Using Ozone to Eradicate Odors

Your customers don’t want to own a car that emits foul odors whenever the doors are opened. When one of their friends accepts a ride, the last thing they want is to be asked, “What’s that awful stench?” or, worse, to watch as their acquaintance pretends not to notice the foul smell.

The embarrassment of a car filled with the lingering odor of pets, spilled soda, cigarettes, sour milk, mildew or any number of sickly scents is enough to send a car owner running to professional auto detailers for help.

Sometimes malodors in a car accumulate before owners really notice them. Maybe a family was at the park with the dogs when it started to rain, so they all jumped in the car to leave. Now a “wet dog smell” has been embedded in the upholstery. Perhaps they let a friend smoke cigarettes in the car while they drove him home, not realizing how long that odor would hang around. Or maybe their toddler spilled chocolate milk on her car seat on the way home from the grocery store. That one spill can turn into a “stinking” mess surprisingly quickly. In addition, the sugars in the drink attract even more soil and grime, which turn into bacteria, causing even more malodors to develop.

Dirty diapers, cracker crumbs, fast-food wrappers, empty soda cans and candy are among the items that contribute to odor problems in your customers’ cars. And most often, instead of treating the problem right away when it can be more easily addressed, car owners wait until the odor and interior sanitation state of their cars have gotten out of hand.

Eradicating the Source

The first step in removing odors from your customers’ cars is by attacking the source, which in most cases is in the car’s carpet, upholstery and fabric areas. These areas should be cleaned with hot-water carpet extractors.

Hot water (or heated cleaning solution) is important because it improves the effectiveness of the cleaning chemicals, and when it comes to eradicating odors, detailers may need all the help they can get. Select extractors that have an instant heat of 212 degrees Fahrenheit at the wand tip. In addition, low-moisture extractors use considerably less water and solution than traditional extractors. This allows the carpet to dry much faster and prevents the buildup of mold or mildew which can prove harmful to health.

Weight also is an issue to consider. If the machine is too heavy, it may be too difficult to maneuver and work with. Machines with large wheels and that weigh 75 pounds or less tend to be easier to move and make cleaning and deodorizing less cumbersome.

Typically, with all fabric areas thoroughly cleaned, the source of the odor is gone. However, that does not mean the malodor is gone as well. Some odors, especially smoke, can penetrate leather and other areas of a car’s interior and are still noticeable after using proper cleaning chemicals and treatments. When this happens, detailers may need to turn to a more powerful tool to remove the odor: ozone.

Electronic Deodorization

Electronic deodorization, or ozone, has been used for years to remove odors out of entire buildings, especially after fires and similar disasters. It is often used by hotels to remove cigarette and other smoke odors from nonsmoking rooms. For those who may recall the 1980 fire at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, ozone systems were used extensively as part of the restoration of the facility.

Ozone generators are used as a restorative treatment for carpets, drapes, fabrics and upholstery in a variety of places, including homes, hotels and now automobiles. Ozone treatment permanently eliminates a number of airborne odors, including bacteria, mold and mildew; garbage, fish, urine, feces and pet smells; cigarettes and tobacco; and paint fumes.

Electronic deodorization is considered by many to be the most effective method for deodorizing. According to Jeff Bishop, director of the International Society of Cleaning Technicians and chairman of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification’s certification board, “The most effective method of deodorization for upholstered furniture is electronic deodorization, otherwise known as ozone. After cleaning and drying, the