September 23, 2004

Times-Colonist

Spray away stinky odours around the house

Shelley Fralic

It's a miracle. After years of fighting an unruly basement odour -- that nose-holding mix of old furniture, the kids' unused toys, piles of tools and years of cats and dog -- by attacking it with everything from boxes of baking soda and cans of deodorant spray to bottles of vanilla mist and the much-touted and reasonably effective Deodoroc, finally there's a product that seems to do the trick.

It's called SeaYu Petrotech Odor Eliminator and comes in a big gaudy spray can with a cat and dog logo, along with breathless promises to remove odours with 100-per-cent satisfaction while doing no harm to people, smelly pets, furniture or the air you breathe.

It also claims to be non-toxic, non-flammable and non-carcinogenic.

The California-based manufaturer suggests using the direct spray when the odour source is clearly identifiable and restricted to a defined area, such as a diaper pail or carpet. The mist spray, it says, an be applied when the odour is dispersed, such as cigarette smoke and food odours.

Whether you use the direct spray or the mist, the product promises to work on every smell, including urine, feces, trash, diaper pails, mildew and gym bags.

Its advertising also claims to remove the odour of ferrets, skunks and snakes and is recommended for carpet, tile, concrete, wood, litter boxes, car interiors and furniture. The press release talks about its "encapsulating" properties naturally biodegrading and eliminating the odour. Sounds like laboratory witchcraft, but no matter.

One reviewer took up the challenge and tested it at the Westminister Kennel Club show last year. Her verdict: "This stuff works."

And indeed it does.

One misty walk through my offending area and, 10 minutes later, the long-lingering odour was gone. And stayed gone.

You can order it from the company's website at: www.sea-yu.com or call toll-free, 877-854-6624. The price is $12.95 US, plus handling and shipping.

###