Bad smells result from all kinds of situations in our daily lives, at work or at home. Their perception changes according to many factors but they are part of the major forms of pollution such as air pollution or noise pollution.
Many products on the market are supposed to treat the problem of unpleasant odors; they are found under certain names such as “sanitizer”, “air fresheners”, “home scent”, “anti-odor products” or “odor destroyers”. But are they as harmless as they want to make them look like? Of course not, because most of them simply cover up the smell, others bring even more pollution than there was at the beginning; and this is the case with sanitizers containing alcohol. Still others introduce chemical molecules that react with the existing ones, transforming our surroundings into a real chemical reactor.
In this crowd of products, it is not easy to find your way around, but it should be noted that products without alcohol and without synthetic chemical compounds are often the best ranked.
Essential oils, that in this case must be used with great care, often bring a scented note that should be measured because they also contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and can also be harmful by their allergenic constituents.
For more information:
Read the article “Identification et analyse des différentes techniques d’épuration d’air intérieur émergentes” [Identification and analysis of the different emerging indoor air purification techniques].
Notice by Anses
Collective expert report – September 2017
