Lifehack: This is why matches belong in the toilet

There is a very simple and quick trick to combat unpleasant odors in the toilet or kitchen and it costs almost no money. What you need? Just a matchbox.

The trick is very simple: stand in the smelly room. Light the match and blow it out again after a short burning time. Within no time, the cooking or toilet smell will no longer be noticeable. What’s behind it?

Some believe that the match flame burns foul odors. But is that really true? No. Because stench cannot be burned.

After blowing out the match, a sulfurous smoke cloud is created. And it is this very chemical that covers the odor. The match does not remove bad odors. On the contrary, the smell of sulfur triggers an alarm in the brain: we believe it is burning and we block out all other odors or let them fade into the background in our perception. The unpleasant cooking or toilet smell is still there, but our brains focus on a possible fire.

Yes. There are products (odor neutralizers) on the market that surround the odor molecules as soon as they encounter one. This will neutralize the odor. There is often a biochemistry behind it. Simply put, it works like this: specially grown bacteria or microorganisms produce enzymes and thus initiate a kind of biocatalysis. It ensures that certain substances are combated or eliminated, including odor molecules.

Some room sprays and air fresheners contain odor neutralizers. Others, on the other hand, smell very intensely and therefore mask the stench.