posted
I bought one of those One-drop deodorizers (Willert brand) a couple days ago. I think it works pretty well. But I have NO clue what chemicals are in it. It's green liquid, and only lists ethyl alcohol as one of the ingredients. It has a slight smell to it, sort of a plastic candy kinda smell (does that make sense at all?).
How safe is something like this to use? The only thing I have been able to come up with from google is the possibility of it being a formaldehyde mix, which doesn't sound that safe.
Should I feel okay using it to deodorize my kitchen cabinets? My hedgehog litter box (safe from hedgehog tongues, of course)? Bathroom?
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
maybe deodorizers work by killing all your smell neurons so you don't think anything smells anymore...
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
dunno, apparently they're sold in places like CVS/Rite-Aid/Walgreen's type stores and pet stores. you can see a few online if you search for one-drop deodorizers
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Not sure if they're like Febreeze... You don't aerosol them, just leave out a drop to vaporize slowly. No warning label, which would have been helpful. Some poking online suggested that the lack of warning label doesn't mean it's non-toxic. Just means it's not regulated
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Most deodorizors used to contain paradychlorobenzine. People disagreed whether or not this was supposed to be carcinogenic and I do not know if it is still used.
(There are obviously spelling errors in a few of the words. Forgive me or deal)
Posts: 279 | Registered: May 2004
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1: Cover-it-up smells. Also known as perfumes. Most bathroom and automobile deodorizers are this type. They don't get rid of a smell, but cause the existing smell to blend with a stronger smell, so that it (hopefully) won't be noticed. Putting this in your kitchen cabinets may cause change in the flavor of food.
2: Germ/fungus killers. paradichlorobenzene (fascinating stuff) is one of these, generally used in toilets, and also as mothballs. Some foot powders and mouthwash also fall lunder this category. These operate under the assmption that the smell is being generated by something living, so they are basically poison. You don't want them in your kitchen cabinets. They are effective when applied correctly.
3: Odor absorbers. Baking soda is the most notorious of these. A series of tests done by the company I used to work for showed that baking soda has very little effect, but the cardboard box that it comes in is pretty effective at absorbing odor. The company was testing a molecular sieve powder called "dry rite." It was more effective than baking soda, but cardboard blew both of them off the map.
Lastly: Old wives tales - burning a candle in the bathroom has absolutely no effect, unless it's a scented candle, in which case it's actually #1.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Glenn, thanks =). It's definitely not a perfume masking version.
To play it safe, I'll just use it for the litter box area and garbage cans. Fortunately, hedgehogs are wonderful about being incredibly toxin resistant.
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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