Can formaldehyde removal really be done as a DIY project?

Many people have a certain understanding of the dangers of formaldehyde. After renovating or purchasing new furniture, they become very worried about the impact of formaldehyde on their health — especially in environments with pregnant women, infants, young children, or the elderly. However, not every household has a sufficient budget for professional formaldehyde removal services. For example: a family spends HKD 4,000 on a set of furniture — they certainly wouldn’t want to spend another HKD 1,000 or more just to treat that furniture for formaldehyde.

Therefore, many customers ask: “Can I do formaldehyde removal myself? Is DIY formaldehyde removal possible?”

The answer is: YES! Below, we will introduce several safe and effective methods for removing formaldehyde, along with points to note. At the same time, we will explain some methods and products that are ineffective or have very little effect.

Are Folk Remedies for Formaldehyde Removal Reliable?

There are several common folk remedies for formaldehyde removal circulating online. The following types of items are frequently seen in clients’ homes or offices when we visit for professional formaldehyde removal services. Let’s take a look together at which methods are useful, which have no effect or insignificant effect, and which are safe and highly effective.

Formaldehyde Removal Sprays

Different formaldehyde removal sprays use different materials. Currently, the more common solutions available on the market include photocatalysts and nano-silver. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to whether the materials are safe, because the fundamental purpose of removing formaldehyde is to improve the health of the environment. Therefore, “Do No Harm” is always the first principle when choosing formaldehyde removal materials. If some formaldehyde removal materials on the market contain allergenic ingredients (for example, TiO₂ titanium dioxide commonly used in photocatalysts is a respirable carcinogen) or may cause secondary pollution, extra caution is required. Allerfree is the latest technology formaldehyde & TVOC brand BioNatro Nano Aldehyde-Purifying Catalyst (Nano Catalyst Model: A1). It has beeOn strictly verified as safe and effective, and can decompose formaldehyde (HCHO) by up to more than 96%. It is the top choice for DIY formaldehyde removal on small furniture. We also offer 2-liter refill packs for convenient use in areas of different sizes.

Tea leaves

We have seen clients buy large quantities of tea leaves and place them all over every piece of furniture — even every drawer — in a 4,000-square-foot duplex house. Yet the formaldehyde levels inside the house still exceeded Hong Kong’s safety standard (0.08 PPM) by several times.

Although research has confirmed that certain substances in tea leaves can absorb formaldehyde, the effect is extremely minimal. Therefore, rather than using them for formaldehyde removal, tea leaves are still more practical for brewing tea. ​

​Pineapples

Pineapples have a sweet and refreshing aroma. Many people believe that placing pineapples in a newly renovated home can eliminate odors and achieve a formaldehyde removal effect.

Indeed, placing fresh pineapples can effectively mask the originally pungent smell of formaldehyde, making the indoor odor more acceptable. However, there is currently no scientific basis for pineapples removing formaldehyde. Therefore, pineapples can only cover up the smell and have no effect on decomposing

Green plants

Green plants are not only ornamental but also have a certain degree of formaldehyde removal effect. According to an experiment by a research institute, in a 1.5-cubic-meter experimental space, the formaldehyde removal efficiency of different varieties of green plants ranged from 1% to 9%. Among them, English ivy performed better, with a formaldehyde removal effect of 9%.

However, a 400-square-foot home is approximately equivalent to 75 cubic meters of space. To achieve a noticeable effect, it seems a very large number of green plants would be needed (see illustration), and the prerequisite is that the formaldehyde concentration cannot be too high.

Activated carbon

Activated carbon is an excellent formaldehyde adsorbent. It is made from raw materials such as charcoal, bamboo charcoal, various fruit shells, and coal. These are dried at high temperatures to carbonize the organic tissue, then reacted with activators and water vapor to complete the activation process and produce the finished product. During this process, a rich pore structure and a larger specific surface area are created, giving activated carbon a certain adsorption capacity.

Many air purifiers that can remove formaldehyde and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and other toxic gases are equipped with activated carbon filters. However, the formaldehyde removal process of activated carbon is adsorption rather than decomposition. Therefore, when it becomes saturated, it must be discarded or placed under the sun to release the formaldehyde molecules adsorbed on its surface.

For more products related to formaldehyde and TVOC removal, please refer to our company website: https://www.allerfreehk.com/bionatro-nanocatalyst