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Delhi woman gives air purifier a ‘spa day’ after it turns black from pollution; viral video alarms netizens: ‘So harmful to stay indoors’

In the Instagram reel, Pragati Agarwal is seen brushing off the machine as layers of dust and grime fall off like soot from a chimney.

2 min readNew DelhiNov 16, 2025 04:38 PM IST

Delhi’s air continues to hover in the danger zone, on Sunday morning, the city recorded an AQI of 385

A Delhi resident has captured the capital’s worsening pollution crisis by posting a tongue-in-cheek video of herself cleaning out her choked air purifier. In the Instagram reel, Pragati Agarwal is seen brushing off the machine as layers of dust and grime fall off like soot from a chimney.

The clip carries the text, “In Delhi even air purifiers deserve a spa day,” while her caption says, “Side effects of living in Delhi even my air purifier needs therapy.” The joke clearly struck a chord online, with viewers laughing at the absurdity of the situation while acknowledging the grim reality behind it.

Watch the video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pragati Agarwal (@pragatiagarwal0)

The comments section quickly filled up with reactions. One user admitted, “I thought it was some black container until you brushed it off.” Another suggested turning to greenery for help, “Use some indoor plants which release oxygen, fill balconies with plants like tulsi and other oxygen releasing plants creepers etc…. These things alone cannot do everything.”

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One user expressed shock at how unsafe the air has become indoors, writing, “My mouth is open wide in shock still at the moment I’m typing this comment… so freaking harmful it is to even stay indoors with this level of air quality.”

A fourth user took a political dig, claiming, “Finally after 11 years we ca freely complaint about pollution. This Kejriwal dictatorship forced us to stay silent even after 1000+ AQI.”

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air continues to hover in the danger zone. On Sunday morning, the city recorded an AQI of 385, firmly in the “very poor” category. Several areas fared even worse: Anand Vihar at 412, Chandni Chowk at 418, ITO at 417, and Bawana touching 436.

The situation has barely budged in recent days. Saturday’s AQI was 386, Friday’s also fell in the “very poor” range, and earlier in the week pollution had already climbed into the “severe” bracket, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.