Odour neutralizers: good for the environment?

There are all sorts of odour-eliminating products on the market. The active function (i.e., the odour-destroying function 🤓) can vary among products.

Why are there several ways to destroy odours?

Because each odour (which is an emanation of a volatile substance) has its own composition. This composition can vary from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, organic to inorganic, high to low vapour pressure, etc. Each of these odours can be neutralized using a single active ingredient or a combination of different ingredients.

The microorganisms contained in NODO odour eliminators are specially formulated to neutralize all odours found in our environment.

And are these eliminators dangerous?

The answer varies depending on the active function of the product in question.

On the market, you can find everything: organic, vegan, carcinogen-free, endocrine disruptor-free products, etc. As the saying goes: the opposite is also true! That's why you also find products dangerous for the environment and for organic life. 😨

To make sense of it all: here's a top 10 list of the best and worst odour eliminators.

 

The 5 worst ways to get rid of odours:

 

1 – The "too-much-of-everything" products

An odour eliminator that respects everything, from the environment to your religious convictions (no kidding), passing through your personal ambitions and your wallet, does exist. However, will it be effective?

If you have to use 5 bottles of a "green" product to achieve acceptable neutralization, is that quantity still in harmony with environmental respect?

I personally experienced this: I bought a product that was highly decorated with logos, certifications, accreditations, all the bells and whistles! The product was in line with my consumption habits: it was perfect from its design to its manufacturing.

Result: I had to use the entire bottle, and the next day, the foul odours were back. 🙄

So I paid for a product that was super expensive (thanks or due to the accreditations, depending on your perspective 😜) and didn't even work. One might wonder if this "green" product might not actually contribute to overconsumption, given that you would have to buy it again to maybe, and I stress maybe, get rid of the odour.

 

2- Products containing oxidizers

Oxidizers are very effective against odours; however, their production, transport, storage, handling, and use raise environmental concerns. Unlike "too-much-of-everything" products, it's the usage part that has the least negative impact on the environment, as the product is effective in very small quantities.

As to which is better for the environment – using 8 liters of a "green" but ineffective product, or 0.1 liter of a less environmentally friendly but more effective product – that's up to the consumer to decide! 🤷♀️

If you want to avoid oxidizing products, here are a few names to remember: sodium hypochlorite, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyls, etc.

 

3- The famous essential oils

Even if they are praised for their therapeutic virtues, essential oils are not so harmless. The use and cultivation of certain plants can be damaging to the environment and contribute to deforestation.

Essential oils are derived from the distillation process, and this process yields what can be described as a disturbing return. Take rose essential oil, for example. You need to collect the petals of 24 roses to obtain just one drop (1ml) of essential oil. Furthermore, if the petal is not harvested and used at the opportune moment, it will yield less... So, on average, you need to exploit a field the size of a soccer field (and not the children's one 😉) for an entire season to come home with a 50ml bottle.

So, if you plan to use essential oil alone to destroy odours, you should know that you won't eliminate the odour, as essential oils have no neutralizing properties. You would therefore have to use them continuously, which can end up being very expensive.

 

4- Odour maskers or air fresheners

Air fresheners eliminate foul odours, or so we believe. But no! In reality, they only mask them with an even stronger scent. Here, we're talking about products like plug-in air fresheners, air purifiers, etc.

How does it work? The scents released into the air come into contact with the odorous molecule and absorb it.

The problem? The scent isn't strong enough to retain the molecule, causing it to escape and release the odour... That's why with masking agents, you smell both the foul odour AND the scent. These odour maskers can even increase the strength and speed at which foul odours volatilize, making the situation worse!

Furthermore, unlike NODO, odour maskers are full of Volatile Organic Compounds. These VOCs increase the ozone level in the troposphere, and a high ozone level is a respiratory irritant not only for us humans but also for our animal friends and even plants! 😲

 

5- Activated charcoal

Many products with activated charcoal are sold. While it can be very effective, it has no effect on the source of the odour, only on stale air. To remove the odour, the stale air must therefore pass through the charcoal for the malodorous molecules to be adsorbed by the charcoal.

The product we are sold is therefore effective, the problem lies in its application in our homes, because if the air does not pass efficiently through the charcoal, it will not be neutralized in any way.

The use of activated charcoal, although often described as environmental, may not be as good as we are led to believe, because charcoal comes from industrial activities and is activated by nitric acid, an extremely toxic product. Moreover, charcoal filters everything that is volatilized, including the humidity present in the air. Once the ambient humidity is absorbed by the charcoal, it becomes saturated and can no longer adsorb anything, it can then become corrosive on contact, be difficult to dispose of environmentally, AND even end up smelling bad itself.

