The Best Way To Naturally Remove Odors
Fish Odors (Photo credit: urbanworkbench)
Odors are a natural part of life. However, some odors can be very unpleasant and can get worse over time if they are not addressed. Many modern deodorizers are actually designed to replace a bad odor with a more pleasant one – masking the first odor. However, once the new fragrance has dissipated, the underlying bad odor often remains. In order to actually remove the disagreeable odor, it must be attacked at its source. Ozone machines do exactly that by breaking down the indoor pollutants and microorganisms that cause the odor.
What Is an Ozone Machine?
An ozone machine is a relatively small appliance that plugs into a standard wall outlet. It is often used to eliminate odors in commercial settings or in residences. It is best used in unoccupied spaces where it is set to run for a specified amount of time and then turned off before reoccupying the space. The space may be occupied again approximately one hour after the treatment has been completed. There are different sizes of machines that are used depending on the size of the indoor space that requires treatment. It can follow the same path that odors do and leaves no residue.
How Does it Work?
The Odor Free Machines website states that the machine sends an electrical current to a ceramic plate, and the reaction creates a corona discharge that splits regular oxygen molecules (O2) into two parts. Each of these parts combines with a regular oxygen molecule to create ozone (O3). In nature, ozone is created when UV light hits oxygen in the atmosphere or when lightning is generated. This ozone naturally sanitizes and deodorizes the air by oxidizing the offending molecules. This same ozone molecule can eliminate odors and reduce the growth of microorganisms. However, most people live in indoor spaces that receive very little UV light to naturally counteract odors. Ozone machines are designed to utilize nature’s sanitizing powers in indoor settings.
The ozone can travel anywhere indoor air can travel, so it can go wherever an odor goes. The ozone has a sanitizing smell as it destroys odors, but as it reverts back to oxygen, that odor goes away along with the offensive odor that it destroyed. In addition to removing odors from the air, ozone can remove odors that reside on walls, ceilings, carpet, and furniture such as smoke or tobacco residue.
Is the Ozone Dangerous?
Many times people associate ozone with the depletion of the atmospheric ozone layer that protects the earth from the sun’s harmful UV rays or the high ozone levels that are used to measure pollution in large cities. Because of this, one may wonder whether it is harmful to purposely create ozone indoors. High levels of ozone or long-term exposure can cause respiratory irritation, so using ozone machines must be done with caution. This is why treatments are usually done in unoccupied spaces only, and sufficient time is allowed to elapse before people enter the space after completion of the treatment. After about an hour, the O3 breaks back down into normal O2, and the ozone reverts to its natural state as oxygen.
If you are looking for eco-friendly, natural ways to remove unwanted odors, then an ozone machine may be just what you need.
What do you use to get rid of Odors?
Wow this is really interesting!
oh love it. thank you
I’ve only just recently started to hear about ozone machines and am very intrigued. I am going to research them a bit more before I buy one, though. I want to make sure they are environmentally friendly. Other than organic essential oils, I don’t use air fresheners.
I usually use either baking soda or newsprint to remove odors. I had never heard of an ozone machine! Thank you!