Air fresheners

By John Emsley2007-09-01T00:00:00

Source: Fotolia.com

John Emsley looks at the chemistry behind familiar, everyday products

If you prefer not to open a window, then there are three ways of removing an unpleasant smell from a room - overpower it with one that is much stronger smelling; disguise it by blending it with molecules to create a pleasant odour; or remove it from the air. All these methods are used by air freshener manufacturers and they can be applied in the form of volatile gels, candles, plug-in devices, battery operated jets, and from spray cans.

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