Odour neutralization with essential oils

An air freshener is a means to mask odour. Although the name suggests otherwise, there is no ‘refreshing’ of the air. The resulting scent is admittedly by some people as “fresh”, while others experienced the smell just as unpleasant or even penetrant.

The “air freshener” adds strong smelling perfume (usually aerosol) elements to the air. These elements can cause allergic reactions (including headache, irritation of eyes and airways).

Hendrik Zwaardemaker (1857 – 1930) was a Dutch physician who discovered the concept of odour neutralization. He discovered that certain odours were not smelled when they were mixed with some scented essential oils. These combinations of each other neutralizing odours are called Z-pairs.

How does odour arises? Smell is caused by oxidation or reduction. While oxidized fragrances distinguish themselves by their musty nature, reduced fragrances are often identified with a rotten smell.

What is odour neutralization?

Odour neutralization occurs when no resulting smell, pleasant or unpleasant, is observable. Masking substances have become lately more and more in a negative light. This is especially because the masking substance has a significantly higher level of the smell of a different type. This gives the feeling that something is hidden that should not be hidden. When it comes to combating odours, nothing better works better than neutralization with essential oils. What are essential oils? Essential oils are liquids that are extracted from plant material through pressing, extraction or steam distillation.

Essential oils evaporate easily and handle the air without an oily residue. They are extremely complex organic compounds of hundreds of components and trace elements. Neutralizing agents which contain essential oils, function mainly because the essential oil-water-complex makes a thin film around the odour molecules, and hereby closes or shuts down the scent molecule. Essential oils produce a reaction product that produces no observable smell. After neutralization, there can a perceptible scent of essential oil be present.

Odour Neutralization with EOStream Certain specific situations provide little other choices than to control odour with the vapour phase-or spray-method. EOStream odour neutralizing material can not only be atomized as fine mist, but can also be used with ‘dry diffusion’.

This can be applied both in-and outdoor. Call Rheoclean for specialized advice.