In our industry, we face jobsite odor problems almost daily, and no matter how much experience we gain, how much training we get, or how many of these educational articles we read, controlling odors can still be a challenge. So, here’s a quick summary of the various odor control tools at your disposal and some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way to help you decide what tools to use and when to use them.

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First Principles

• Understand the root cause of the odor. Sometimes this can be difficult, such as the case of a mystery odor where the cause is unknown. This is where your detective hat needs to be worn and put to use. The bottom line is if you can figure out the cause or source of the odor, you are going to be more successful in removing and/or controlling it… so do some investigation and find it.
• Remove the source. If the source of the odor is a thing or substance you can find, see, get access to, and remove… then this is quite easy. On the other hand, if the odor is somewhere you can’t see or get to, or if it’s the result of a process you can’t stop or modify, this step may not even be possible. This also gets a bit tricky when there are ongoing processes like forest fires that are still burning outside or pets that keep returning to give us repeat business.
• Remove the odor from ALL affected areas. Just because the source is removed or no longer producing odor it doesn’t mean the odor will go away on its own. Odor molecules in the airspace will still be there; likewise, the odor molecules that have bonded to or absorbed into building materials and contents need to be dealt with as well.
  A hoarding job we did several years ago is an excellent example of why this is important. We moved everything out of a small condo, completely gutted it, treated it, sealed the interior, and rebuilt it. There was no odor but the smell of fresh paint and new carpet… until they moved the contents back in! Since the customer wouldn’t allow us to treat the furniture and decided to handle that on their own, the stank moved right back in with their stuff!
• Try not to make things worse or kill anyone in the process. This is where the importance of really understanding the best practices and limitations of each of our many available odor control processes and technologies comes in. While we have more effective tools at our disposal than ever before, it takes some time and experience to fully understand how to safely and effectively put these tools and technologies to work.

In our industry, we face jobsite odor problems almost daily, and no matter how much experience we gain, how much training we get, or how many of these educational articles we read, controlling odors can still be a challenge.

Most Commonly Used Technologies

Air exchange: If the odor molecules are in the air, why not toss out the smelly air? If weather and other conditions permit, it’s often fast and cheap to just exchange fresh outdoor air.

Cleaning: This is the foundation of source removal and a critical odor removal step if smelly residues have built up on surfaces or been absorbed into soft goods.

Heat: While we do this without thinking about it on most drying jobs, heat can be a good way for materials to give up their embedded odors and break apart various types of odors.

Odor Eliminators / Paring Agents /Odor Encapsulants: This is where new technology really starts to show its value. Without getting into the specific technologies and how they work, these products generally have no smell of their own, but can eliminate odors on contact. I recommend investigating the products sold by restoration suppliers and having one or more of these in your arsenal.

Oxidizers: Chemical compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, and others are great at breaking apart odor molecules. They can be used to penetrate into materials like wood and breakdown the residues in the cleaning process. However, you need to be careful because you don’t want to risk injuring someone or damaging finished materials. These types of products come in both liquid and gas/vapor forms and have very different safety profiles depending on how you use them.

Ozone: This method has been used to deodorize contents and structures on fire losses for decades. Why? Because it works. However, it does have its drawbacks now that we understand more about the potential dangers to humans exposed to ozone, as well as potential damage to certain sensitive materials.

Hydroxyls: Hydroxyl generators have quickly become standard equipment and if you don’t have them in your inventory, it’s time. They are able to quickly eliminate odors in the airspace as soon as they are running and are safe enough to work around. What I didn’t know until recently is that when used efficiently, which takes a little training and practice, they can be very effective on all aspects of most odor situations. Not all hydroxyl generators are created equal though, so be sure to read the independent research on each before buying.

Disinfectants: If the source of the odor is off-gassing from microbial metabolism (e.g., raw sewage, active mold growth, rotting, pet deposits, decomposing, etc)… killing the microbes can stop the source of the odor. It’s important to make sure the EPA-registered disinfectant you choose says “Tuberculocidal” on the label so you know it’s strong enough to do the job.

