Curry Odor

[RandyHilburn]

We have an apartment complex that has a unit with a strong curry smell. The unit has been painted. I have run the ozone in it for two days, cleaned the carpet with x-cide and odorcide and the apartment still stinks!

The odor seems to becoming out of the vents, but put a camera inside and didn't see anything. Anybody have experience successfully removing curry odors from ducts. What about thermal fogging? Anybody ever use thermal fogging to solve curry odors? What about spraying Odor Barrier inside the ducts and sealing? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Mikey P]

When the Patel sell the complex the odor will go away.

 

[Josh Adler]

How big of a space are you attempting to ozone? Did you contain it to only the area's needed? you may need to ozone for a longer period of time.

 

[handdi]

Try some x smoke from pro choice ii have benn havin good luck with this stuff
I think that's the name of it onuse a. Ozone. Up On a ladder with a couple of air movers
You have a apply the x smoke with a ulv fogger

 

[RandyHilburn]

It's a one bedroom unit approximately 700 square feet. The kitchen is about 9x10. The first day we closed off the kitchen and ran the ozone in there for about 18 hours, before circulating the ozone in all rooms by pumping it thru the duct work. I didn't list in my first post, but we have also used a ULV fogger with x-cide in all rooms. Minimal progress, still smells bad.

We're planning on using a thermal fogger (with unsmoke odor neutralizer) !dork! thru the duct work, but before waisting my time, I'm hoping to find someone with experience in attacking curry smelling ductwork odors.

 

[Willy P]

Did you SEAL the drywall or just paint it?

 

[RandyHilburn]

Willy, painting is about the only aspect of this unit that we have not done ourselves. I have recommend to the manager that she paint the ceilings and put and put another coat on the walls. Do you have any experience deodorizing ducts. The return air is right next to the kitchen and when I put my face in the vents, it has a strong curry odor.

 

[Willy P]

http://www.chemspecworld.com/catalog_br ... ictNbr=155 - others may have better ideas, but this will point you in the right direction. The reason I mentioned the drywall is because it's porous and can hold odours.

 

[Goomer]

When you circulate through the ducts, do you have the fans on or off?
With them on, maybe the treatment is only"passing through", and not actually treating the sidewalls of the interior.
Maybe you can set up the fogger at one end and seal around it, leave the fans off, and let the pressure from the fogger build to force the treatment through the ductwork at a slower pace so it will contact the interior surfaces better.???

 

[RandyHilburn]

Thanks Frank, sealing off the vents while fogging sounds like a good idea. Will do.

[When using the ozone, I came back two days later and the ozone was so strong I could smell it while unlocking the door. The entire apartment was so saturated I couldn't smell anything excet ozone. However, when i came back two days later, the curry smell was as strong as ever. I deduce that ozone is not very effective against curry and am looking for something that works!]

 

[RandyHilburn]

Mike, I hear the smell of Patel last beyond the sale.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The problem with sealers is not that they don't work but the problems associated in applying them.

The difficulty in getting enough product to the affected surface to do you some good. Many times in order to get good coverage it will come leaking out of the duct work staining drywall. Think about it, all four surfaces of the duct wall need to be coated to be effective.

The second problem is eventually the sealer is going to break down, I really don't want someone calling me years down the road about polymer dust.

The third adding another odor could just complicate the situation. Now when the system kicks on you get Curry and Mint. :shock:

I'd start with removing and cleaning the HVAC unit first, wash and clean it, see if that helps. I'd also hand wash as far in each boot as you can reach, clean the vent covers. Is there still odor? You could clean the duct system but it may only help if the dust in the duct work is holding the odor.

If the Curry is on there like varnish, you might need to remove it. I think before I got that far I'd run the system with Ozone being piped through the system for several days.

 

[RGH269]

I remember a while back reading a technical bulletin email about this specific issue. There was a new product formulated with this issue in mind, I believe it was from Scott Warrington and Interlink.

 

[K P]

The easiest way is to just move another Easterner in.You have to realize the it was atomized in the cooking process so it has to be a FULL paint,cleaned very thouroghly in all areas...then you can begin to try a few different alternatives..ie: wet fog, thermo fog,ozone.

 

[J Scott W]

I do have a bulletin on curry odors. You can email me for a copy or look on www.cleanwiki.com is you can maneuver through the maze of drop down menus there.

Is the duct work all sheet metal or do you have some plastic ducts or some with the insulation on the interior? That insulated duct will hold the odor forever. Either replace it or seal it in.

For the sheet metal, clean whatever areas you can reach with a wall wash cleaner such as Hard Power or Green Balance Hard Surface Cleaner. Follow by using Vaportek SOS through the duct work. It is much more effective than ozone on curry odor.

 

[RandyHilburn]

Thanks Scott. Duct are all sheetmetal. Vaportek is one piece of Interlink Supply equipment that we don't have! Will thermal fogging be effective or a waste of time?

 

[J Scott W]

Thanks Scott. Duct are all sheetmetal. Vaportek is one piece of Interlink Supply equipment that we don't have! Will thermal fogging be effective or a waste of time?

