What are “CloBombs” and is this product a good idea?

Recently researching new trends in home air fresheners, I came across a product I hadn’t seen before.  “CloBombs” are Chlorine Dioxide Home Odor Eliminator Bombs.  They are claimed to remove smoke odors from the air, walls and furniture.   The product includes a small jar, battery-operated “bubbler”, and chlorine dioxide tablets.  After filling the jar with approximately 5 oz of water and adding a chlorine dioxide tablet, insert the bubbler tube into the jar and let it “aerate” the chlorine dioxide mixture into a vacated room.  After one hour, it says you can return to ventilate the now-fresh room.

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a very interesting chemical.  It’s very different from elemental chlorine, and one of the most important qualities of ClO2 is its high water solubility, especially in cold water. ClO2 does not react with water; it remains a dissolved gas in solution.  (Chlorine dioxide) This chemical is an oxidizer, meaning that it steals electrons from other substances.  Chlorine and ClO2 are both oxidizing agents (electron receivers). However, while Chlorine has the capacity to take up two electrons, ClO2 can absorb five. This means that CIO2 is 2.5 times more effective than Chlorine per molecular quantity. (Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment)

Oxidation can be very good when you’re dealing with intense odors.   ClO₂ molecules penetrate biofilms and oxidize proteins, amino acids, and organic molecules responsible for odors, stains, and microbial contamination. This oxidation process breaks apart chemical bonds in bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and VOCs, eliminating the source of odors — not just masking them. (How Chlorine Dioxide Works (Mechanism of Action))

Here’s the problem with using this product as a regular cleaning tool: chlorine dioxide gas is a strong irritant to your respiratory system.  This is the reason you’ll want to leave the space while it’s working in high concentrations (like the CloBomb).  Also, if you’re using any type of chlorine to clean on a regular basis, it may work against you by lowering your immune system response (see our article).  A ClO2 tablet manufacturer touts its safety for cleaning and odor removal, and they generated a video to answer safety questions about ClO2.  When using it in the home, they recommend a dilution of 100 ppm in water, and this solution can be used on toys, railings, furniture, fixtures, etc. and wiped dry with a microfiber cloth.  It’s safe around people, pets and plants at this concentration.  If you’re dealing with more noxious odors (a refrigerator with rotten food?  A smoker’s bedroom?) then they recommend using their 20g Deodorizing Kit, which must only be used when the space is unoccupied, including removing pets and plants.  The lower concentration is also usually safe for upholstery, but it’s best to test discreetly beforehand for colorfastness.

We agree that ClO2 is safer to use than chlorine bleach (NaOCl).  It’s also very effective for industrial and professional cleaning purposes, like water treatment, carpet cleaning, smoke and fire restoration and mold restoration.  It’s effective against many microbes including bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, yeast, and bacterial spores (here is a very thorough list of studies on the biological efficacy of chlorine dioxide).  However, for the average or chemically-sensitive person who wants to clean their home on a daily basis, the chlorine smell could be irritating.  Also, chlorine dioxide in water (the tablet preparation method) degrades over time and is only effective for about 48-72 hours in storage in a cool dark area.  For these reasons, we suggest trying out TotalClean, a non-toxic all purpose cleaner that doesn’t degrade over time.  

In reference to our first question (is “CloBombs” a good idea?), it may neutralize smoke odors in the air and on some surfaces with one application.  However, smoke is so pernicious with its VOCs and particulates that residues of smoke “stick” to hard surfaces and go deep into soft surfaces.  It takes manual cleaning by wiping and vacuuming, and often repeated manual cleaning, to remove the residues that generate more VOCs over time.  This applies to homes affected by wildfire smoke and those exposed to thirdhand smoke.  So in our estimation, CloBombs are a quick aerosol, more like a “morning-after-party-cleanup-while-we-go-out-for-breakfast tool” rather than a “let’s get the house livable again” tool.  The truth is that thorough smoke removal takes more effort than simply setting an aerosol “bomb”. 

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash