House Odor Elimination | Air Fresheners that Work on Odors

Did you know that some of the worst odors around your home such as those from the bathroom, diapers and garbage bin are caused by bacteria and cannot be filtered out with common household air purifiers? Did you also know that the majority of ordinary air fresheners often just mask smells with overpowering fragrances and do nothing to tackle the root cause of the smell. So just how do you make the house smell good.

Depending on the cause of the odor that you are experiencing and before you choose a solution, you will need to figure out what is at the root of the odor.

The UV Air Purifier

For odors and smells that are caused by bacteria, the air purifier you will need is one with a UV or ultraviolet light. These work by irradiating the bacteria, as well as viruses and other germs. More often than not, UV air purifiers are installed directly into air ducts where there is good airflow.

A UV air purifier is only effective when air is circulating because the UV light can only kill contaminates that are very close to the light bulb. Technically, a UV bulb is only sixty percent efficient at 0.4 inches from the bulb and only twenty percent effective at two inches from the bulb.

Other variations of UV air purifiers are combo units that include an added HEPA filter and sometimes ionization. As well as removing odors through the combination of the UV light and ionization, these units also help reduce the allergens and dust in the air. Air fresheners cannot remove allergens and dust.

There are some spray air fresheners such as Dettol Neutra Air that have a similar effect to that of a UV air purifier. These type sprays are termed air treatments rather than air fresheners as they are capable of eliminating odors caused by bacteria and also leave your room smelling fresh and clean.

If you decide on a spray air freshener or air treatment, look for one that says "disinfectant." While they will kill bacteria and viruses that can cause odors, they will only work in the area where they are sprayed. Because of this, reapplication will be needed if the odors reoccur. For this reason, air purifiers are generally a better option because they are capable of purifying entire rooms and homes rather than just one area.

The Ionizing Air Purifier

Another good alternative to air fresheners are ionizing air purifiers which help take care of both odor and smoke in a room - something that spray air fresheners cannot do.

One of the better known ionizing air purifier systems is the Ionic Breeze, which costs in the region of $300. It is however well worth the price when it comes to removing odors.

Ionizing air purifiers work by sending negatively charged ions into the air, which are then attracted to positively charged airborne odor particles and smoke. As a result, the particles become too heavy to stay in the air and fall toward the ground. The ionizing air purifier collects these particles in a special plate, which you can easily clean off with a damp cloth. Air fresheners, on the other hand, do not remove particles from the air. Instead, they just mask the smells.

Low Ozone Air Purifiers

Low-ozone air purifiers work by oxidizing pollutants, leaving behind breathable oxygen and purified air. Air fresheners on the other hand, do not create purified air but simply disguise odors while leaving the pollutants behind.

Low ozone air purifiers can be harmful, especially if they are turned up too high. This is because they increase the ozone levels in the home to above 0.05 part per million, which is considered to be toxic. As well as this, ozone systems tend to leave a metallic smell behind them. Nevertheless, if low ozone air purifiers are used correctly, they will provide clean, breathable air unlike that offered by air fresheners.