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.
Difference between odor absorber and fragrance
The first version of the device absorbs unpleasant “odors” and purifies the air. Flavorings only temporarily mask the “amber”, the cause of mustiness, dampness, rotting, spoilage of food remains, the molecules of harmful components do not disappear anywhere.
The composition and principle of operation is simple: the odor absorber absorbs fairly heavy molecules, “pulls” air from the total volume, binds it inside the filler, and does not allow it to return to the surrounding space. Professional, ready-made devices have the function of additional aromatization of the environment, imparting a light, unobtrusive odor.
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In some devices, you can set a timer not only to purify the air, but also to supply a delicate flavor at certain intervals, and select the type of scent:
- coniferous,
- citrus,
- floral,
- herbal,
- sea and so on.
Notes of freshness fill the home for a given time, depending on the degree of pollution.
The odor absorber for the home looks like:
- briquettes:
- gel;
- spray;
- powder.
Many devices have an original appearance, a laconic or, conversely, spectacular form, and fit perfectly into any interior. Every owner can easily find the optimal model of such a useful device for the home as an odor absorber. The photos confirm the wide selection of designs and dimensions of the household appliance. The main factor when purchasing a small device is the comfort of use, taking into account the area of the room.
What odors does the odor absorber combat? When you turn on the device or place a briquette/bag in your home, the air is purified from:
- tobacco smoke;
- burning;
- dampness.
The device removes odor:
- some products: salted or smoked fish, spices;
- rotting food waste;
- mustiness with rare ventilation;
- stale linen;
- dust in apartments with a lot of old things;
- household chemicals;
- dirty shoes;
- excrement of cats and dogs;
- residual urine in the cat's litter box.
Inside the device there is a natural or synthetic absorber of harmful molecules:
- Activated carbon,
- sea or rock salt,
- soda,
- magnesium sulfate.
Manufacturers often add essential oils, herbs, and other natural flavors. After a certain period, you can replace the container or plate soaked in the useful substance.
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.
The effectiveness of using odor absorbers for the home
Balls, gels, system spray and other forms of absorbents are easy to find on sale. The scope of application of funds can be narrowly focused and large-scale. When purchasing a profile absorber, decide on your objectives. The activity of most products is based on the absorption process or the mechanism of binding molecules with an unpleasant aroma. Synthetic substances accumulate fragrances that effectively clean the air and give it a touch of fragrance.
If you decide to eliminate a specific aroma in your home with synthetic products, then remember the following rule. The odor remover is selected individually. The presence of a specific cocktail will haunt the owner, preventing him from relaxing at home or at work.
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.
Universal odor absorbers
This odor absorber option mainly comes in gel form. To use it, you must remove the cover and film. If you need to neutralize odor in a small room, such as an office, bathroom or toilet, you should purchase a universal absorber. It is inserted into a special flask and placed near the very source of the bad odor. Let's look at the most popular:
- Optimum 4000 is designed to neutralize odors in rooms up to 200 square meters. It does not harm human health. Works on an evaporation system.
- If you live in an apartment up to 35 square meters, Track absorbers are ideal for you. Cleaning occurs thanks to dry steam.
- For nightclubs and restaurants, consumers are offered Restaurateur.
- Vapor Shark devices have been specially developed for hotels and supermarkets. Its peculiarity is that it can be connected to a ventilation system.
AV is a powerful development of modern technology. It is characterized by such properties as:
- Due to its noiselessness, it can be used at night.
- The device copes with tobacco smoke.
- Is a budget option. Does not require replacement of parts.
- Additionally refreshes the air.
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.
Useful tips
The air in the apartment will be fresh and clean if the following rules are followed:
It is important to prevent the appearance of a musty smell and discomfort when staying indoors.
Need to:
- clean the refrigerator regularly;
- clean the house;
- disassemble cabinets, “fry” or “freeze” things (the method also saves from adult moths and larvae of moths);
- regularly remove animal excrement, thoroughly wash the cat litter box each time or change the litter for the animal litter on time;
- Store products with a strong odor only in closed packaging.
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[note]If an unpleasant “amber” appears, you should not spray fragrances: first you need to eliminate the cause of the discomfort, then turn on or install a homemade indoor odor absorber in your apartment to collect the molecules of harmful components. The device can be purchased at a small household appliance store or made with your own hands following the instructions provided.
Video - recommendations on how to make a natural odor absorber with your own hands:
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.
