It seems to me an odd pairing (light bulb and air freshener), but air freshener
light bulbs have been around for nearly 10 years now. They're certainly intriguing; I haven't used one yet but I would like to after reading a bit more about them. eLightBulbs.com carries TCP's Fresh2 series of
air freshener light bulbs.
Fresh2
light bulbs are coated with a layer of titanium oxide. When the light bulb is turned on, the fluorescent light passes through the titanium oxide coating which causes a chemical reaction producing extremely strong oxidizers. This is called the oxidation process, and results in odors being eliminated at the molecular level. Note that these
light bulbs must be exposed to air to work their magic, so they are not to be used in closed or recessed fixtures.
Light Bulbs that Neutralize Odors?
That sounds plenty scientific and magical, but the question is: do they really work? Like I said, I've not used them before, but I have heard from a couple people that they seem to work at least a little. I can imagine practical issues preventing the air purifying from occurring often enough. The air purifying aspect of the light bulb requires it to be on, but even with compact fluorescents you're wasting energy lighting a room that no one is in.
It seems to me the best place to try one of these air freshener light bulbs would be a room where the lights are left on for hours at a time, because there is no air freshening if the light bulb is off. Then again, I suppose it depends on how powerful the odor-destroying aspect of the bulb is. Perhaps it is enough that an hour or two a day will take care of odors. I'm going to have to try to find out for myself!
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