Enzymes/Bio: Another interesting way to treat odor problems is to use a product that contains enzymes and/or engineered bacteria. In my experience, these products are best for specialty jobs like long-term treatment of crawlspace sewage that has seeped into the dirt base. Another great application for this technology is pet urine deposits. There are very specific moisture, time, and temperature parameters that need to be maintained with these, so make sure you have all the information and understand the process.

Odor Counteractants: Many of the older technologies used to treat odors fall into this category. However, just because they may be older doesn’t mean that these aren’t an essential part of your odor-fighting toolbox. There is a wide variety of technologies that I’ve heaped into this category, but basically these cover, mask, or change the odor. They can be sprayed directly on surfaces, added to cleaning solutions, or fogged. The best ones are designed to break apart the odor molecules or bind with them. Some only add a scent. Be careful with that because sometimes when you add a smell to an odor, you end up with worse stink than when you started!

Fogging: Fogging is simply a method of applying odor control technologies. There are two types: ULV (cold) fogging/misting and thermal (hot) fogging. They are very different from each other. Many of the liquid products I’ve mentioned above can be applied to the air with a ULV fogger. Remember that any time you add something to the air, it adds a safety/liability concern. Thermal fogging burns a product to create a type of smoke so only use products in a thermal fogger that are specifically created for thermal fogging.

Absorption/Adsorption:  Instead of adding a substance to the environment to deal with odors, you can use a technology that pulls the odors out. We’ve been using activated charcoal filters for many years to pull odors out of the air. They are inexpensive and work well, but you need to know their limitations. New tech like the proprietary OdorKlenz-Air Cartridges and Zeolites can grab an even wider range of odor molecules and pollutants in the air.

We’ve been using activated charcoal filters for many years to pull odors out of the air.

Sealing: There may be situations where following the principles and using the treatments above are not enough or you need to be doubly sure the odor control is permanent. One example might be heavy fire damage, resulting in odors deeply imbedded into wooden structural materials. To prevent odors from later working their way out of the materials, one option is to paint an odor sealer product on the surface. For this to work, you need to select a product specifically designed for this purpose and apply it thick enough and according to the manufacturer’s directions. Remember that sealing is going to work best after you have properly treated the odors with the appropriate odor treatment method. Sealing should be the last step used, and is becoming less necessary as industry professionals learn how to more effectively use the many odor control technologies now available.

As you can see, there are many great methods for handling those tough odors we all encounter. You may be familiar with a method that has worked for years, but challenge yourself to explore some other options that may be safer, faster, or more cost effective. …that’s what professionals do.  

CLEANING, HYGIENE, & ODOR CONTROL GUIDE - FREE e-BOOK

Airborne Foul Odors May Be Generated From Soil Or Pathogens Residing On Surfaces Or In Sub-Surface Porosity In Your Home Or Facility. Find Out How To Control Your Odor Problems.

The Hygiene & Odor Control Experts At Dobmeier Recommend AIRX Products For Safe & Effective Odor Control In Your Home Or Facility. For safe and effective use of these products, always follow the manufacturer's label instructions, paying special attention to the recommended product dilution rate and contact time.

Download Your FREE e-Book (PDF Format):
The Dobmeier Odor Control Cleaning Guide

March BREAKING NEWS

AIRX Products For Disinfection Control Of Wuhan Coronavirus COVID-19 (-nCoV)

Since the Wuhan Coronavirus, COVID-19, is a newly emerged pathogen, disinfection products that are effective against it do not currently have EPA-registered disinfectant labels. As a result, the EPA is advising that disinfection products that kill Norovirus, Rotavirus, and Adenovirus type 7 are effective against the COVID-19.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit biological deodorization equipment.

