If your HEPA filter is not specifically labelled as washable or “permanent,” then the answer is no. You can rinse the filter in water, tap excess dust off of it or remove some dust with a vacuum, but this can definitely damage the mesh of fibers that allows the filter to remove particles from the air. Even if the filter looks undamaged, some of the fibers will be broken or stretched out. You will end up with a somewhat clean looking filter that does not do the job of filtering properly.

What allows a HEPA filter to meet its claims is the consistency of the “weave” of glass fibers. If the fibers are stretched or torn, it will create gaps in the filter large enough for particles to pass through. The integrity of the frame is important as well. If the frame itself or the gaskets that provide a seal between the frame and the location it is mounted in are compromised, air can flow around the filter instead of through it.

If the filter is marketed as being washable or permanent, then it is possible that you can wash it or clean it off and it will still function. Our HEPA filter is non-washable. It needs to be replaced every six months.