Why Smell Matters in Business?

The scent of a place is intrinsic to its identity. It shapes memories and creates a “scent-scape” that can evoke strong emotions. But whether those emotions are positive or negative depends on whether the smell is intentional or an undesirable odours.

Think of a swimming pool, you probably already smell the chlorine. Or a restaurant, if it smells of fats, you might immediately think of a fast-food chain. Our sense of smell is one of the five senses that help people form impressions and navigate environments.

For businesses, whether B2B or customer-facing, smells influence perception, connection, and decision-making. A pleasant, clean-smelling environment not only enhances the customer experience but also supports staff wellbeing and strengthens brand reputation.

The Science Behind Smell: Why Businesses Need to Address Odours

Smells are processed uniquely in the human brain. The limbic system, responsible for emotion, memory, and behaviour, is directly linked to smell. Unlike other senses like sight or touch, which pass through the brain’s thalamus before processing, olfactory signals bypass the thalamus and go straight to the limbic system.

This is why a smell can make such a strong impression, for better or worse.

Yet odours are unavoidable in many workplaces. Kitchens, bathrooms, carpets, waste areas, and HVAC systems all produce smells that linger long after a traditional clean. Many businesses rely on chemical sprays, neat fragrance delivery systems or air fresheners to mask odour; but masking is only temporary. It doesn’t tackle the source.

What Causes Odours? The Different Types Every Business Should Know

Malodours, or unwanted smells, can linger on surfaces like flooring, walls, furnishings, and even HVAC systems. They usually come from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), released either through chemical reactions or biological processes, like bacteria and fungi breaking down organic matter as part of their normal metabolism. Understanding the types of odours a business might encounter helps target the root cause, rather than just masking the smell.

1. Sulfur-based odours: Rotten eggs or sewage, caused by compounds like hydrogen sulfide. Common in waste areas, industrial kitchens, or food processing sites.
2. Nitrogen-based odours: Fishy or ammonia-like smells from protein breakdown. Often found in washrooms, office kitchens, and food prep areas.
3. Fatty acid odours: Rancid or sour smells from spoiled fats and oils, typically in fryers, food storage, or commercial kitchens.
4. Aromatic hydrocarbon odours: Paint, gasoline, or chemical solvent smells, usually in manufacturing plants or maintenance workshops.
5. Organic decay odours: Putrid smells from decomposing food, waste, or biological matter, often in restaurant kitchens, office bins, or waste areas.
6. Microbial odours: Musty or mouldy smells caused by bacteria and fungi. Carpets, drains, showers, changing rooms, and HVAC systems are common sources.

Understanding the different odour types is the first step in choosing the right approach to remove them, rather than simply masking the smell with air fresheners or strong fragrances.

Why Tackle Odours Rather Than Mask Them?

Masking an odour implies covering up; a quick fix that hides the problem rather than solving it. It’s like painting over rust: at first glance, everything looks clean, but underneath, the damage is still spreading, and eventually it comes back worse. Traditional air fresheners or chemical sprays can add a strong fragrance, but the source, fats, waste, or microbial growth, remains. Over time, repeated masking can make odours harder to detect, allowing bacteria or other microbial risks to persist unnoticed.

The consequences go beyond a persistent unpleasant smell. Lingering odours subtly affect customer impressions and staff wellbeing. A kitchen that smells of old oils, a washroom with ammonia, or a musty office carpet can undermine comfort and confidence. Addressing odours at the source, rather than covering them up, creates a genuinely clean environment that feels fresh, safe, and welcoming.

True biotechnological odour elimination, on the other hand, attacks the problem at its source. To fully eradicate an odour, the organic matter causing it must be broken down or eliminated. Modern biological and plant-based odour removal takes a different approach. Instead of covering up smells, it neutralises them at the source or breaking down the organic matter, fats, and VOCs that cause persistent odours. This works across commercial kitchens, washrooms, retail spaces, leisure venues, and even industrial environments. Once the source is gone, any fragrance you add is optional and subtle, enhancing the space rather than trying to disguise it.

By tackling odours rather than masking them, businesses aren’t just making spaces smell better; they’re improving hygiene, supporting staff wellbeing, enhancing customer experience, and creating a foundation for a space’s own “scent-scape.”

Why Biological Odour Removal?

Not all odours are created equal. Many persistent smells in a business come from organic matter, food waste, spills, or microbial activity. Biological odour removal tackles the problem at its source, breaking down the material that causes odours rather than simply covering them up.

Although microbes themselves can cause odours in some contexts, the strains used in biological cleaning must be carefully selected and safe. Microbes are selected to minimise odour production and are not associated with persistent unpleasant smells. Instead, they feed on the organic matter responsible for the odour, naturally breaking it down and leaving a genuinely fresh environment. This targeted approach is effective and safe, without introducing harsh chemicals or masking fragrances.

Biological solutions often combine plant extracts, enzymes, and microbes, and work in three main ways:

• Odour degradation biotechnology such as microbes and enzymes: break down organic matter and odour molecules at the source.
• Odour encapsulation technologies such as zinc ricinoleate and cyclodextrins: bind and neutralise a wide range of odorous compounds, including those from tobacco, food waste, effluent, and industrial by-products.
• Odour absorbing plant extracts such as yucca: Absorb odour molecules, effectively removing bad smells instantly.

Different spaces require tailored approaches. In kitchens, microbes target fats, starches, and proteins, keeping floors, drains, and prep areas odour-free. In washrooms, they focus on proteins and uric acid, neutralising lingering smells around toilets and sinks. The result is a long-lasting solution that actively removes odours at the source, leaving environments genuinely clean, safe, and welcoming.

Keeping Odours at Bay for the Long Term

Long-term odour control begins with understanding the source and applying the right biological solution. Tailored microbial packages multiply and secrete enzymes that feed on the organic matter causing odours, tackling the problem naturally and effectively.

Because of their microscopic size and growth patterns, these microbes reach areas traditional cleaning often misses—deep in carpet fibres, grout lines, tile cracks, and even inside pipework and drains. They can establish beneficial biofilms in these hard-to-reach spaces, providing continuous, long-term odour control.

By understanding the source and using the correct biological approach, businesses can transform spaces from temporarily “fresh” to genuinely clean. Persistent odours are removed, staff and customers enjoy a healthier, more welcoming environment, and spaces remain hygienic and safe over the long term