Automotive Aromatherapy: Removing Odors And Adding A Pleasant Scent To Your Interior
Cover-ups are worse than the original lie, just as scented air freshener merely masks odor in your car. In this case, deodorizer is the truth that shall set you free.
“Fragrances are a temporary fix,” said Larry McIsaac, CEO of Kraco Enterprises, makers of Ozium deodorizer. “They work by putting off a scent that’s so overpowering you can’t help but smell it, or by desensitizing your sense of smell.”
Deodorizers work on a microbial level by attacking airborne germs. Air sanitizers are especially popular in hospitals for their ability to kill cold and flu viruses. The products typically come from an Aerosol can, though gel canisters are growing in popularity.
“It’s something you can leave in your gym locker, your teenager’s bedroom or beneath the driver’s seat,” he said. “It works exceptionally well because the container is constantly exposed to an isolated environment and cleaning the air.”
McIsaac isn’t suggesting motorists abandon air fresheners. After all, Kraco manufactures the extensive line of Glade fragrances. Deodorizing simply provides a clean slate for your preferred fragrance to do its job.
Below, McIsaac and Susan Broyles, Kraco’s senior product manager, offer the following information for improving cabin environment with deodorizers and air fresheners:
-Clean the interior, find source of odor: Perhaps the kids left the cheddar crackers in the car on a hot day. Maybe cigarette smoke lingers in the seat cushions. Whatever it is, clean and vacuum thoroughly before deodorizing for best results.
-Follow the instructions: Read and follow the advice on the label. Sometimes a couple of sprays is all you need.
-Set your ambience: Find the scent that soothes/invigorates/entices you. There’s no shortage of options.
-Choose a delivery system: Sprays, vent clips, gels, waxes and cardboard cutouts permeate the market. Heat often determines the lifespan of the products. An air freshener left in a room-temperature environment will last longer than one exposed to intense heat and wild fluctuations.