Febreze Fabric Refresher Versus OdoBan Odor Eliminator

As a smoker and pet owner, I spend a good amount of time trying to get unpleasant odors out of my furniture, carpets, and linens. I’ve tried every product that I could find that claimed it could eliminate odors. One of the more popular products I’ve tried is Febreeze Fabric Refresher made by Proctor and Gamble. I’ve found it to be an effective way to rid my house of those odors left behind by my dog, as well as my smoking habit. I always thought, however, that it was somewhat pricey for the relatively small bottle it came in. So, on a recent trip to the store, I looked for an equally effective, but less expensive alternative to Febreeze. What I found was a product called OdoBan Odor Eliminator made by the Clean Control Corporation. Here’s how the two products stack up against each other.

Most people are familiar with the Febreeze product. It comes premixed, in a spray bottle of either 500 or 800 milliliters. The 800 milliliter bottle will cost $6-6.50 depending on where you buy it (making it about 0.007 cents per milliliter). You can find Febreeze at just about any retail store including supermarkets, chains such as Target or Walmart, and dollar stores. I’ve even found it at small gas stations and convenience stores, though they tend to charge a bit more per bottle. It’s easy to use, simply spray it on the malodorous object, and the odor should disappear as the product dries. Febreeze comes in many different scents such as Linen and Sky or Meadows and Rain, all of which are pleasing to my sense of smell. It also comes in different types such as Allergen Reducer and Pet Odor Eliminator. I was always partial to the antimicrobial version which claims to kill 99.9% of odor causing bacteria on fabrics, but none of them really appear to perform any differently from one another. I’ve found that it’s most effective when sprayed daily as the scent does not last very long. Overall, the product is quite effective and I was happy with its performance.

I would guess that fewer people are familiar with the OdoBan product. It comes in a one gallon container of concentrated solution, and costs around $10 for the gallon size which is equal to approximately 4000 milliliters. Each gallon of concentrate makes up to 32 gallons of product, or 128,000 milliliters (making it about 0.00008 cents per milliliter). While the OdoBan, at first glance, looks pricier than the Febreeze, take a minute to compare. At 0.007 cents per milliliter for the Febreeze, it would cost $896 (0.007 cents/ml multiplied by 128,000 milliliters) for the same amount of product. Buying the OdoBan would save $886 per gallon purchased! One gallon of OdoBan will last for quite a long time. My mother-in-law has had a bottle for over a year and still has half a gallon left.

Mixing the concentrated OdoBan simply involves adding it to water and shaking. It can be transferred into a spray bottle (available at any store for around $1-2) or other container depending on its intended use. The product is then used just as Febreeze, simply spray it on and let it dry. For those who do not want to hassle with mixing the product, the company also offers a ready to use version. However, if you’re looking to save money I’d stick with the OdoBan concentrate.

OdoBan is not as readily available as Febreeze is. I purchased it at a local Sam’s Club and according to the OdoBan website (www.OdoBan.com), that is the only retailer in my area that carries it. True, Sam’s Club requires a membership fee, which indirectly adds a bit to the cost of the product, but there are ways around that. Find someone who is already a member and go shopping with them or ask them to pick some up for you. This will save you the $40 membership fee. It is worth noting that even if you paid the $40 membership fee for Sam’s Club, you would still save $846 over buying the same amount of Febreeze. If you Google it, you can find many on-line retailers who are very willing to ship it to you as well, though pricing may vary.

OdoBan comes in only one scent: Eucalyptus. This can be a drawback if you do not like the scent of Eucalyptus. I’ve found, however, that the scent itself does not last very long while the odor control does. I still spray it on a daily basis, just as I would the Febreeze, and have been just as happy with the results.

Aside from being an odor eliminator to be sprayed on fabrics, OdoBan can be used to clean and disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces, and to deodorize your laundry as well. When used as a disinfectant, OdoBan kills 99.9% of germs such as Strep, E. Coli, and Staph. It also controls mold and mildew and kills viruses such as HIV and Herpes Simplex 2. The container has specific directions for mixing and application depending on the intended use. Febreeze does not offer a product intended for disinfecting surfaces. They do offer a Laundry Odor Eliminator that can be added to your washer, but it is a separate product that costs extra money. Why buy two separate products that don’t offer the same range of uses as OdoBan?

Overall, my personal opinion is that OdoBan beats Febreeze, hands down, due to its versatility and cost effectiveness. While Febreeze does offer a wider range of scents and products, and is slightly more convenient than OdoBan to use, a savings of $886 is just too hard to ignore. This savings is in addition to what you’ll save on other products (such as disinfectants) that you’ll be able to replace with OdoBan. So give it a try, and Happy Cleaning!