Just what is formaldehyde and why is it so important that you remove the obnoxious odor from your home or office?

First, it’s an extremely important chemical that is used both in the manufacturing of building supplies and in several household products. As it’s also found in combustion and some natural processes, you’ll find it both outdoors and indoors.

If you went looking for it you would also find it in pressed wood as the adhesives contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. Most homes have a selection of pressed wood in shelves, cabinets and self-assembly furniture. Decorative plywood paneling, drawer fronts and furniture tops include the resins. You will find that, among wood products, medium density fiberboard has the highest ratio of resin to wood. You will smell it when you open the box from the store as you wonder how to put the furniture together.

Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins are found in plywood or strand board often used for outside construction, but with lower emissions than UF resin. The smell will be stronger when the wood is new and will fade over time.

And if you’re thinking that this might not worry you too much, you’ll also come across it in nail salon products, cosmetics, embalming solution, industrial fungicide, germicide and disinfectant.

How Will This Affect My Health?

The colorless gas with the pungent odor can make your eyes water. Your eyes and throat may feel like they are burning. You might feel sick and some people have difficulty breathing. Therefore people with asthma are at risk.

Some people can be sensitive to formaldehyde, which can be a carcinogenic in both animals and humans. If you feel tired, develop skin rashes or a strong allergic reaction, you should mention the possible connection to your doctor.

Moving into a new home? Your moving company won’t know this, but your home may have been built before the current guidelines for control came into being, so exposure to formaldehyde may be higher than the law now allows, especially in confined places.

What Can I Do To Clear The Smell And Emissions?

The amount of heat and the level of humidity have adverse affects on formaldehyde emissions. Using dehumidifiers and air conditioning to control both temperature and humidity can help lower the emissions, but at a cost: a higher electricity bill and more damage to the environment. Ventilation is an obvious way to help clean the air. Try to use exterior grade wood as it uses the lower emitting phenol resins.

So Which Products Will Help Me?

Use products to clear your home or office from the odor. The Smelleze™ Formaldehyde Absorbent Pouch is easy to use. You simply place it near the odor and you’ll be able to smell the difference immediately. It clears the odor rather than just covering up the smell.

It’s safe to use this environmentally friendly product. It’s non-toxic, natural, non-caustic and completely odorless. You’ll see an immediate difference as it improves your air quality. If you hang the pouch near the return air duct of your ventilation system you’ll smell the difference straight away.

When you feel the pouch is becoming less useful you can hang it outdoors in direct sunlight for a day. Then you’ll be able to use it again and again, by using this simple cycle. It should work for years, making it extremely cost efficient.

Finally, once you’ve finished with the contents of your pouch, you can use them as fertilizer in your garden. The contents are natural, non-hazardous and environmentally safe. If you water thoroughly after spreading in areas where you want growth, it acts as a slow release fertilizer and just as importantly, helps to keep your soil moist.

Alternately, you can use a granulated version of the same product. Instead of using the pouch to attract the formaldehyde odor, you simply sprinkle the granules over the area causing you trouble.