Discover How a Recent Hospital Study Used Settle Plates to Expose Airborne Contamination – and How You Can Do the Same at Home
When was the last time you questioned the cleanliness of the air inside your home or business? Most of us focus on what we can see: surface dust, visible mould, or neglected corners. But what about the less visible threats—the airborne microbes and mould spores that could be compromising your health every time you breathe indoors?
A cutting-edge 2025 clinical study recently rocked the healthcare world by leveraging a surprisingly simple technique, the “settle plate” method, to test exactly how much microbial contamination is floating in the air—and better yet, to assess if interventions like air purifiers really make a difference[1].
This blog post will unpack what this study discovered, how their simple approach can be used by anyone with a home test kit, and why NOW is the time to put your own air to the test—especially after cleaning, improved ventilation, or professional remediation. Plus, we’ll explain how you can replicate these powerful results yourself…and why our easy-to-use settle plates are the must-have tool for anyone serious about real, measurable air quality.
The Shocking Results from Hospital Air: What the 2025 Study Showed
The study, published in the Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine (2025), tackled a serious problem: hospital-acquired infections in a critical care oncology unit filled with immunocompromised patients. To measure if an antimicrobial air purifier could truly make a difference, the researchers monitored airborne and surface microbes for 18 months—half with and half without the purifier running.
How did they do it?
They used settle plates—special agar dishes left exposed to the air—which collect and grow whatever invisible microbes are present. After incubation, the number and types of colonies that grew were counted, providing a direct window into what was really swirling in the indoor air and settling onto surfaces[1].
The findings were eye-opening:
· Microbial loads dropped by about 50% in just the first week of using the air purifier, both in the air and on high-touch surfaces.
· Even more crucial, dangerous hospital-related infections dropped measurably: bloodstream infection rates and urinary tract infection rates both decreased during the months when the purifier was in use.
· The difference was dramatic: with the air purifier, airborne colony counts were reduced from 44,089 (without purifier) down to just 1,434 on comparable days[1].
Why Airborne Testing Matters for Your Home or Business
You might think these hospital results don’t apply to you—but nothing could be further from the truth. Indoors, especially after water leaks, mould issues, or anywhere cleaning and ventilation have been neglected, the same mechanisms are at play:
· Microbial and mould spores float in the air, landing on surfaces and getting inhaled.
· Regular cleaning, air purifiers, or mould remediation all aim to reduce this risk.
· But how can you actually KNOW if your intervention worked?
That’s exactly where the settle plate method shines. It’s an affordable, visually revealing, and scientifically sound way to:
· Compare BEFORE and AFTER: See whether your air is cleaner after professional mould removal, upgraded ventilation, or other treatments.
· Validate service quality: Test the effectiveness of contractors or remediation companies—don’t just take their word for it.
· Experiment with DIY solutions: Trying a new air purifier or natural ventilation approach? Settle plates will show you if it’s working.
How to Replicate the Study at Home: The Settle Plate Method Made Simple
You don’t need a hospital lab to replicate these results! Here’s what the settle plate method looks like for any homeowner or business:
1. Order your test kit (our settle plates are ready to go out of the box).
2. Expose the plates in different areas of your home/business—ideally both BEFORE and AFTER any intervention (like cleaning or using an air purifier).
3. Wait, then incubate: After exposure, close the plates and let them incubate at room temperature for a few days.
4. Check your results: Count the colonies that grow. More colonies mean more airborne contamination!
5. Compare your before-and-after results. If you see a dramatic drop in colony numbers, just like in the hospital study, it’s a clear sign your intervention was effective.
Settle Plates: Your DIY Secret Weapon
Unlike expensive, technical equipment, settle plates are:
· Visual: You see firsthand how clean or dirty your air really is.
· Empowering: Take control of your indoor environment.
· Affordable: No need for lab-only equipment or specialist training.
Imagine being able to check if that recent mould remediation was worth the investment, or if your new air purifier actually cleans the air as promised—all for the price of a simple test kit.
Use Cases: When and Why to Test
· Before and after mould cleaning
· Following floods or water leaks
· After upgrading ventilation
· New air purifier installations
· Post-renovation or move-in checks
· Periodic monitoring to maintain a healthy indoor environment
Case Study: What Could YOU Discover?
Just like the hospital team uncovered dramatic reductions in real biological risk with their air purifier, your own settle plate testing could reveal:
· Areas of your property that need more attention
· Proof of improvement from your contracted service
· Peace of mind that your indoor air isn’t hiding a health hazard
Ready to See the Invisible?
Whether you’re a concerned homeowner, property manager, or business owner, you no longer have to wonder about the air you’re breathing. Replicate the hospital’s evidence-based approach with our easy home settle plate kit—and put your remediation, cleaning, or air filtering to the ultimate test.
Don’t Guess. Test!
Order your settle plate kit today, conduct your own BEFORE and AFTER experiments, and discover what’s really in the air you breathe. Because when it comes to air quality, seeing is believing—and peace of mind is priceless.
Reference:
Batra VB, Kirtania J, Tiwari S, Kumar P, Kumar A, Chakraborty S. Role of Antimicrobial Air Purifier in Reducing the Microbial Load in the Critical Care Unit in Oncology Center: An Intervention Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2025;29(4):327-332. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24910[1].
Take action now – buy your settle plate home test kit to see, quantify, and improve the air you breathe!
[1] Attachment: ijccm-29-4-327.pdf