Thermal fogging is effective, but I think Vaportek SOS will be more effective.

If you don't have the Vapor Shark or one of the other Vaportek delivery systems, you can get a stand alone cartridge and just place it in front of an air mover on low speed to carry the vapors through the system.

Be sure to change filters if that has not already been done. Maybe leave a little something in the air return to continue to provide a light dose of fragrance. Unsmoke, Vaportek and other brands make products for that purpose.

 

[RandyHilburn]

Thanks everybody for the several good ideas!

 

[Larry Cobb]

I'd start with removing and cleaning the HVAC unit first, wash and clean it, see if that helps. I'd also hand wash as far in each boot as you can reach, clean the vent covers. Is there still odor? You could clean the duct system but it may only help if the dust in the duct work is holding the odor.

If the Curry is on there like varnish, you might need to remove it. I think before I got that far I'd run the system with Ozone being piped through the system for several days.

I would check the actual fan in the HVAC system to see if there is any curry smoke residue on the blades.
This would give you a good idea of the condition of the interior ductwork.

Then wash the wheel completely with a good POG, catching the residue in a plastic drop cloth.

More duct cleaning may be required, depending on the above tests.

Larry

 

[RandyHilburn]

Thanks Larry!

 

[Larry B]

Did you do the basics first like the stove, hood vent, cabinets & and other cleaning in the kitchen? Our IL business has done tons of curry cooking units and have never had to go as far as your posting about doing

 

[cucu]

i have had a lot of these type units,
a full paint , either wet fog or pump up with 9d9 after cleaning the ducts (not t/fog) and a unsmoke odor block in the return does the job
tilll the next curry head moves in

 

[glenboy]

i cleaned a used to be grow condo (pot) this place had brown water stains all over the carpet and even the air coming out of the vents smelled heavily.the customer asked me for advice and i stayed out of it.i knew it was in every pore in that condo including the padding.i wanted to yell GOOD Fn LUCK :| :| but i did not.i do believe i got ill from the odor in that place and i went home and passed out

 

[Noidios]

I am about to deal with my first curry odor removal job since acquiring a ULV fogger and ozone machine. I plan on using x-cide for smoke, but as this is my first time using a ULV fogger, I really have no idea how much product to use (or how long to spray for). 700 sq ft. apartment with hardwoods, but lots of upholstery and drapes (new tenant has already moved in). Any tips on how to use the fogger in this instance?
Thanks

 

[cu]

If tried most of the above with not much success . Till I got a machine from CMS . I did a curry unit last week with it and it worked. It was a one bed apt took 25 hrs to rid the odor.
On a 1 bed we get $200 2 bed unit $250 .

Call CMS at 650-345-7942. Ask Ray or tanner with machine I have .they,ll get you sorted.

 

[carpetmanandkoop]

Pet Zone has never failed me on any odor and it is cheap to use on any and i do mean any odor.

 

[KevinL]

Just burn some bacon on the stove.

 

[Jimmy L]

Thinking outside of the box here but would this product work?

ODORx LIQUID-ZONE Interlink sells it

Can be sprayed or fogged

With this curry does it decompose with bacteria growing on the residue causing the intense odor?

 

[Spazznout]

You need to clean the ducts via a negative air system with a whip or brush system to agitate the walls. I then seal the duct work using Unsmoke encapsulate available at my local Interlink.

What I am about to say is NOT racist. Here in Columbus Ohio we have a very large Indian population so I have dealt with this exact situation in apartments all the way up to million dollar homes around town. Do not guarantee you will get it out. Sometimes it is nearly impossible and is easier to just find another Indian/Pakistani family to rent and or buy the place.

The reason the odor is so hard to remove is that in the process of making the curry, which is simply a mix of spices, they burn charcoal on the stove and cook or dry the spices while combining them. This smoke picks up oils from the curry spices and carries them throughout the house. So now you are basically dealing with a smoke damaged house just as if they had had a small fire due to the repeated burning of this charcoal on the stove and the smoke that comes form it. Then as an added bonus or problem, it is carrying the potent oils from the curry powders and they penetrate EVERYTHING.

Some of these you win, some you dont.

If the ceiling has NOT been painted. IT MUST BE. Killz like product for primer then a finish coat. Walls too. Carpet and pad replaced. You will never get it out of the pad doing HWE.

My 2 cents.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The solution is so easy I can't believe no one has mentioned it. Just rent it to another Indian family, problem solved. Gawwwd you guys just over think these things!



Seriously if it's coated heavily in the duct work you have few options.
1) Remove the duct work
2) Seal the duct work
3) Spray or fog a contact deodorant in the duct work.

I think #1 is your best option, you have an occupied space, spraying or applying anything is only setting yourself for some complaints from the renter. These are attempts better made before someone is living in the residence. The can complain the ducts were on sealed well enough, which could be a valid point. How is a sealant expected to contact every sq inch of the duct work and not leak into the walls and ceiling? How is one expected to coat the inside top of the duct work. How long before the sealant degrades and is blown out into the living space? Odor counteractants,do you realize how tough it is to get a fragrance that two people can agree is pleasant?

Removal is your best bet.