Are there any methods to remove (by absorption or adsorption )odors /
odours such as kitchen /cooking smells, toilet smells,musty odors,
etc. from rooms in residences/restaurants/offices/public toilets/rooms
or areas which are windowless such as recording studios/theatres.etc?
(These methods should not include the use of common devices such as
exhaust fans or ventilators)

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Request for Question Clarification by siliconsamurai-ga on 20 Sep 2004 10:32 PDT

Hi, I actually have three methods/chemicals to recommend but it isn't
a $50 question.

I will be happy to answer it for $10 which I consider a more reasonable amount.

Hello sudhirn-ga,

There are many ways to get rid of smells in kitchens, rooms, and
windowless areas with out a fan system. Let me outline some of those
for you.

#1 Baking Soda.

Baking soda really is a miracle worker.  There are a number of ways
you could use it to deodorize in the way you mentioned. What baking
soda does is use Ph to deodorize and neutralize and strong substance
it come into contact with, such as skin irritation, smell,  putting
out fires,  and remove burned on food, to name a few.  From a site
that lists many different uses, sixty in fact, let me quote some that
meet your needs.

Kitchen Odor:
?Wash garbage cans with baking soda.?
?Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp
cloth. rinse with clear water.?
? Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of
baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to
time. Replace every 2 months.?
?Clean Formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge?
??Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of
soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water. ?
?Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom?
?Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.?

I think it works best for fridge and cooking odors, to put a box in
the room (any room, not only the kitchen) and the fridge.

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/bakingsoda.html
http://www.babyboomernews.com/bba100.html

Google search: Baking Soda and smells
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%20baking%20soda%20and%20smells&btnG=Google+Search

In addition, for the kitchen, you can use white vinegar, citrus fruit
peels, and lemon juice to deodorize as well.

http://doityourself.com/kitchen/householdodors.htm

You can also use activated charcoal, Esp. in the windowless rooms you
mentioned in a container or cloth bag. A shallow pan set out with it
is the best to absorb odor, I do this in my basement.

?Buy activated charcoal (which is specially treated to remove odor
molecules from air) at some department store housewares sections,
appliance stores, or pet shops. Spread out on shallow pans and put on
shelves of refrigerator. Turn refrigerator on low setting and run
empty a few days so odors will be absorbed.?
http://doityourself.com/appliance/refrigodor.htm

Also, activated charcoal soaks up persistent odors. Spread about fine
powdered charcoal on or in a shallow pan. Place this on a shelf in the
refrigerator, freezer, or area to be deodorized. After six to eight
hours, put the pan in a (350 degrees) for 20 minutes. This reactivates
the charcoal, so it can be re-used many times.

?Activated charcoal, calcium carbonate (chalk), and baking soda are
three major home-cure products for odor removal.?

http://missourifamilies.org/features/materialarticles/feature4.htm

Kitty litter also absorbs odors in much the same way as activated charcoal.
Coffee grounds can absorb odor as well.

I know you are not interested in fans, but you could buy a activated
charcoal filter for your home that would cut down on smells during air
circulation of your normal A/C or heating process in a room.

?Odor-Defensetm is an Activated Charcoal, high efficiency furnace air
filter that absorbs foul odors while also removing particulate
contaminants and pollutants from the air in your home or office.  The
air in your home is fresh and clean when you use Odor-Defensetm ?
http://www.oxyclean.com/odor-defense.html

Google search: activated charcoal to remove odor
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=activated%20charcoal%20to%20remove%20odor&btnG=Google+Search

ZeoCrystal uses zeolites to absorb odor. Zeolite is a naturally
occurring mineral known for its adsorptive properties.

I have used this product, and love it!
http://www.zeocrystal.com/

I?ve also ran across a few references to Nok-Out, and it sounds like
it may work as well
http://www.nokout.com/index.html
http://www.nokout.ca/testimonials.htm
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=395856


If this answer requires further explanation, please request
clarification before rating it, and I'll be happy to look into this
further.
Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher

Hi  sudhirn-ga,

     It is possible to remove the odor in an enclosed space without the
use of an exhaust fan/ventilator.  Odor is basically suspended chemical
particles/molecules. The size of particle need to be known for effective
odor removal. In case of kitchen smoke, a high efficiency HEPA air purifier
with an activated carbon pre-filter should do the job effectively. The
toilet smell/musty odors are due to gas molecules and should be easily
handled by the use of a circulating fan with activated carbon filter
and ozone generator(ozone level need to be controlled to avoid lung 
irritation, and damage to mucus membrane in the nostrils/lungs). A dehumidifier
(could be electrically operated for high levels of humidity, or just a
bowl of silica crystals for low levels)is also recommended to prevent
dampness(source of musty smell).  There is also a possibility to capture
the odor causing particles through a chemical spray(eg. febreeze).

Regards
ldavinci-ga

An air purifier that I have found eliminated all smells and odors in
our home (pet, cooking, etc.) within 24 hours!  It is a Second Wind
air purifier and can be found at http://www.BreatheMoreEasily.com for
less than most othr machines.