The Powerful Sense of Smell
The human sense of smell is incredibly powerful. According to a TED-Ed lesson, adults can distinguish up to 10,000 different smells. After all, it is the first sense used when we’re born. This is all made possible by the olfactory epithelium, located in the back of the nose, which detect smells with millions of neurons.
Basic Types of Smells
Humans typically sense 10 basic types of smells. According to Gizmodo, they are:- Fragrant (e.g. florals and perfumes)
- Fruity (all non-citrus fruits)
- Citrus (e.g. lemon, lime, orange)
- Woody and resinous (e.g. pine or fresh cut grass)
- Chemical (e.g. ammonia, bleach)
- Sweet (e.g. chocolate, vanilla, caramel)
- Minty and peppermint (e.g. eucalyptus and camphor)
- Toasted and nutty (e.g popcorn, peanut butter, almonds)
- Pungent (e.g. blue cheese, cigar smoke)
- Decayed (e.g. rotting meat, sour milk)
Why Do Smells Affect Us So Strongly?
“Smell is processed by the part of the brain that handles emotions,” Terry Molnar, executive director for the Sense of Smell Institute in New York, told the Denver Post. “It is a matter of association,” he said.
While smell may vary for people based on their own personal experiences, we can all agree some smells are intrinsically bad. Odors that fall into the "pungent" or "decayed" categories can wreak havoc on our nasal passages, but are increasingly difficult to eliminate completely. Many methods simply mask the odor instead of eradicating it.
Ozone's Effect on Odors
When introduced to an environment in a gas state at the right levels, ozone will reduce bacteria, mold odors or any other organic material.
Pet Odors
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To start, you will need an A7K Ozone Generator or an A-7000 Ozone Generator and a tarp
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Once you have decided which item to ozonate first you will need to take the tarp and drape it over the item
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Lay something to help hold down the tarp on the sides which will help hold in the ozone
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Then, take the ozone generator and place the exhaust side under the tarp making sure the air vents aren’t covered and are able to pull fresh air in
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You will then need to turn on your unit with both plates running, with the fan on high, and with a 30-minute run cycle
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Exit the house at this point or have this set up in a garage
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Once the cycle is complete, wait 12 to 24 hours for the ozone to dissipate, then you can enter the area and decide if another treatment is needed
Ozonating Smaller Objects
If you are trying to ozonate a smaller object you would need to get a plastic tote and cut a hole for the exhaust of the unit to fit in and another for excess gas to escape. Then run the unit for 30 minutes or less with the fan on a high setting.Fire Remediation
After a fire it is important to clean all objects that have been impacted.
To remove the smell, it is important to use a tactic that will work to kill the particles that are deeply embedded in household objects and the air.
Additionally, smoke particles could be stuck in the ducts and ventilation of the air conditioning system.
Ozone is an effective way to do this, and is even used by many professional services. The A-7000 Ozone Generator or the A7K Ozone Generator are most effective for this application.
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First, treat the individual room that has the worst odor or smoke damage
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Before turning the ozone generator on, remove all people, plants, and/or pets from the room so they do not come into direct contact with ozone
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Second, determine the severity of the smell, which will dictate the amount of time needed for cleaning
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For example, heavy smoke smells will require longer treatment times (4 hours or more), while pet smells could be solved in a shorter amount of time (4 hours or less)
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Next, place the ozone generator into the severely impacted room and turn the unit on full power while selecting the appropriate time setting on the unit
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Be sure to leave the room immediately after the ozonator begins producing ozone
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Use the A/C system to freshen the entire home if the odor is still present
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This will push ozone through the vents with the A/C fan
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Determine where the air return vent is on the heating and cooling system
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Remove the filter and turn the AC fan ON
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Place the ozonator in front of or near the return vent and be sure the heating and cooling system’s fan is to the always on position
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Turn the ozone generator on for a 4-hour cycle and immediately exit the building
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It will be safe to return to the building at a minimum of 12 to 24 hours later
What Happens to the Ozone?
After the process is complete, ozone reverts back to oxygen meaning no residual chemicals are left behind. This is a preferred method to bleach or other chemical alternatives because it leaves the treated area smelling fresh.Mold & Mildew Odors
After the source of the mold is removed, use ozone to remove the smells left behind. The A7K Ozone Generator or Air-7000 Ozone Generator is the most useful solution. At 7000 mg/hr, ozone is an effective agent for mold and mildew odor removal.
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First, treat the room with the mold & mildew damage
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Before turning the ozone generator on, remove all people, plants, and/or pets from the room so they do not come into direct contact with ozone
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For most mold & mildew odors, do a full four-hour treatment
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Be sure to leave the room immediately after the ozonator begins producing ozone
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Repeat the treatment as necessary
Water Damage Odors
- First, treat each individual impacted room
- Before turning on your ozone generator, remove all people, plants, and/or pets from the room so they do not come into direct contact with ozone
- Next, determine the amount of time you will run the ozonator in the space
- More severe odors typically require a 4-hour treatment cycle, which we recommend for flood cleanup
- Turn the ozone machine on full power while selecting the appropriate time setting on your ozone machine
- Be sure to leave the room immediately after your ozone generator begins producing ozone
- Once you have individually treated each room, treat the whole house using your AC system
- To do this, determine where the air return vent is on your heating and cooling system
- Remove the filter and turn the AC fan on
- Place your ozone generator in front of or near the return vent and be sure turn the heating and cooling system’s fan is to the always on position
- Then turn the ozone generator on for a 4-hour cycle and immediately exit your house
- It will be safe to return home 12 to 24 hours later
- Keep in mind, the half-life of ozone is 30 minutes
- If the smell of ozone is still strong after this amount of time has passed, open windows to air out the building
If the smell lingers, repeat the process multiple times to remove the odor or mildew impacting the area. We recommend a 30 minute cool down for the unit after each run. The A7K, the premiere model in the Air Series, boasts a repeat timer and remote to easily restart the treatment process.
