HGTV’s Erin Napier Swears by This ‘Magic’ Device For Getting Rid of Stubborn Smells

Some annoying stenches just love to work their way into every nook and cranny of our home. Even after extensive cleaning, it can feel impossible to totally get rid of smells like cigarette smoke, pet odors, and musty mildew. Luckily, HGTV’s Erin Napier just shared her go-to product for nixing any nasty scents in a snap.

The Home Town host revealed the tip on Twitter, “PSA: we are working on a house that has been smoked in for many many years. A six hour treatment with an ozone generator that cost $99 has completely gotten rid of the smell in the 4,000 square-foot house.” She also included hashtags describing the machine as “voodoo magic.” 

It blew her followers’ minds, like one who responded saying they thought the only way to get rid of such awful smells was to replace the surfacing materials. Another person said they’d passed up on a buying house because it had such a bad odor, but might not have if they’d known about ozone generators. One more chimed in saying they used the device to get rid of smells after having a skunk under their home. That’s some powerful de-stinking! 

Although we can understand why Napier believes they work literal magic, there’s actual science behind the machine’s smell-neutralizing powers. As the name suggests, ozone generators filter air and change regular O2 into O3. The unstable gas then clings to whatever organic material it can find — like odor-causing molecules — and neutralizes them while returning to an O2 state. 

You can find devices for a bit cheaper than what Napier mentioned, like the Airthereal Ozone Generator (Buy on airthereal.com, $69.99) — but before rushing to use one, you need to read up on the proper precautions. Most importantly, you shouldn’t run the machine while you or anyone else, your pets, or even plants are in the same room. You don’t want to be the organic material that the unstable gas clings to, which can cause discomfort and even lead to health issues like shortness of breath, chest pain, and decreased lung function. It’s also a good idea to set up fans and crack windows to clear the air once you’ve finished using an ozone generator. 

When used safely, these can be great tools for nixing smells in your home, car, and other areas where odors tend to cling. For less intense de-stinking needs, though, you can check out our tips for getting rid of musty smells in your house.

This article was updated on Wednesday, September 21 at 11:30 a.m. EST. It was originally published on September 2, 2021.