Question from Angelique
My husband took a new job at a company that uses a lot of auto-spray air “fresheners” in certain areas of the building. There was one in his office, but thankfully he was able to remove that.
He talked to HR, because he knows that they have a “no fragrance” policy, and if they’re worried about harming employees with fragrances, he wondered why they weren’t worried about harming them with air “fresheners.”
It turns out that the building is old and has poor ventilation, and some areas just get stale, stuffy and smelly, which is why they use the auto sprays. They told him to ask me what they could do instead of spray air fresheners. I asked him if they were trying to cover the odor of bodies, mold or something else, but he doesn’t know.
I’d love to talk to HR myself, but he’s brand new there and I don’t know if he wants me to ask them a bunch of questions. At least we have on opportunity to change the situation. Since it doesn’t sound like they’re about to improve the ventilation, I need suggestions!
Obviously I’m going to suggest air purifiers. But I know from experience that even the best purifiers — because I own $1500 Aller Airs — don’t get rid of all the odors an old building can produce. I’ve even thought of gentle fans, which help circulate stale air.
What natural, non-chemical thing would make a stuffy room seem less stuffy?
Debra’s Answer
Zeolite works very well for passive odor control, as it simply absorbs odors. Here’s a page with more information and some zeolite products: http://www.refreshinglyfree.com/Online-Catalog/Zeolite-Odor-and-Moisture-Control-Products
Also, talk to Daliya at Nirvana Safe Haven. She has a number of options for removing scents and odors.
