Quick answer
To catch airborne mould spores in a bedroom or living room, a true HEPA purifier sized to clean the room several times an hour is what to look for, and the WINIX 5500-2 is our pick: rated 4.5 stars across 27,547 Amazon.co.uk ratings, with a CADR of 390 m³/h, carbon and HEPA filters and a 27.4 dB sleep mode. For a smaller bedroom with app control, the Levoit Core 200S suits rooms up to 64 m². A purifier traps spores; only drying the room stops mould growing.
Mould releases spores into the air, and for people with asthma or allergies those spores trigger symptoms even after the visible patch is cleaned. A HEPA air purifier pulls air through a dense filter that traps particles down to fractions of a micron, which includes mould spores. It does nothing about the damp that feeds the mould, so it works alongside a dehumidifier and ventilation, not instead of them. These four purifiers were read on Amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026.
Our picks
Pick 1 · Best overall for larger rooms
WINIX 5500-2 Air Purifier
Best for: Living rooms, open-plan spaces and large bedrooms.
Check price on Amazon.co.ukCADR is the number that matters, and at 390 m³/h this WINIX cleans the air in a typical 20 m² room in a few minutes, according to the listing. The carbon stage helps with the musty smell that comes with damp. Its auto mode raises the fan when the sensor picks up particles, then drops to a 27.4 dB sleep setting. PlasmaWave is an ioniser feature that can be turned off if you prefer filter-only cleaning. Replace the HEPA filter on the schedule in the manual, or captured spores clog it.
Pros
- Highest CADR on this page
- Carbon filter tackles musty smells
- Auto mode with air-quality sensor
- Low power draw
Cons
- Large unit for a small bedroom
- Includes PlasmaWave, which some buyers prefer to switch off
Key specs (from the listing)
- CADR:
- 390 m³/h
- Room size:
- Up to 99 m²
- Filters:
- Pre-filter, activated carbon, HEPA
- Particle capture:
- 99.999% down to 0.1 micron (listing)
- Power:
- 3 W sleep to 23 W high
- Noise:
- 27.4 dB in sleep mode
- Certifications:
- Allergy UK, ECARF, AHAM (listing)
Pick 2 · Best smart bedroom pick, Amazon Best Seller
Levoit Core 200S Smart HEPA Air Purifier
Best for: Bedrooms and children's rooms where you want app control.
Check price on Amazon.co.ukThe Core 200S is a compact, quiet bedroom purifier, and the app shows filter life so you are not guessing when to change it. At 24 dB in sleep mode it is barely audible. Levoit rates it up to 64 m², but for spore control in a bedroom you want several air changes an hour, so it is best in rooms around 15 to 25 m². Levoit sells alternative filters for this range, so check the listing for a mould-focused option.
Pros
- App and voice control
- Quiet 24 dB sleep mode
- Filter status in the app
- Compact
Cons
- Lower airflow than the WINIX
- Smart features need Wi-Fi and an app account
Key specs (from the listing)
- Room size:
- Up to 64 m²
- Filtration:
- 3-stage, HEPA 99.97% at 0.3 micron
- Smart:
- VeSync app, Alexa, Google Assistant
- Timer:
- 2, 4 or 8 hours
- Noise:
- 24 dB sleep mode
- Extras:
- Night light
Pick 3 · Mould filter option, Amazon Best Seller
Levoit Core 300 HEPA Air Purifier
Best for: Damp bedrooms where you want a filter aimed at mould.
Check price on Amazon.co.ukThe Core 300 is the Levoit to choose if mould is your main concern, because the range includes a Mould filter option alongside the standard one supplied in the box. Its 187 m³/h CADR is roughly double what a typical bedroom needs for several air changes an hour. Controls are simple buttons with a timer. Swap to the mould filter when the original needs replacing.
