Real housewives always monitor the cleanliness and comfort of their home, but many miss one important point - the smell. Residents of the apartment quickly get used to it and stop smelling it, but a guest entering the apartment will immediately feel even the slightest notes of a nasty aroma. A quick and effective method to get rid of this problem in an apartment can be considered an indoor odor absorber.
You can purchase it in a store or build it yourself. But before removing the stench, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of its appearance.
main sources
Before you begin to get rid of such a problem, it is worth eliminating the source of its occurrence.
The most common causes of stench are the following places:
- Kitchen. It is in the kitchen that there can be many sources of unpleasant aroma.” It can occur in the refrigerator, trash can, microwave. It can also be caused by food residue left on the surface of household appliances.
- Bathroom. Clogged drains can cause a bad smell in this room. With poor ventilation, dampness can occur, which also gives a disgusting smell.
- Shoes. If shoes are not dried, cleaned, and ventilated on time, they can spread a disgusting odor throughout the room.
- Cabinets. It is recommended to ventilate cabinets, otherwise an unpleasant odor will appear there. Upholstered furniture should also be looked after.
- Pets. Beloved pets can also cause an unpleasant odor in the apartment if they are poorly cared for and urine is not removed on time.
- Mold. If the humidity in the apartment is high, mold may appear, which causes unwanted odors.
- Smokers in the house. Tobacco smoke is unpleasant to all non-smokers, and sometimes smokers themselves cannot stand it; read how to remove it here.
Advice! When cleaning, you should not use detergents that smell strongly; such odors can also be irritating.
Absorbents allow you to get rid of the stench of sweat, tobacco, dog urine, shoes, perfume, cats, paint, moonshine, sewage, gasoline and diesel fuel. But they do not saturate the air with new “fragrances”, unlike aromatizers, but only refresh it.
What is an odor eliminator
An odor eliminator is an effective tool for eliminating unpleasant odors in a room. The action of the product is aimed at neutralizing odors in the refrigerator, toilet, rooms with high levels of humidity, etc. Eliminators ensure the effective destruction of odors and eliminate the sources of their distribution.
The products neutralize unpleasant odors in the refrigerator, ashtray, damp rooms and everyday shoes.
Absorber operating principle
Odor neutralizers for indoor use are usually based on activated carbon or the natural mineral zeolite. It is these products that perfectly neutralize the stench due to their chemical properties. In addition, they are completely natural and safe for the human body.
An effective and convenient way to combat the nuisance is an aerosol device that absorbs molecules of a certain size, thereby refreshing the air.
Important! The device can be used not only in the home, but also in basements, smoking areas, and shops.
Absorber for refrigerator
There are most places in the kitchen that don't always smell nice. This happens if you rarely change products and do not throw away garbage on time. The refrigerator compartment is one of the main sources of unpleasant odors, so there are special biological neutralizers for refrigerators. Such absorbents can also be used in the freezer.
The choice of such a device must be approached responsibly, because it will be located next to food. It must be based on safe, natural substances. The shell must be completely closed and durable so that the active substance does not get into the food.
But, before using this device, you need to wash the refrigerator compartment; for this you can use a special spray or a weak solution of vinegar. You should also conduct an audit and dispose of spoiled products.
Anti-odor balls for the refrigerator take up little space and protect against unpleasant odor for 2-4 months.
Please note: refrigeration balls are not suitable for use in rooms because they are designed for a small area.
Kinds
There are many types of odor neutralizers. In structure they come in the form:
- Poroshkov;
- Gels;
- Gas sprayers;
- Liquid;
- Sprays;
- Briquettes.
In composition, they differ only in the active substance, which converts the contents into one or another state of aggregation. In fact, they are no different from each other, and can also be used in commercial and private premises. Manufacturers offer several options for successful combination with the decor of your apartment or home. However, there are also differences among similar analogues - in particular, we are talking about an absorber and odor neutralizer.
Odor absorbers are designed to completely eliminate substances in the air, making it completely clean. Neutralizers, like fresheners and flavors, only mask the smell by mixing with oxygen. The air changes its structure, so the weathering of harmful vapors often takes longer than when using absorbers.
Odor neutralizers for refrigerators
They are designed to mask the odor that may occur in the storage room if there is spoiled food. Basically, its need is to completely remove food odors - fruit, dairy, meat. This way, no matter what you store in your home, the refrigerator will have a neutral (factory) smell. They do not pose any danger to products, their service life is quite long - up to 2 months without changing filters. When installed, the odor is absorbed within 2 hours, and no substances are emitted from the unit to saturate the air with odors.
Odor absorber for shoes
Another type of product included in a package. Can be used for any leather shoes - you need to install it inside and leave it for a couple of hours. The package with the active substance removes moisture and vapor, cleansing the fabric layers from the inside. It is prohibited to open the contents of the package; before reuse, you need to dry the product on a radiator for 6-8 hours. Only then can the absorber be reapplied.
