Smoking neighbors? This is how to purify your air so you can breath easy!

A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET SMOKE-FREE AIR (YES IT WORKS!!!)

My Story
I got my very own cigarette-smoking neighbor in the apartment under mine when I moved in to a new complex.  Of course, the smoke comes right into my apartment.  I checked, and it is impossible to stop the flow of smoke.

So like any normal 21st-century gal, I looked online for air-cleaning solutions.

I must have read about a dozen pages with advice like, "that's too bad, you're stuck with the smoke," or "you should have checked the apartment out more thoroughly before you signed a lease," or "ask your neighbor to quit smoking."  All this sage wisdom got me nowhere nearer to clean air, however!

But I kept searching because .... well, we have particle accelerators and genetically modified corn in this world.  There just had to be a way to get smoke out of the air.

Why people think it's hard to get smoke out of the air:

I found out that the tricky thing about smoke particles is that they are exactly the size that is hardest to filter out of air.  They're so small it's hard to trap them physically, but so large it's hard to trap them electrostatically.  You need a specialized air filter.

The solution I found:

In my searching, I saw a simple and brilliant idea.  Some people have made air filtration devices out of furnace filters taped to cheap box fans.  It's kind of ugly . . . but I'm not rich enough to be picky about the way I clean my air!  With my limited budget and a whole living room and kitchen to keep smoke-free, this was the most attractive idea to me.

Then I found furnace filters designed to filter out smoke-size particles (0.1-3.0 microns in diameter).  I decided to take a leap of faith and try out a cheap box fan from Walmart attached to a very, very good filter.  I call it a leap of faith because the filter was upwards of $80, which would be a pretty painful expenditure for me if it didn't work.

But it did work.  I turned it on for a few minutes in my 500-square-foot living area, and the smoke odor was gone.  Completely, totally, 100% gone.  I breathed a huge sigh of relief.


My Budget: As low as possible....which turned out to be $110 for me at the time.

I'm a student, so anywhere I can save money, I will.  But breathing at home is a necessity. I wound up spending about $110--money well spent considering I can now sit in my own living room without smoke stinging my eyes or making it hard to breath!  And it was a heck of a lot cheaper than getting an industrial air cleaner, or multiple HEPA air filter machines, or even moving apartments.

How to make this smoke-be-gone contraption yourself:

If you want to try making one yourself, watch this how-to video from the University of Michigan: http://youtu.be/kH5APw_SLUU. (this link will open a new window.)  The University of Michigan guy shows a MERV 13 filter removing about 90% of the particles from the air.  A MERV 13 filter is about $10 online.  (At Home Depot they don't have MERV-rated filters, so if I were replicating this U of M experiment I would spend the money on whatever their finest furnace filter was.)

The filter in the video is taking out 90% of particles that are 3 microns in size.  But smoke particles are often smaller than that--as small as 0.1 micron in size--up to 30 times smaller!  Plus, leaving 10% of the smoke in the air seemed like a lot.  I guessed that MERV 13 wouldn't work on cigarette smoke.

So, I'll admit it: I didn't even try the cheaper MERV 13 like the one in the video.  I went straight for the MERV 16, which filters out more of the really small particles.  I would love to know if the cheaper MERV 13 would be as effective as the much-more-expensive MERV 16.  But I was desperate, probably not thinking straight, and I wanted something that worked now.

~~ Materials ~~

Make sure you watch the University of Michigan video before you start on anything!  The link is three paragraphs up.

1. A 20" x 20" MERV 16 air filter.**  About $100.  You may need to buy online to get one of these.  They're about 5" thick and they are expensive.  I paid $80 for mine on Amazon, but as I write I see it's increased to $100.  Mine is a Lennox Healthy Climate MERV 16 filter with a charcoal coating (absorbs smelly gasses, but isn't meant to filter particles). I haven't tried any other brands.  The important thing is that its MERV 16, and not a lower number.

Note that excessive heat, sun, humidity, and oils will shorter the life of your filter.

2. A 20" x 20" cheap-o furnace filter from the local store.  About $10-$20.  This is going to be a pre-filter that will protect your investment in the MERV 16 filter by keeping it from getting gunked-up prematurely.

3. A 20" x 20" box fan.  About $20.  You might already have one.  

4. Clear packaging tape, which is strong strong and doesn't stretch.  Don't use masking or duct tape unless you're really in a pinch.

~~ Directions ~~

1.  Get your MERV 16 filter, cheap filter, box fan, and tape together.

2. Figure out which way your fan blows.

3. Figure out which direction the air should be flowing through the filters.  There will be arrows or writing on the filters to show you which way the air should go.