Following this guidance, the following AIRX products are considered suitable for controlling COVID-19:

AIRX RX44ACE and AIRX RX44HDQ
AIRX RX75 and AIRX RX78+
AIRX Spray N Go Disinfectant

AIRX CLEANING, HYGIENE, & ODOR CONTROL PRODUCTS

The Hygiene & Odor Control Experts at Dobmeier recommend the full range of AIRX Products for eliminating the root cause of all kinds of odors:

Airborne Odors

Surface Based Odors

Sub-Surface Based Odors

INTRODUCING THE NEW - AIRX SPRAY N ROLL & SPRAY N GO PRODUCTS

Elimination Of Airborne Foul Odors

AIRX offers a full range of Airborne Odor Control Products to cover all of your requirements:

Elimination Of Foul Odors From Surface-Based Sources

A full range of AIRX Surface Odor Control Products clean & disinfect hard floors, carpets, and all other types of surface:

AIRX Hard Floorcare Products:

RXA2Z Cleaner/Deodorizer
Multi-tasking cleaner/deodorizer, meets & exceeds all recognized "green" cleaner specifications.
- Non stock - Call Dobmeier at 1.800.870..

RX101 Odor Counteractant Cleaner
Super concentrated complex of synthetic detergents, natural solvents, & Airicide.
RX 101 - 55 Gallon Drum
RX 101 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 101 - 1x1 Gallon
RX 101 - 2x2.5 Gallon BIBs

RX75 Tuberculocidal Antibacterial Heavy-Duty Cleaner
RTU spray & wipe, kills the Parvo virus & TB bacillus. Regular & fresh herbal scent.
RX 75 - 55 Gallon Drum
RX 75 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 75 - 1x1 Gallon
RX 75 - 12x1 Quart, Herbal
RX 75 - 1x1 Quart, Herbal

RX Slow Dry Odor Controlled Stripper
Practically odorless, dries slowly for effective penetration & reemulsification.
RX - 55 Gallon Drum
RX - 4x1 Gallon
RX - 1x1 Gallon

RX Stain Shield Sealer / Undercoater
Guards against stains from Betadyne, medicines, urine, asphalt, tar, oil, rust...
RX - 55 Gallon Drum
RX - 4x1 Gallon
RX - 1x1 Gallon

RX Odor Control Floor Finish
Innovative tech eliminates ammonia odor, allows faster coats, prevents mop drag, & produces a higher gloss.
RX - 55 Gallon Drum
RX - 4x1 Gallon
RX - 1x1 Gallon
RX - 2x2.5 Gallon BIBs

RX Cleaner, Restorer, Burnish Base
For mop & bucket or automatic scrubbing machines. Cleans and leaves an invisible film for burnishing.
RX - 6x1 Quart
RX - 1x1 Quart

Need Help Selecting The Right AIRX Products?

AIRX Carpetcare Products:

AIRX Disinfectant Cleaning Products:

Elimination Of Foul Odors From Sub-Surface Sources

A full range of AIRX Sub-Surface Odor Control Products clean & disinfect penetrative organic matter, soils, and pathogens:

AIRX Products For General Sub-Surface Use:

AIRX Products For Foodservice Applications:

RX30 DeO-Degreaser
Specially formulated to degrease, clean & deodorize bulk trash collection and disposal equipment & facilities.
RX 30 - 55 Gallon Drum
RX 30 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 30 - 1x1 Gallon

RX31 Super Sorbent
Carbonized paper pulp absorbs liquid swill & absorbs vapors, now improved with citronella to help deter insects.
RX 31 - 3x10lb Boxes
RX 31 - 1x10lb Box

RX32 Bio-Enzymatic Drain Opener
Safer & faster in opening clogged drains than caustic brands. Natural without dangerous side effects.
RX 32 - 55 Gallon Drum
RX 32 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 32 - 1x1 Gallon
RX 32 - 12x1 Quart
RX 32 - 1x1 Quart

RX33 Bio-Enzymatic Grease Trap Drain Maintainer
Billions of micro-organisms liquefy grease, fats and other potential drain blockages.
RX 33 - 55 Gallon Drum
RX 33 - 5 Gallon Pails
RX 33 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 33 - 1x1 Gallon
RX 33 - 12x1 Quart
RX 33 - 1x1 Quart

RX34 Dumpster & Trash Cleaner
Conc. heavy-duty degreaser fortified with surfactants, orange oil solvent & Airicide.
RX 34 - 4x1 Gallon
RX 34 - 1x1 Gallon
RX 34 - 12x1 Quart RX Foamer
RX 34 - 6x1 Quart RX Foamer
RX 34 - 1x1 Quart

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