How to Clean the Oreck XL Air Purifier

How to Clean the Oreck XL Air Purifier
Written By
Quinn Marshall
Quinn Marshall
Published: Oct 31, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
3 minute read

Both filters lose their ability to clean air properly once they have been saturated with debris. The filters can be removed and manually cleaned using household cleaners and then reinserted into the XL and used again.

Things You Will Need

  • Mild dish soap
  • Cloth
  • Oreck fragrance cartridge
  • Oreck odor absorber
  1. Unplug the Oreck XL.

  2. Fill a large sink or bathtub with warm water. Stir in mild dish soap until it is sudsy.

  3. Disengage the pre-filter and collector cell filter from the purifier. There are two different Oreck XL models; one is a tower, and the other is a wall-mounted unit. To remove the pre-filter and collector cell filter from the XL tower model, grasp the edge of the rectangular filter door on the front of the tower, press the button and pull it gently outward. The pre-filter is a small rectangle immediately visible; slide it out of the unit. The collector cell filter has a black handle and two yellow latches. Turn the yellow latches counterclockwise, then grasp the black handle and pull to slide the filter free. To remove the filter from the wall unit, unscrew the two screws on the front of the purifier using your fingers, then press the button that is shaped like a half-moon to disengage the grill. Slide both the pre-filter and collector cell filter out of the unit.

  4. Place both the pre-filter and collector cell into the warm water and allow them to soak for at least two hours. Do not scrub the collector cell filter in any way; this will damage it. Wipe the pre-filter gently with a damp cloth, then place it back into the water. After two hours, remove both filters and rinse them off thoroughly to remove the dirt. Set both filters in a warm location and allow them to air dry.

  5. Wipe the inside of the XL using a damp cloth and mild soap.

  6. Replace the fragrance cartridge or odor absorber. Open the front control panel on the wall-mounted XL model and press the "Fragrance Cartridge" button. A small slot will pop out. Take the old cartridge out and put a new one in, then press the slot back into the unit. To replace the odor absorber in the tower XL, locate the odor absorber; it is above the collector cell inside the tower. Gently pull it downward and slide a new one in place.

  7. Reassemble the XL air purifier after both the filters have dried completely. Replace the grill or close the door, then plug the unit in and turn it on.

The Drip Cap

  • The XL from Oreck is a portable air purifier that offers four different modes of purification: silence, medium, high and turbo.
  • The Oreck XL filters air using a pre-filter to capture large particles, and then an electrostatic collector cell filter that destroys air contaminants.
  • Stir in mild dish soap until it is sudsy.
  • Disengage the pre-filter and collector cell filter from the purifier.
  • Set both filters in a warm location and allow them to air dry.
  • Take the old cartridge out and put a new one in, then press the slot back into the unit.

Photo Credits

Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Quinn Marshall

Based in New England, Quinn Marshall began her writing career in 2004. She was a featured writer for Laptop Logic and contributes to publications such as "Smashing Magazine."

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