1300-ODOURS

Why air fresheners alone don't fix bin room odour

On their own, air fresheners and deodorising sprays tend to mask odours, but don't eliminate the underlying odour, leaving an unpleasant mix of fragrance and rubbish.

The short answer

The bins keep producing odour day and night, but a spray only works while the fragrance lasts.

A bin room with an automatic air freshener on the wallOdour rises from the bins. The air freshener sprays fragrance, and the odour is masked for a while, but the odour is still there underneath, and returns as the fragrance fades.Bin roomOdour rises from thebins and spreadsaround the roomThe freshenersprays fragranceThe odour is still thereunderneath, andreturns as thefragrance fades
No air freshener

Odour rises from the bins and spreads around the room.

Odours are continually created by waste in the bins. An air freshener can typically mask odours to a certain point, leaving an unpleasant mix of fragrance and rubbish, then the odour carries on.

What an air freshener does

  • Sprays and automatic dispensers release a fragrance that's stronger than the odour, so people notice the odour less.
  • Some also contain chemicals meant to bind to odour.
  • They're cheap to start with and easy to use.

Why the odour comes back

  • The bins keep producing odour day and night, but a spray only works while the fragrance lasts.
  • The two smells mix, which is why a sprayed bin room can smell sweet and rotten at the same time.
  • Refills and dispenser servicing are an ongoing cost, and someone has to remember them.

Do air fresheners work in bin rooms?

Not on their own. An air freshener tends to mask the smell with a stronger one temporarily, but the air freshener doesn't eliminate the underlying odour, leaving an unpleasant mix of fragrance and rubbish. The bins keep producing odour day and night, and the fragrance fades between sprays. Each time the fragrance fades, the odour is back, and the complaints typically follow.

What works instead

The Garbage Doctor® neutralises the odour at the source, without masking the odour. UV lamps inside the machine turn a little of the air's oxygen into ozone, and PVC conduit targets the ozone as close as possible to the odour sources, such as the bins and the inside of the chute, 24/7. There's nothing to refill, and the ongoing maintenance is very low.

Scent, once the odour is gone. A fragrance is best applied once the odour is neutralised (i.e. with ozone): the Garbage Doctor Duo does both from one system, and residents love a scented chute. Using scented vapour for garbage odour control
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Questions

Why does our bin room smell sweet and rotten at the same time?

That's the fragrance and the odour mixing. The fragrance fades while the bins keep producing odour, so the odour always wins in the end.

Are sprays cheaper than the Garbage Doctor?

A dispenser typically costs less to start with, but refills and servicing add up every month, and the odour is still there. The Garbage Doctor neutralises the odour instead, with very low ongoing costs, bought outright or on a fully inclusive rental. Ask us for a quote, to compare.

Can we keep our air fresheners?

Yes. They won't affect the machine, but most buildings find they no longer need them once the odour is neutralised at the source.

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