Neutralizers for cabinets
As a rule, they are sold with existing aromatic additives, giving enclosed spaces an unusual, pleasant aroma. Neutralizers should not be placed in the closet with dirty things, only for “cosmetic” giving of freshness to the wardrobe. Such an odor absorber for rooms can have a crumbly or gel-like structure.
Odor absorber for rooms
There are a lot of them - there are paper fillers with a crumbly structure, in the form of jelly and sprays. Some types are intended for commercial premises, others for rooms. A universal neutralizer helps disperse particles by mixing them with pure oxygen.
Neutralizers for cars
They are used in the form of scents and spray cans. Designed for small enclosed spaces. Products with short service life. There are also mousses for absorbing odors from the interior when cleaning seats and upholstery fabrics is necessary.
Animal odor absorber
They can be different in composition and release form. They are used in specialized institutions and for home purposes. They can be mobile or fixed units that are installed on the surface or on the wall. They have a small size, long service life without the need to renew the recharge.
Depending on the type of air freshener, you can choose a different shape and compact configuration. Factory spare parts and fillers are supplied with it if it is a dry type of unit. Each type has the same functional features, but the principle of operation is slightly different, since everything depends on the condition of the filler and its size and purpose.
DIY absorber
It happens - porridge burns on the stove and a suffocating fume arises, which is not so easy to get rid of. But natural absorbents can be found in any housewife’s kitchen, and you can make the device yourself at home. All manufacturing methods are not included in the article, so be sure to watch the video at the end of the article.
Kinds:
- Activated carbon. This substance perfectly removes odors and purifies the air. You need to take 6 tablets of activated carbon, put them on a saucer or any other surface, and place them in the refrigerator. This method is also suitable for cabinets and chests of drawers, since the porous surface perfectly absorbs volatile compounds and easily removes mustiness. The tablets need to be replaced daily.
- Vinegar. You just need to mix water and a few tablespoons of regular table vinegar. The mixture must be mixed and the fabric dipped into it. After which the fabric should be hung in the room, bathroom or kitchen.
- Soda. Baking soda neutralizes any odors and disinfects the air, and is absolutely safe for people and animals. You just need to pour baking soda into a container and place it open in the problem area.
What types of blockers are there?
There are several types of indoor odor eliminators. The mechanism of action of the product is based on the properties of absorbing and absorbing molecules that distribute unpleasant odors. These can be natural and synthetic substances. The first category includes coffee beans, soda, and activated carbon.
Coffee is a very powerful remedy, even stronger than artificial air purifiers and deodorants.
Artificial blockers are produced on an industrial scale. They are available in the form of sprays, gels, balls, briquettes, and powders. When choosing, personal preferences, purpose, type of room, etc. are taken into account.
High-quality household chemicals can eliminate odors and eliminate the source of the reaction.
The intensity of action depends on the concentration of active substances. Odor eliminators are also divided into scented and non-scented.
The activity of most products is based on the absorption process or the mechanism of binding molecules with an unpleasant aroma.
Based on the method of neutralizing unpleasant air, the following types are distinguished:
- Masking agents - this category includes air fresheners; the main disadvantage is their low efficiency; the unpleasant aroma penetrates through others.
- Adsorption - the principle of action of adsorbents is based on capturing and absorbing unpleasant odors. One example is activated carbon, which is actively used in hoods with a carbon filter. The unpleasant odor disappears only when air passes through the adsorbent. Kitchen hoods in this case show effectiveness; in everyday situations there is no possibility.
- Oxidation - the mechanism of action of oxidizing agents is based on the destruction of molecules of unpleasant aroma. Ozone is used as a neutralizer. When treating hard surfaces, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, etc. are used. The Himitek Anti-Odor-Forte product is considered an oxidizing agent; it is intended to destroy unpleasant odors in the toilet. The oxidizing agents present in the solution destroy harmful microorganisms, while the acids dissolve their source - urinary stones. The main disadvantage of oxidizing agents is their destructive effect on unstable compounds (dyes), which makes their use impossible when processing delicate surfaces.
- Neutralization - the unpleasant aroma disappears without destroying molecules; cyclodextrin shows high efficiency. After its spraying, the odor molecules lose their ability to connect with olfactory receptors, so the aroma becomes invisible to humans.
Making a neutralizer for a refrigerator
An original and effective absorbent for the refrigeration chamber can be made in the form of candy. To do this, take a mesh fabric, for example, spinels, and cut it into small rectangles. Then on each piece you need to place several tablets of activated carbon in a row. The fabric needs to be twisted and tied at the sides with threads. Thus, you will get a beautiful homemade device that is not inferior in effectiveness to purchased products.
Natural flavors
Some housewives love it when there is a pleasant fragrance in their home, and for this they purchase air fragrances. But, in fact, you can create a flavoring yourself, and it will be safe and pleasant.
You can use lavender sachets for cabinets; it not only smells nice, but also protects against moths. In the kitchen you can use citrus peels, cinnamon sticks or vanilla.
For flavoring, you can use natural coffee. It is advisable to grind the grains to a coarse grind and pour into a plate. You can leave it on the floor or closet overnight, and the next morning the whole room will be filled with the aroma of coffee.
