We have posted several blogs about the odor removal effects of ozone generators in kitchens, bathrooms, cars, and for pets, etc. This time, we want to talk about one kind of odor that we may also encounter in our daily life – chemical odors. Unlike other odors, a chemical odor are defined by the composition of the odor, not by the place where they emerge.
Chemical odors are usually stronger than other room odors. When certain kind of chemical odor is smelt, it means that some chemical molecule has stimulated your respiratory system, and caught your sensation. Chemical odors sometimes are caused by single chemical, and sometimes they are caused by certain compound made up of multiple chemicals. These odors are often associated with potential health hazards. Whether or not such a chemical odor will cause health problems is also determined by several factors, such as its chemical composition, its concentration, exposure time, and sensitivity of the affected.
Hazards
The hazards that chemical odors may bring depend on different situations. They can sometimes cause only unpleasant feelings. And sometimes, chemical odors may cause physical discomfort and even more serious symptoms. They tend to irritate eyes, nose, throat, lungs and so on. Sometimes they may cause a sensation of burning in our throat, causing coughs, asthma, or other breathing problems. Sometimes, intense irritation can cause headaches, dizziness or nausea in some people.
A Little Positive Effects
Although chemical odors are unpleasant and even dangerous, they sometimes have certain positive effects for us. For example, they can tell you that something should not be around you, or if there’s something wrong in your home. For instance, there might be mold growing in some areas, or sewage running back in the bathroom. If you sense rotten egg smell at home, and you are sure there are no rotten eggs at all, it is necessary to check whether there is a gas leak in your kitchen.
Sources
According to common senses, chemical odors mainly exist in chemical plants and laboratories. But even in our homes, they may sometimes show up. Chemical odors at home are usually caused by the following reasons:
1. Volatile organic compound (VOC)
When it comes to VOC, you possibly don’t know what it is. But for formaldehyde, I think it will not be strange to you. Formaldehyde pollution at home mainly comes from new furniture and decoration materials. Formaldehyde can function well in bonding and strengthening the furniture in the manufacturing process. Its presence will also help the protection against worm damage and corrosion. Formaldehyde is a kind of colorless, soluble, irritant, and toxic gas. A small amount of formaldehyde in the air is enough to cause discomfort. At high concentrations, formaldehyde can cause human death. Formaldehyde is also listed as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization.
2. Plastic or rubber melting in home appliances
This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it often produces unpleasant odors. To check the condition of appliances at a regular basis will be a good way to prevent this, especially for appliances that have been used for years. Also, do not put too much load on your socket in order to avoid overheating or even burning of the socket.
3. Rotten animals in unknown corners
The smell of rotten animals is distasteful, especially when it happens within a house. Rotten animal body releases pungent gases such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and sulfur dioxide, etc.
How to remove chemical odors
Above, we have listed the common reasons of chemical odors in a family. There should be more reasons than these. But even within these three, we can divide them into two types. One is short-term emergencies, such as the second and the third. And the other type is long-lasting problems, like the first one. The release of formaldehyde from new furniture and home decoration materials is a slow process. It can last for months or even a year or so.
For the second type of chemical odors, conventional cleaning work cannot solve the problem. But there is a green and environment-friendly way to solve the problem – ozone. Ozone operation will be convenient, and the effect will be rapid. What’s more, ozone has a thorough odor and bacteria removal effect. Once the gas ozone is produced, it will last only about 20 minutes. During this 20-minute decomposition process, ozone molecules will adsorb odor molecules efficiently and react chemically. In this way, ozone achieves the purpose of changing the molecular characteristics of odors, so as to fundamentally eliminate the odor. When such process is completed, ozone will be restored to oxygen and later be diffused into the atmosphere without leaving any harmful residues.
Ozone can create a healthier and safer environment for people who need to live and work in spaces where chemical odors are inevitable. The use of ozone generators is easy and convenient. Just turn an ozone generator on, and no other human intervention will be needed in the odor removal and disinfection process. When the process in finished, you only need to leave the room unoccupied and ventilated for over 1 hour for ozone diffusion.
