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Ozone generators have been used for years to eradicate odors in buildings after fires and natural disasters. Ozone is a gas, and it is very effective at eliminating odors. However, there are some concerns surrounding safety when using ozone. When using ozone, you must ensure there are no people or living things in the vehicle.
There are ozone kits specifically designed for use in automobiles. Typically, the unit sits on top of the car with a sealed hose placed inside the window. The system must run about 20 to 30 minutes to eliminate all interior organic odors.
Ozone is a gas. Its molecules consist of three oxygen atoms, designated by the chemical symbol O3. In nature, it is created by lightning in the lower atmosphere and by solar ultraviolet rays in the upper atmosphere. In an ozone generator, ozone is produced by applying an electrical current to a conductor sheathed in ceramic and encapsulated in a stainless steel tube. A corona is formed between the two conductors through the ceramic sheath. Oxygen (O2) molecules passing through the corona are split apart which then attach to other oxygen molecules forming ozone (O3).
When an O3 molecule encounters odor-producing molecules, it oxidizes the molecules, leaving only O2 molecules or pure oxygen. This simplified description of how ozone generators work explains how they kill odors.