4. Put the fan and the filters in the right order and facing the right way.   The air goes through the cheap filter first, then through the MERV 16, then through the fan (different order than the U of M guy did).  Like so:

Air In >>> Cheap filter  >>> MERV 16 Filter >>> Fan >>> Air Out 

5. Tape the fan and the filters together.  Don't get tape all over the grille and filter media, and try to make a good seal between the fan and the filters.

6. Turn on the fan.  It doesn't need to go at the highest speed.  Mine moves the air really slowly over the filters and I leave it at the lowest speed because it's less noise.

8.  Forget you have smoking neighbors. :-D

_________________________________

I hope this post is helpful for you!  If you have any other suggestions or questions, leave them in the comments.

** MERV air filter ratings go from 1 to 20.  A MERV 1 filters things like string and thumbtacks out of the air (used by cheap apartment managers to keep furnaces from being destroyed by large objects being sucked into the air intake).  A MERV 20 filter takes out everything that is not a gas (used for electronics manufacturing or completely sterilizing air).  A MERV 16 is about 95% effective for removing particles that are .1-.3 microns in size (like cigarette smoke.)  It will not remove gasses like VOCs.  In fact, vapors from things like acetone or gasoline will damage the filter.  MERV 16, as far as I know, is highest number consumers can (or would need to) buy.

*** Rationale: Since we spent about $100 on our super-duper air-cleaning MERV 16 filters, we don't want to send filthy air through them and clog them up quickly.  Therefore, we clean the air a little bit before sending it through the MERV 16 by sending it through the cheaper filter first (probably a MERV 8 or 9).  This "pre-filter" will clean out the big particles like pollen, dust, mold, and dander.  Then, our MERV 16 only has to take care of the really small particles, like cigarette smoke.  This will lengthen the life of the filter and save us money.

Is Adorna Cream Effective?

Why I looked into Adorna: My best friend decided to try it.

A few months ago I was walking downtown with Katie.  She suddenly hesitated as if considering whether or not to actually say what she was thinking.  She decided to proceed:  "Promise not to laugh, I've bought a cream called Adorna," she said, "you rub it on your breasts and it makes them increase one to two cup sizes.  I'm going to try it."

She was serious.  She doesn't like her breasts and thinks they're too small (they're not).  She convinced me that there was a very slight chance that Adorna wasn't a scam.  But honestly I was hoping it didn't work because something that actually makes your breasts grow is probably dangerous.

Her results and experience with customer service (not good):

After using it for a couple of months, she is frustrated and even a little distraught over its ineffectiveness.  She's been on the phone with them six or seven times asking all kinds of questions about the permanence of the effects of the cream, how to apply it, when people see results, how many people see results and what the results typically are.  The answers have been less than satisfying.

Most recently she wanted a full list of ingredients which is not available on their website, packaging, or even by phone.  They just told her their "five key ingredients" which could, at best, make a paste if the herbs/roots were mashed up fresh and never dehydrated, but then they would mold and rot because it would be like mashed potatoes in a jar.  Clearly, there's more in there, and there's no telling what!

What I've found out (not good):

As I've started looking into it myself, I've found that none of their "key ingredients" actually work. Some of them have chemicals that have some relationship to estrogen in them, but so does soy....that doesn't mean you put it on your breasts to make them grow!  They might say that it's the combination of ingredients that's so effective, but there's no evidence of that at all.

So, being a modern woman, I looked up Adorna Breast Enhancing Cream on the internet.  All I could find was advertising hype written by someone who has bad grammar.  Even their fake online "testimonials" have the same weird grammar, so probably the same writer.  And the same writer, as far as I can tell, has even written many multiple reviews on other sites.  IT'S ALL FAKE. I have found NO credible account of anyone out there actually enlarging their breasts by using this product!

Just as a note, the claims made by Adorna are not evaluated by the FDA and Adorna is not "FDA-approved." 

Protect Yourself! I have collected the following facts that I hope will convince you to stay clear of Adorna.  But if you have to try this cream, note that the "terms and conditions" require you to return the jar of cream in its original condition if you want a refund, so if you try it, you can't return it.  Also, generally Adorna sells things on a plan where you get a"free sample" but if you don't call or write to cancel, you're automatically on a monthly subscription!!!!  

Reason 1 not to buy:  Here are the "key ingredients":

Dong Quai: A plant.  Its root is used medicinally and has a hodgepodge of chemicals in it.  It might act like estrogen, or it might block estrogen.  It could be like a blood thinner, or dilate blood vessels, or induce uterine contractions, who knows?  It hasn't really been studied much.  It is possibly effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation when applied topically to the penis along with other herbs and could maybe possibly help with symptoms of menopause, but no one really knows.  It has been shown to affect estrogen and other hormones in animals but we don't know if it does the same in humans.

Mexican Wild Yam:  A plant.  Contains diosgenin, a chemical which is extracted and made into a concentrate for laboratory use.  When diosgenin is administered to mice that have had their ovaries removed in quantities of 20-40mg per kg of body weight daily it has caused breast growth.  So if you wanted to start your own human study on that to see if it's effective and safe for you, you could inject about 200mg of pure diosgenin into yourself every day.  The tiny amount of diosgenin present in Mexican Yam, applied topically, is hardly a replica of the mouse studies.

Resveratrol: A chemical.  It's found in red grape skins, red wine, and nuts.  It has been shown in animal studies to have some of the same effects on the aging process that calorie restriction does.  It does not cause your breasts to grow.  Some people are trying to find out how resveratrol works.

Dandelion Root:  A plant. Who knows what the theory here is--dandelion root is traditionally a laxative and diuretic.

Hyaluronic Acid: A chemical extracted from rooster combs or bacteria in a laboratory.  Occurs naturally in the human body.  Used in eye surgery and as a treatment for osteoarthritis.  Some people use it as an anti-aging supplement or skin moisturizer, when injected into the skin can be used as a "filler."

Pueraria Mirifica (Nov. 9 2015 update):  I've seen this mentioned as an ingredient in conjunction with Adorna on a couple more of this company's marketing pages, though it's not on the "official" website. This is a plant root. According to drugs.com: "Most commercial products containing pueraria are available as rejuvenating, antiaging, or skin-lightening creams or gels, as beauty soaps, or as capsules or tablets for increasing appetite, enlarging breasts, modulating hair growth or regrowth, and other rejuvenating purposes. However, there is no literature to support these uses."

Reason 2 not to buy: What exactly IS Adorna LLC? Where is it located and who owns it?

Adorna LLC is registered in Connecticut by a man named Bryan V.  Adorna was technically started by Sybarite Elite Inc, a company run by Bryan V.  So Sybarite owns Adorna, but both have only one human in their records: Bryan V..  Remember that name.

Now, on the Adorna.com website, it says:

"All data compiled within Adorna, Womens Breast Kept Secret, including its trademarks have been compiled by Healthier Image Labs.

Real consumers have tried Adorna, and have had success. Five out of six people saw results within the first week of trying. All testimonials are backed by signed and notarized affidavits to make sure that the data being collected was under oath and true."

Sounds legit, right?  Healthier Image Labs sounds like a third party checking in on Adorna.  But in fact, Healthier Image Labs is yet another LLC started by Bryan V.  Its mailing address is a rented mailbox at the UPS store!

Furthermore, the affidavits are more like a preparation for a lawsuit or trial, and have nothing to do with a scientific study.  We can't read the affidavits to see what "results" the people had.  No reputable scientist looked at them and signed off on them.  The "study" wasn't published in a scientific journal. This isn't proof that Adorna works.  It's a marketing ploy, and shows that they have no better "evidence" to show their product works.

So who is Bryan V.?  According to his LinkedIn profile, as of October 2016, he's a marketing major  who went to Central Connecticut State University.  He is not a scientist or dermatologist.  He didn't go to business school.  Marketing. And apparently, he really loves to register LLC's and corporations in Connecticut and make marketing websites!  For instance, Musclexedge.com.  He also registered and dissolved an entity called Illuminated Teeth.  And SleepWellFormula.com--that's him too.  And the defunct Bitcoin Coaching Systems, and the current BitcoinMoneySystems.com.  Something called Aquasis Media, too.   Those were the ones I could find. That is the dl on Bryan V. and how he tries to sell to the unwary.  Eight registered businesses in one state.  Lots of websites.

If you want to see the public records for yourself, go to the website for the Connecticut Secretary of State and search the following names:

ADORNA
SYBARITE ELITE
HEALTHIER IMAGE LABORATORIES
MUSCLEXEDGE.COM
ILLUMINATED TEETH
SLEEP WELL FORMULA.COM
BITCOIN COACHING SYSTEMS
AQUASIS MEDIA

May 13, 2016: One of the commenters on this post said they now list the ingredients in the cream on the package, so perhaps they've changed?  I hope so!

Save your money!  There are lots of breast enhancement forums that aren't making a profit off of women who want a bigger bust, and the advice and potions they recommend are free!

Sept. 18, 2018: Still not effective.

April 30, 2024:  Besties!!! . . . you mean this brand is STILL being sold?