FAQs About Dr. CHARCOAL Products

About the product

Has this actually been tested, or is it just charcoal in a bag?

Tested. ITS Laboratory in Noida, NABL accredited under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, certificate TC-6179, ran three separate analyses on a 200 gm bag.

• Gases (MS-160219-01): in a 100 square foot fan circulated chamber, eight gases fell between 83.4 and 90.1 percent over 48 hours, benzene highest at 90.1 percent and ammonia at 89.4 percent.
• Humidity (MS-240119-03): in a sealed 200 square foot chamber, relative humidity fell from 82.0 percent to 42.3 percent over 48 hours.
• Bacteria and fungi (BT-240119-01): in 24 hour contact testing to AATCC 100, E. coli was reduced 98.54 percent, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 98.20 percent and Aspergillus niger 96.63 percent against control.

The tests were run in 2019. Reports are available on request.

How does activated charcoal actually remove smells? By adsorption. Odour molecules stick to the internal surface of the carbon, typically 500 to 1,500 square metres per gram, rather than being soaked into it. Nothing is added to the air.

Will it make the room smell nice? No. It removes odour rather than adding fragrance. Neutral air is the target. No Smell is the Best Smell.

Does it need electricity? No. It works silently with no power.

Using it

How long before I notice a difference? Give it 48 hours. The lab curve showed 35 to 48 percent of the gas concentration gone at 8 hours, 64 to 75 percent at 24 hours, and 83 to 90 percent at 48 hours. Something is happening on day one; most of it has happened by day two.

Where should I put it?

Wherever air moves. The test chamber had a fan running throughout, and adsorption only captures molecules that reach the carbon. Under a front seat or on a parcel shelf in a car; on an open shelf or hanging in a wardrobe. Not sealed in a glovebox or buried under clothes.

Which bag do I need? See Choosing the Right Dr. CHARCOAL Bag.

Does it help with humidity? In enclosed spaces, measurably. A sealed 200 square foot chamber went from 82.0 percent to 42.3 percent relative humidity over 48 hours. That makes it especially useful in wardrobes, shoe cabinets, cupboards and cars. For a whole room, pair it with ventilation and an AC or dehumidifier.

Does it kill bacteria or mould? The material resists them on contact: 98.54 percent for E. coli, 98.20 percent for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 96.63 percent for Aspergillus niger in 24 hour testing to AATCC 100. For mould growing on a wall, the fix is moisture control: find and fix the damp, and clean the growth off.

Does it remove dust, smog or PM2.5? Those are particles, which are handled by mechanical filtration such as a HEPA filter. Activated carbon handles gases and odours. The two work well together.

Sunlight and replacement

Do I need to put it in the sun? What does that do?

Sun dry it for two to three hours a month. What sunlight does is dry the bag, freeing pore volume that water vapour had taken up. Water competes with odour molecules for the same pores, so a dry bag has more working capacity than a damp one.

Why does it need replacing? Because capacity is finite. All adsorbents have limited capacity, and a spent bag looks identical to a new one. Replace after one year of typical use, and sooner in very humid or heavily loaded spaces.

How will I know when to replace it? You will not see a change, so use a calendar. Write the date on the bag when you place it.

Troubleshooting

My car still smells after two weeks. What is wrong? There is almost certainly an active source you have not found: usually trapped water, a spill in the seat foam, or microbial growth on the AC evaporator. Adsorption cannot outpace a source that is still producing.

What won’t it fix on its own? A dried out drain trap, an AC evaporator biofilm, soaked carpet underlay, nicotine tar bonded to surfaces, or urine that has reached foam. Those need the material treated or replaced first. Then the bag keeps the space fresh.

Safety

Is it safe around children and pets? It is activated charcoal in a sealed bag, with no added fragrance or chemicals. Keep it out of reach as you would any small object, and do not open the bag.

Can I use it in the fridge? Yes, for odour in the air. It does not preserve food or make food safer. Food that smells bad should be thrown away.

Keep reading

• Choosing the Right Dr. CHARCOAL Bag
• How to Use Dr. CHARCOAL Products
• How Long Does Activated Carbon Last?
• When to Replace Your Charcoal Bag
• Complete Guide to Activated Carbon
• How Activated Carbon Works
• Complete Guide to Odor Removal
• Air Purifier vs Activated Carbon
• Activated Carbon vs Air Fresheners

Sources

1. IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, adsorption. https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/A00155
2. Choma J et al. A Concise Review on Porous Adsorbents for Benzene and Other VOCs. Molecules 2024;29(23):5677. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11643905/
3. US EPA. Residential Air Cleaners: A Technical Summary, 3rd ed. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/documents/residential_air_cleaners_-_a_technical_summary_3rd_edition.pdf
4. US EPA. What is a HEPA filter? https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-hepa-filter
5. US EPA. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
6. Park C et al. Dominance of Biofilm-Forming Methylobacterium Species in the Evaporator Cores of Automobile Air-Conditioning Systems. mSphere 2020;5(1). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6968652/
7. US EPA. Controlling Pollutants and Sources: Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools. https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/controlling-pollutants-and-sources-indoor-air-quality-design-tools-schools
8. US FDA. Refrigerator Thermometers: Cold Facts about Food Safety. https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/refrigerator-thermometers-cold-facts-about-food-safety
9. ITS Laboratory, Noida (NABL TC-6179). Report MS-160219-01, Gas and VOC reduction, 21 Feb 2019. Held on file, available on request.
10. ITS Laboratory, Noida (NABL TC-6179). Report MS-240119-03, Humidity reduction, 31 Jan 2019. Held on file, available on request.
11. ITS Laboratory, Noida (NABL TC-6179). Report BT-240119-01, Anti-microbial analysis, AATCC 100-2012, 31 Jan 2019. Held on file, available on request.

Dr. CHARCOAL non electric air purifiers. Activated carbon for cars, wardrobes, bathrooms and homes. No electricity. No fragrance. No Smell is the Best Smell.