Tobacco Odor
Furniture Odors
- To start, you will need an ozone generator from A2Z Ozone and a tarp
- Once you have decided which item to ozonate first you will need to take the tarp and drape it over the item
- Lay something to help hold down the tarp on the sides which will help hold in the ozone
- Then, take the ozone generator and place the exhaust side under the tarp making sure the air vents aren’t covered and are able to pull fresh air in
- You will then need to turn on your ozone machine with both plates running, with the fan on high, and with a 30-minute run cycle
- Exit the house at this point or have this set up in a garage
- Once the cycle is complete, wait 30 minutes to 1 hour for the ozone to dissipate, then you can enter the area and decide if another treatment is needed
Skunk Odor
Knowing how to get rid of the smell is important as skunk season approaches. If skunk odor has impacted your home, follow these steps to eliminate the odor with an ozone generator:
- First, treat the individual room that has the worst odor
- Before turning on your unit, remove all people, plants, and/or pets from the room so they do not come into direct contact with ozone
- Second, you will need to determine the severity of the smell, which will dictate the amount of time needed for cleaning
- For example, heavy smoke smells will require longer treatment times (4 hours or more), while less severe smells could be solved in a shorter amount of time (4 hours or less)
- Next, place the ozone generator into the severely impacted room
- Once you have treated each room individually, you can treat the whole house using the AC method
- To begin this method, determine where the air return vent is on your heating and cooling system
- Remove the filter and turn the AC fan ON
- Place your unit in front of or near the return vent and be sure the heating and cooling system’s fan is to the always on position
- You will then need to turn on your unit for the 4-hour cycle and immediately exit the building
The A7K Ozone Generator from A2Z Ozone is the most effective at completing this application.
Car Odors
- To treat your car with ozone you will need the A-3500 Ozone Generator and an extension cord
- Before beginning, place your car near a power outlet or have an extension cord that will reach the vehicle
- First, crack the passenger window far enough for the power cord to fit in
- Then, place your ozone generator from A2Z Ozone on the passenger front floorboard
- Next, turn your car A/C on with the recirculation turned on
- Turn on your unit for 15 minutes and allow the car to circulate the ozone through the cooling system to help oxidize smells stuck in the cooling vents
- After the ozonation process is complete, wait 30 minutes to an hour for the ozone to dissipate
- Your car will be smelling fresh now, but if you can still smell the odors you were trying to eliminate repeat the process.
Kitchen Odors
The kitchen can be the source of many foul odors. Whether it's the trash, cooking fumes or appliances, using ozone regularly can freshen the air in this communal space of the home.
Some general guidelines based on square footage are as follows:
Maximum Square Footage
Bathroom Odors
For severe odors...
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First, treat the individual room that has the worst odor or smoke damage
-
Before turning the ozone generator on, remove all people, plants, and/or pets from the room so they do not come into direct contact with ozone
-
-
Second, determine the severity of the smell, which will dictate the amount of time needed for cleaning
-
For example, heavy smoke smells will require longer treatment times (4 hours or more), while pet smells could be solved in a shorter amount of time (4 hours or less)
-
-
Next, place the unit into the severely impacted room and turn the ozone generator from A2Z Ozone on full power while selecting the appropriate time setting on the ozone generator
-
Be sure to leave the room immediately after the ozone machine begins producing ozone
-
-
Use the A/C system to freshen the entire home if the odor is still present
-
This will push ozone through the vents with the A/C fan
-
Determine where the air return vent is on the heating and cooling system
-
Remove the filter and turn the AC fan ON
-
Place the ozonator in front of or near the return vent and be sure the heating and cooling system’s fan is to the always on position
-
Turn the unit on for a 4-hour cycle and immediately exit the building
-
It will be safe to return to the building at 12 to 24 hours later
After the process is complete, ozone reverts back to oxygen, meaning no residual chemicals are left behind. This is a preferred method to bleach or other chemical alternatives because it leaves the treated area smelling fresh. Remember, do not use ozone to remove chemical odors, including new carpet odors and fresh paint odors.
The ozone generator needed can vary on application and square footage. Contact the office directly at 502-499-4977 or send us an email at info@a2zozone.com for more customized information for your situation.
Reference:
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How do we smell?: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-we-smell-rose-eveleth
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The human nose can sense 10 basic smells: https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-human-nose-can-sense-10-basic-smells-1355489504
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Good smell, bad smell: https://www.denverpost.com/2009/02/25/good-smell-bad-smell/
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What Stuff Stinks: Secret Sniffed Out: https://www.livescience.com/4620-stuff-stinks-secret-sniffed.html
- Photo Credit: https://stocksnap.io/photo/XEOT0ES7GA
IMPORTANT:
When operating an ozone generator, please remember to remove people, pets, and plants from the area. Be sure to leave the area being treated immediately and only return once the ozone has dissipated. Under most conditions, the treated area should be safe to return to 12 to 24 hours after the ozone generator stops producing ozone. Treated spaces or buildings should be well-ventilated prior to re-entry.
In case of accidental leakage of ozone, keep the ozone generator in a
well- ventilated area.
Ozone generators emit ozone. Do not inhale ozone.
Ozone generators generate high voltage.
Our ozone generators are designed and distributed by A2Z Ozone, Inc. in Louisville, Kentucky USA. EPA Est.: 95432-KY-1. Produced and made in China.