looks awesome! We are doing our basement and would love to put one in!
Blondie
I need and want one of these!! Looks awesome!!
Nicole Brady
I knew Fellowes made shredders but had no idea they made other products! Good to know!
Ellen Christian
I had no idea this could help with the flu. I need to look into it.
Melanie Roberts
We sooo need this... my daughter and husband have Asthma and he always complaints that the air is too dry... thanks for a great review... will have to check it out
Rachael
My roommate gets sick a lot. Although her room is on the other end of the house, the germs probably circulate through the A/C. This Fellowes® AeraMax™ DX55 Air Purifier looks like it would be a good investment to help make sure I don't get one of her bugs.
Pam
We love having an air purifier in our house. This one looks even better than the one we have.
Cat Davis
My husband has been begging me to get an air purifier, especially with all of our pets. I'm definitely going to look into this one some more.
Katy Rawson
I have wanted an air purifier for so long. We need to just take the leap and do it. It seems with a child in elementary school, the germs are more prevalent.
Nancy Polanco
Air purifiers are so awesome to have in the house. I'm due to buy another, I'll have to look into this one.
Jen Temcio
Why didnt I think of this!!?? My sisters kids keep getting sick week after week and she is going crazy cleaning and sanitizing everything. . . she does NOT have an air purifier though. I am going to get her one.
Mama to 5 BLessings
I so need one of these for my daughter she has asthma, I think this would help her.
Tammilee
Oh my this is so cool! My allergies are horrible. I vacuum daily and dust all the time but my allergies are still horrible. I love that this air purifier helps with pet dander. Thank you for sharing! I am going to look into getting one.
Jennifer Soltys
AWESOME!!! My allergies are so bad year-round because of my dogs. My little one sleeps right BY MY FACE and it's killing me! I so need this!!
tess
We need an air purifier here really bad. I think it would make the air safer.
John
This is fantastic! I really like that it removes pet dander and other allergens from the air. It is also really sleek and modern looking.
Janel
I've always wanted an air purifier because our air is so dusty. I never really thought of all the benefits of germs and sickness!
Dawn
We have all been sick in this house. I am sure that our germs could put this air purifier to work.
Sandra (at) Coasahmom (dot) com
Well this is so neat!
Brandi
I keep saying I am going to get one, but it never seems to make it into my purchases. We have 7 cats and a dog. Definitely need something to help with the dander. It's killing us!
Brandy Arivett
Love that it turns itself on! Maybe it is time to upgrade ours!
Shannon Schmid
Oh- great idea. Having one is a basement would make a lot of sense!
Liza
I SO need one of these. I always feel like I can barely breathe because I'm so stuffed up, and no medications - OTC or prescription - have been able to make a difference. Maybe cleaner air would help!
Brandy
I am in the market for an air purifier, was nice to read about this particular brand, I will have to check them out. I have the same brand for a paper shredder, so I know their products last a long time!
Kecia
We have been considering an air purifier for our home, especially with two little kids. I will look into Fellowes, as I've heard good things about the brand!
Kelly Stilwell
We have a cat, a bird, and a gerbil, so we could definitely use a purifier. Between the dust from the bird, the gerbil bedding, and the cat dander, I hate to think what is in the air! Thanks for the info.
Caleb
Changing your air filters and having an air purifier are great ways to ensure quality air in your home.