Clean And New Doesn’t Mean Safe
Due to the pandemic, many of us are staying indoors more and consequently, cleaning our homes more. Contrary to what we think, cleaning the home more frequently doesn’t necessarily mean the home is ‘cleaner’ or toxins-free. Every day, we breathe up to 9,000 litres of air and even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we spent as much as 90% of our time indoors (in offices, schools and malls). As our homes increasingly become spaces where we work, study and exercise as well as sleep and play, the quality of the air we breathe has become non-negotiable.
Apart from the more well-known harmful chemicals, another common ‘culprit’ found in many commercial cleaning agents, and even in our wood, paint, carpentry, and upholstered furniture is Formaldehyde. Yes, Formaldehyde. We have just moved to our new home few months ago. The fresh coat of paint, new carpentry and flooring just made our home a ‘Formaldehyde Heaven’. *Gasp*

What’s The Big Deal?
I didn’t quite believe it at first. But after a quick Google search on Formaldehyde got me concerned. In fact, one article I came across puts it simply, “Get rid of Formaldehyde from your home.” Period.
Here’s a website from the US Government’s CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) where it gives a quick rundown of Formaldehyde’s side effects:
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/formaldehyde/home/index.html
Closer to home, here’s a grim article from The Straits Times in 2018 listing the ill-effects from Formaldehyde:
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/russian-woman-embalmed-alive-what-you-need-to-know-about-formalin
The Writing Is On The Wall….Literally.
In retrospect, the proverbial writing has been on the wall ever since we moved into our new home last November.

I started to develop skin rashes all over my limbs. The doctor diagnosed it as sclerosis (a rare skin flare-up) which I have not experienced in years. My 6 year old son, Buddy got it worse. His allergy rhinitis and eczema flare-ups became more regular, so much so I am afraid of overdosing him on antihistamines. I attributed it at first to the new home’s ‘dust’ but the irony is that despite all the cleaning, we didn’t get better.
For the hubby and Dana, they complain of headache and insomnia – another symptom of having VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) present in the home. New mattresses and upholstery are known to contain VOCs including the dreadful ‘F’ – Formaldehyde. So while the home may be spanking new and spotlessly cleaned, it doesn’t mean it is a ‘safe’ place for us to live in.
Ridding Formaldehyde
To rid the air in our living spaces of Formaldehyde and VOCs, it’s recommended that we open the windows more regularly to improve ventilation. However, this may not be sustainable in hot and humid Singapore. Besides, living in a highly urbanized setting like Singapore, leaving the windows and doors open 24/7 may actually let in more pollutants in (e.g. smoke, dust, dust mites etc…).
The next practical way would be to use an air purifier with an active carbon filter. Preferably one that allows us to monitor the the levels of these chemicals so we can do something to clean the air before we allow our family members to use these spaces.
The Dyson Difference:
This is where the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Air Purifier comes in.

The Tech:
This latest air purifier from Dyson is armed with a solid-state sensor and filter that can sense, capture and destroy even the smallest traces of Formaldehyde and other VOCs in our homes. Using Dyson Air Multiplier™ Technology, the machine can project purified air to every corner of the room. Its auto mode enables the machine to maintain a preferred room temperature and air quality levels, while the machine can be entirely controlled by the Dyson Link App and activated by voice control.


In Dyson’s new purifiers, it’s not just the filter that meets HEPA H13 standard, but the whole machine. It captures H1N1 virus and 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns (such as allergens, bacteria, H1N1 virus, pollen and mould spores). Dyson engineers took a forensic approach to achieving a fully-sealed machine, creating high pressure seals at an additional 24 critical points to prevent dirty air from bypassing the filters and carrying pollutants back into the room.
The Convenience:

The Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Air Purifier comes with a host of comfort and convenient features that is intuitive and consumer-centric, hallmark of a Dyson product. These include:
- App control. This app allows users to see the condition of the air inside an enclosed space as well as to turn on/off the purifier from anywhere.
- Strong Air with Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier Technology that is filters and clean up an enclosed space up to 81m2.
- 350 degrees oscillation together with a diffused mode that directs airflow to the back of the purifier ensuring an all round effective and quick air purifying.
- 20% quieter
- Voice activated controls with SIRI, Google and Alexa.
- Easy to change filter system.
The Review – The Unsettling Truth

We have had the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Air Purifier for about a month. While it has become routine for us to use the intuitive and intelligent features to inform us of the air quality and set it to purify the air, it is still unsettling to see the presence of Formaldehyde and other chemicals creep up from time to time. For that, we are thankful that we have the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Air Purifier to detect and eliminate these harmful chemicals that are not visible to our naked eyes.
Like most Dyson products, the unit is quite easy to use – just click to install the filters, install the app and you’re off to enjoy a room with clean, purified air. We find the app very intuitive and useful. It has become quite indispensable. In fact, with its voice control feature , I can even instruct Google or SIRI from our phones and smart speakers to activate the purifier before stepping home.
These days, Buddy is experiencing lesser skin irritations and runny nose episodes. My skin flare-ups have also subsided. It is our routine to use the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Air Purifier every time we are home. So far, it has yielded amazingly positive outcomes, improving our family’s overall wellness and immunity.

Shop for Dyson’s Air Purifiers on its Online Store: https://www.dyson.com.sg/products/air-purifiers/dyson-purifier-cool-formaldehyde/shop-all
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