P.S. No, adsorb is not a typo.

 

🧪 A little (more) science:

Adsorption, not to be confused with absorption, is a phenomenon where molecules attach to solid surfaces. If a molecule can penetrate within the adsorbing phase, there is absorption.

Example: A sponge is factually adsorbing because water sticks to its walls (all the small holes serve to adsorb more liquid), whereas milk penetrates into coffee, so it is absorbed. We can also say that if the two materials can separate, there is adsorption, whereas if they are bound and can no longer separate, there is absorption.

 

The 5 best ways to get rid of odours:

 

1- Organic digestion

One of the best ways to get rid of organic odours is to accelerate organic digestion.

What is it? It means directly attacking the source with microorganisms that will destroy foul odours! By spraying or mixing microorganisms directly with the source of foul odours, the microorganisms will consume (i.e., digest) the organic content of the odour source.

In this way, the bacteria that causes foul odours are left without food and are also outnumbered (and since they are not the Montreal Canadiens, they don't perform as well in such a case – even if we shout Olé, olé olé! 🏒).

With the addition of microorganisms, you facilitate biodegradability by accelerating organic digestion. This is very environmentally friendly!

 

2- Buffer solutions

Baking soda neutralizes stubborn acidic odours, like those of sour milk—as well as other slightly funky odours that might be hiding in your home. Often, an odour source can emerge due to its pH, either too high or too low (Acidic/Alkaline). Whether too high or too low, baking soda acts as a buffer. It has the effect of bringing the pH back towards neutrality, or 7. It's a natural odour eliminator that rebalances the pH of a given odour source. Simply spray a solution of baking soda and water (1:10) or, even better, incorporate this solution into the malodorous source. The final product after adding a buffer solution is neutralized, which makes it much easier to degrade in the environment.

The problem? Once used, it needs to be removed, and that's not so simple when applied to carpets and other fabrics. Believe me, I swept it for months trying it on my rug... 😑

 

3- Dilution

There's a saying that goes: "The solution to pollution is dilution."

It's believed that adding air (dilution) reduces the concentration of a pollutant, which would lessen the negative impacts of the odour problem. The principle of dilution holds true as long as the environment, in this case, your home, has the capacity to absorb and degrade a certain amount of odours. This capacity reaches its limit at different speeds, depending on the type of odour or the size of the space in question. Once that limit is reached, you need to replace the air, introduce a flow of uncontaminated air, dilute the concentration, etc.

Basically, you need to open the windows and create a draft. 😂

The best tip: open a window opposite the prevailing winds and force the air out of a window on the opposite side. This will create a suction effect that will dilute the air in your home.

 

4- Chemical bonding

Chemical bonding is a very good way to neutralize odours.

What is it? A chemical bond is a lasting attraction between atoms, ions, or molecules that allows the formation of chemical compounds.

Basically, a malodorous molecule is introduced to a chemical ligand. The addition results in a new, odourless complex. The best example is your antiperspirant. This is a perfect bond between your sweat and the active ingredient, which binds irreversibly to create this new odourless compound.

Some of these ligands are indeed dangerous for the environment but are mostly banned from all manufacturing, such as aluminum by-products. All others are deemed to have little effect by authorities.

 

5- Filtration

There may be situations where a room in the house permanently smells bad. We're thinking here of the basement or the garage. It may be difficult to find the source, and as a result, odours are continuously present.

When faced with this odour problem, it may be necessary to filter the air permanently. Simply forcing the air from a room through a filter to be filtered is simpler than you might think.

For a long time, and even more so since the pandemic, companies have specialized in manufacturing this type of device. Perhaps you've heard of HEPA filters?

These filters have become extremely efficient since their appearance. They were previously used in pharmaceutical and food processing laboratories. They are so powerful that they now have the ability to filter out molecules responsible for foul odours. These are equipped with a fan that forces air circulation. Simply plug them in and forget about them while they do their job!

 

At NODO, our odour eliminators are of the 'organic digestion' type. We also use refreshing scents for you to enjoy while the microorganisms do their work, as they can take a few hours to fully act. The addition of scents also helps prevent overconsumption of the product. When the product doesn't smell like anything, people tend to use too much. That said, if you prefer unscented products, we recommend our natural version spray odour eliminator, as it contains only water and microorganisms.  

NODO is used in trash cans and compost - it even accelerates organic digestion. 🤯 It removes pet odours, urine, and can be used directly in litter boxes. It's the perfect product for removing cigarette or cannabis odour from fabrics like curtains, sofas, carpets, or car seats. Athletes love it for their equipment like shoes, boots, gloves, etc. 

For more usage ideas, visit our Facebook or Instagram page with the hashtag #monNODO