Clean toilet stall with green wall and tiled floor, illustrating science-backed methods for odor-free washroom environments.

Dr. Anuja Kenekar

August 05, 2025

Sanitation

The Science Behind Odour-Free Washrooms

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In part 1 of this series, we spoke about public washrooms and the unholy odours associated with them.

Today, we are here with information on the science (and nature) of keeping your washrooms odour-free.

Cleaning washrooms is not a task that anyone enjoys, especially in public facilities.

But cleaning washrooms is something that needs to be done, without exception, on time.

And this is doubly true for all public washrooms.

Offices, hospitals, schools, malls, restaurants, tourist attractions, places of worship, railway stations, bus depots, and all such public places need that care and attention.

With the sheer number of people using them, the washrooms in these places get dirty in no time.

And they start to smell really bad, really quickly, too.

These foul odours, caused by bacterial decomposition of biomass in drains, reverse gases, urine deposits in pipes, faulty plumbing, and ammonia from urea degradation, make the toilet-going experience in public an experience in testing how long you can hold your breath.

Along with the filth and odours, janitorial staff also need to worry about uric acid deposition in urinal pots, which can lead to stains and clogged drains.

Every supermarket worth its salt stocks aisles upon aisles of cleaning products that promise sparkling washrooms with little effort and time, but they are all full of toxic chemicals.

What’s more, these products act only superficially – they clean the visible surfaces, but leave the foul odours and odour-causing factors intact.

They may kill bacteria in the toilet bowl and the pipes.

Still, they don’t discriminate – they kill even the good bacteria, like the non-pathogenic bacteria that decompose the biomass in the pipes and septic tanks.

And when these chemicals eventually get flushed down, the wastewater kills aquatic plants and animals, too, and contaminates groundwater and soil.

These products corrode washroom fixtures and fittings, emitting noxious fumes that contribute to indoor pollution.

Even if used in small quantities, regular exposure to such chemicals is harmful.

The janitorial staff who have to handle these products eventually suffer from a variety of chronic diseases due to prolonged exposure to these harmful chemicals.

Air fresheners mask the foul smells for a while, but the root of the issue remains unresolved.

And the foul odour becomes a permanent part of the washroom environment.

There is insufficient regulation regarding chemicals in cleaning products, and many regions lack sufficient safety data as well.

However, since the hazards of these products are established, why not switch to a natural alternative?

Natural products backed by scientific research contain a consortium of microbes cultivated specifically to help decompose organic matter, eliminating all chances of foul odours.

These microbes produce organic materials or enzymes (a type of protein that consists of a chain of amino acids) that break down the organic biomass, making it easier for the bacteria to work on.

Enzymes such as proteases, amylase, cellulase, and lipase are commonly used for dirt removal and stain cleaning.

These enzymes alter the physical composition of protein-based or starch-based stains and odours, breaking them down into smaller fragments that are easier to remove.

Apart from the conventional enzymes used for cleaning, there are other bacterial enzymes, such as uricase, that aid in the degradation of urinal waste and thereby control odour.

In biological cleaners, safe strains of bacteria and specific enzymes work together to remove all stains, grime, and odour.

If you are looking for a magic formula to keep washrooms clean and smelling good, the OB Care range of products is just what you need.

Scientific and natural, these are research-backed cleaning products that contain enzymes that clean, keep smells at bay, and don’t put your health at risk either.

Non-toxic, non-corrosive, effective, and efficient, these cleaners are made of corn extracts, vegetable oils, and plant-based ingredients and are formulated after extensive research.

With the help of a multi-enzyme approach, the organic cleaning products developed in our OB Care range can tackle all the dirty work.

Our formulations harness the benefits of nature for efficient cleaning, helping to degrade the organic waste generated in washrooms and urinals and preventing other unfavourable microbes from producing foul-odour-generating gases like ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, and others.

They keep the pipes free of blockages, prevent the release of harmful gases, remove hard water stains, and leave no trace of dirt or odor in the restroom.

To address the two issues of foul ammonia odor and uric acid stains in urinals, we have specially formulated the OB Care Urinal Drain Cleaner with a unique enzyme formulation.

It prevents the formation of ammonia and simultaneously degrades uric acid.

It is safe for all fixtures as it is 100% non-acidic and non-corrosive.

And made entirely of plant-based ingredients, it is completely biodegradable.

Our OB Care Toilet Bowl Cleaner, formulated utilising nanobiotechnology, cleans all ceramic fixtures to sparkle and is completely septic tank safe, too.

It has no toxic ingredients and also protects against indoor pollution.

The OB Care Washroom Cleaner & Odour Eliminator works at the source of all offensive odours and eliminates them.

This multi-purpose cleaner can be used anywhere, from toilet bowls and washbasins to walls and floors.

As a pH-neutral formulation, it is 100% safe for users, and its immediate deodorising effect lasts long too.

All these benefits—effective cleaning, a pleasant ambiance, and good health—are only part of the bigger picture.

The impact of any substance on the environment is determined by its biodegradability.

Conventional cleaning products effectively clean visible surfaces, but the chemicals they contain also pollute our environment.

Air pollution caused by VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released by chemical cleaners is contributing to the rise in respiratory disorders and the development of smog.

As these chemicals make their way into water systems through drains, they harm aquatic life and disturb the ecosystem by causing eutrophication, or the unnaturally high growth of algae, which depletes all oxygen in the water and kills fish.

On the other hand, natural cleaning products biodegrade easily and do not harm your health or the environment.

They contain no chemicals that could be potentially harmful to the ceramic fixtures, drain pipes, septic tanks, water bodies, or aquatic life.

They help maintain good indoor air quality and do not contaminate the food chain either. They do their job and then some!

If you are looking for natural solutions to keep your washrooms clean and odour-free while protecting the health of your cleaning staff and the people who use them, simply get in touch with us.

Our solutions are all-natural and organic, and the tender, loving care your washrooms need.

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