There is a really simple and easy cure for any odor problems in upholstery, carpets, etc. The product is ATMOSKLEAR. It is a biodegradable, non-toxic odor eliminator that comes in a spray bottle. It is unscented, which is essential because it doesn’t cover up the odor with another one. We have used it to remove overwhelming dog urine odor that became evident in the carpet of a home that we had just purchased, and we sprayed air ducts in another home that had been owned by a heavy smoker. In both cases, we applied the spray a few times and the odor was completely gone!
I have bought Atmosklear at Target and at Ace Hardware.
After being a NPR supporter for at least 25 years I finally thought I would get my money’s worth during this segment of Car Talk. Lo and behold, Tom and Ray disappointed me, as usual. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT USING COFFEE AS A DEODORIZER? Which black hole did that train of thought disappear into? You guys were just about to explain what seemed like a reasonable (for a change) method to get rid of car odors and then you went somewhere else with a discussion about dogs–come on fill me in–I’m ready with my coffee grounds waiting for the next steps.
Take it from a cat lady: the best pet-odor eliminator is called Anti Icky-Poo and it really works. www.antiickypoo.com
I’ve also had good results with Kennel-Sol and Nature’s Miracle.
There are companies that sell ozone generators to kill odors and there are companies that sell a service using these ozone generators to kill odors. One of the largest markets for the service companies are used car dealers. The used car dealers treat cars with spilled/spoiled milk odor or cigarette smoke odor. Other applications for the ozone generators are for removing odors in buildings caused by dead animals, indoor crime scene restoration (you may have seen First 48 Hours or similar crime shows), and smoke damage after a fire. I used an ozone generator service to remove smoke odor from apartments and found it very effective and simple. The contractor puts an ozone generator in the apartment for a day or two, depending on the intensity of the odor, and when the machine is removed, the odor is gone permanently (not masked). The service contractor I used guaranteed the service. Since the service was effective and inexpensive (less than $100 for a small two bedroom apartment), I did not need to discuss the guarantee recourse with the contractor.
The ozone generators should not be compared to the ones sold as air purifiers for a home or office. The amount of ozone produced by the odor killing devices is much higher than the air purifiers. The ozone generated by these machines is unhealthy to breath because ozone causes irritation to the nose, mouth, eyes, and lungs. While the machines are in use, no one can be in the affected area. After the ozone generator is shut off, the level of ozone declines to safe levels in less than an hour.
Ozone is a reactive molecule that destroys the odor causing characteristics of the molecules one smells. Ozone penetrates the crevices, ducts, and areas that are difficult to disinfect/clean when one attempts to perform surface cleaning to remove odor. It is likely ozone damages fabrics, paint, and other materials exposed to it, but the exposure is brief and the effect is minor compared to the benefit of removing the odor. Ozone, of course, does not clean up the mess/source of the odor - that should be done before the treatment is attempted.
A Google search can provide more details and the names of local contractors which offer ozone treatment service.