Ozone Treatments – Eliminate Odors and Purify Your Car
We’ve all heard it. That smell that could be who knows what coming from the vents of your car or under the seat or in the upholstery itself. You’ve tried cleaning and scrubbing, baking soda, everything you can think of, all of the tips in our post about cleaning your car’s interior. When all else fails, the next step is an ozone treatment. You may have heard of it. Ozone machines are the area of professional detailers. We’ll break it down for you here.
What Is An Ozone Treatment?
Ozone treatment is the use of gas ozone (O3) to remove odors, bacteria, and viruses. Our detailer will place an ozone generator in your vehicle for a designated amount of time, depending on the strength of the odor. As the gas permeates your car, the odor is neutralized and any bacteria and viruses are killed. Ozone treatments are the best method for removing stubborn odors. As a gas, it can reach inside vents, far under seats, saturate upholstery fibers, and reach all the nooks and crannies that you can’t.
How Does Ozone Work?
Ozone is the most powerful sterilant in the world. Ozone uses the chemical reaction of oxidation to break down unwanted molecules. O3 is an unstable molecule that, when it comes into contact with another molecule of any kind, will destroy it through the process of oxidation. Bacteria and viruses are destroyed when ozone comes into contact with the cell wall and breaks it down on a molecular level, effectively destroying the cell entirely.
When Should I Get An Ozone Treatment?
An ozone treatment by your detailer is done using an ozone generator. Typically, this process is done by sending specific-wavelength UV light at oxygen atoms. The generator will be placed in your car for as long as necessary to remove any odor. Ozone odor removal is permanent, provided you have removed the source of the smell. Your detailer will thoroughly clean your car before the ozone treatment. It’s important to make sure that the cause of any smell is taken care of. In the case of mildew, make sure you have dealt with the source of the dampness as well.
Smoke, Pet Odors And Worse
One of the biggest causes of car odors that can’t be removed is tobacco smoke. Phenol, an invisible chemical present in secondhand smoke, is responsible for irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Ozone treatment will completely oxidize any remaining phenol gas, effectively neutralizing the odor. In this case, the odor will not return because the molecules have been destroyed rather than masked or filtered. Ozone is a gas that will dissipate after about half an hour after treatment, so there is no risk of exposure from your car. Your detailer will be sure to sufficiently air out your car before returning it to you.
Will it damage my car interior?
Ozone Treatment will cause zero damage to you car. As Ozone is a gas, it will be able to seep into all the nooks and crannies of your car and eliminate any smells and bacteria without the need for anything to be touched or moved.
How long should you ozone your car?
The amount of time required for ozone to do its work varies from car to car. However, on an average, 30 mins of gassing is sufficient to take care of most of the odor issues. We always recommend our clients to stay clear when ozone is in the car as it is toxic for humans and pets.