Pros
- Dedicated mould filter available
- Higher CADR than the Core 200S
- No app needed
Cons
- Ships with the Original filter, the mould filter is extra
- No smart controls
Key specs (from the listing)
- CADR:
- 187 m³/h
- Room size:
- Up to 80 m²
- Filter options:
- Original, Pet Allergy, Toxin Absorber, Mould
- Filtration:
- 3-stage, HEPA 99.97% at 0.3 micron
- Fan:
- Sleep, low, medium, high
- Timer:
- 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours
- Noise:
- 24 dB sleep mode
Pick 4 · Most energy-efficient
Philips Air Purifier 600 Series
Best for: Small bedrooms and home offices left running all day.
Check price on Amazon.co.ukPhilips focuses on running cost: the listing quotes a 12 W maximum and 19 dB in sleep mode, which suits a small bedroom running around the clock. Its 170 m³/h CADR handles a room up to about 20 m² well. The room rating appears as both 39 and 44 m² on the listing, so plan around the smaller figure. It has fewer buyer ratings than the others here.
Pros
- Very low power use
- Quietest sleep mode on this page
- App control
Cons
- Far fewer buyer ratings than the others
- Smaller room rating
Key specs (from the listing)
- CADR:
- 170 m³/h
- Room size:
- Up to 39–44 m²
- Filter:
- NanoProtect HEPA
- Power:
- Max 12 W
- Noise:
- 19 dB sleep mode
- Smart:
- Philips Air+ app
Buying guide
What an air purifier can and cannot do about mould
A HEPA purifier captures mould spores floating in the air, which can ease allergy and asthma symptoms. It does not kill mould on walls, it does not dry the air, and it will not stop new growth. Mould needs moisture, so the fix is cleaning visible mould and keeping humidity below about 60% with ventilation or a dehumidifier. Run a purifier alongside those, especially during and after cleaning a mouldy area.
Sizing by CADR
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) tells you how many cubic metres of filtered air the purifier delivers per hour. Multiply the room's floor area by the ceiling height (about 2.4 m in most UK homes) to get its volume, then aim for a CADR of at least four times that figure for allergy relief. A 15 m² bedroom is about 36 m³, so 150 m³/h or more is a good target. Manufacturer room-size figures are often based on fewer air changes.
Filters and running costs
True HEPA filters catch at least 99.97% of particles at 0.3 micron, and mould spores are typically larger than that. A carbon stage helps with musty odours. Filters clog faster in damp homes, so budget for replacements every six to twelve months and check that replacements are easy to buy for your model. Low-wattage models cost little to run around the clock.
Who should not buy one for mould
If you have no allergy or breathing symptoms and the mould is a small patch on a bathroom ceiling, a purifier adds little: clean the patch and improve ventilation. If mould is widespread, smells strongly or follows a leak, put the money towards fixing the damp. People with severe asthma or a weakened immune system should get medical advice and have large mould areas dealt with professionally rather than relying on a purifier.
Questions people ask
Do air purifiers help with mould?
Air purifiers help with mould spores in the air, not with mould on surfaces. A HEPA purifier traps spores and can reduce allergy symptoms. It will not stop mould growing, which needs the damp fixed.
Should I use an air purifier or dehumidifier for mould?
Use a dehumidifier first, because it removes the moisture mould needs to grow. Add an air purifier if someone in the home has allergies or asthma. The two do different jobs and work well together.
What size air purifier do I need for a bedroom?
For a typical 12–15 m² UK bedroom, look for a CADR of at least 130–150 m³/h. That gives around four air changes an hour, which allergy groups recommend. The Levoit Core 300 or Philips 600 both meet that.
Can I run an air purifier all night?
Yes, purifiers are designed to run all night, and most have a quiet sleep mode. The WINIX 5500-2 runs at 27.4 dB and the Levoit models at 24 dB in sleep mode, both quieter than normal conversation.
Do HEPA filters capture mould spores?
Yes. True HEPA filters capture 99.97% of particles at 0.3 micron, and most mould spores are larger, between about 2 and 10 microns. Replace the filter on schedule so captured spores do not build up.