What's in the air?
Allergens, probiotic cleaning indoors and bad smells at home. Drawing on 25 publications, we explain where each one comes from, where it builds up and what can be done about it.
- 01AllergenHouse dust mite allergy: what's happening in your bed?Why mites live in your bed, what actually causes the allergy, how it disrupts sleep and what you can do in the bedroom.Der p 1House dust mite allergen5 min read
- 02AllergenDoes cat allergy come from the fur?What Fel d 1 is, why symptoms appear even when the cat isn't in the room, and how to reduce cat allergen at home.Fel d 1Cat allergen4 min read
- 03Where to useWhat does probiotic cleaning do in nurseries, offices, cars and on public transport?Results measured on the metro, allergens measured in cars and buses; cleaning the air and fabrics of crowded indoor spaces without a chemical load.BacillusProbiotic cleaning5 min read
- 04Indoor airWhat do room sprays add to indoor air?Three studies on the volatile compounds released by scented products, what the label leaves out, and how fragrance affects other people.C₁₀H₁₆Limonene5 min read
- 05PetsWhy does cat litter smell of ammonia?How urea in urine turns into ammonia, why the smell gets stronger over time, and what you can do around the litter tray.NH₃Ammonia4 min read
- 06Cigarette smokeHow do you get rid of cigarette smell in your home?What thirdhand smoke is, why the smell doesn't go when you open a window, and which surfaces need cleaning.C₁₀H₁₄N₂Nicotine5 min read
- 07ShoesWhat causes smelly shoes?Sweat has no smell. We explain what produces the odour inside your shoes and how to reduce it.C₅H₁₀O₂Isovaleric acid4 min read
- 08Air conditioningWhy does the air conditioner smell bad?The source of the sour smell when you switch on the air conditioner, mould in the filter, and the maintenance you can do at home.MVOCMould-derived volatile compounds4 min read
- 09DampWhere does the damp smell come from?The mould-derived volatile compounds behind the smell of closed wardrobes, basements and bathrooms, and how to tackle damp.C₈H₁₆O1-octen-3-ol4 min read
- 10KitchenWhy won't fish and frying smells go away?Trimethylamine, oxidised oil and vapour settling on curtains. The chemistry of the smell that spreads from the kitchen to the living room.(CH₃)₃NTrimethylamine4 min read