Beat cat litter odor with Ventifresh

By ALMA J. BUELVA

​HOW do you solve a problem like cat litter odor?

As a “mother of cats”, I should have a couple of hard-earned knowledge about the subject, but the only sure way I know to stop a cat's stink bomb from befouling the air is to scoop it as soon as it drops. 

That means keeping a close watch, which is impossible as cats like doing “No. 2” in stealth mode. Also, if you have several cats, that would mean being on poop patrol constantly.

Using technology used at NASA's International Space Station, Ventifresh gets rid of foul smells in cat litter boxes using a motor fan and UV light.

An evil-smelling cat litter that reeks of harmful ammonia from cat's urine is no joke. In fact, eradicating the insufferable stench with science was the challenge for a small team of opto-semiconductor experts from Taiwan. That (and the possibility that the chief product engineer is a cat owner) led to the invention of Ventifresh, the world's smallest cat litter deodorizer that applies a NASA technology called photocatalysis so kitty's commode won't stink.

Starting out as an Indiegogo campaign two years ago, Ventifresh is the smallest electronic odor eliminator that can neutralize odor build up in cat litters, trash cans, shoe cabinets, gym lockers and other small and enclosed areas like refrigerators. 

This is how it looks:

Chemical-free, maintenance-free and portable are just some of Ventifresh's features.

​Cat owners' struggle is real when it comes to cleaning cat litter boxes. Using air fresheners, scented candles and adding baking soda in the cat litter have been tried and tested but not necessarily effective. 

Aerosol sprays only mask bad odors and make cats snort in discomfort when they get a whiff of it. It's not very safe either to use electrical air fresheners that swirl perfumed water where curious cats can knock them over. Needless to say, lighted candles are fire hazards when left unattended. Baking soda sprinkled on cat litter creates muddy paws!

To see how it works, we first showed it to MetroPets' newest resident cat reviewer, Max who carefully inspected every part of the little device. Because we didn't have an enclosed cat litter box to test it with, we simply installed Ventifresh next to the cat litter tray. 

Aside from blowing away the musty smell around the cat litter area, we noticed that having a Ventifresh there also "disciplined" the cats from spraying on the wall. As Ventifresh quietly whirred away the funky odor, the soft sound it makes probably threw the cats off from pissing where they shouldn't.
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The solution offered by Ventifresh is a breath of fresh air – literally and figuratively. Ventifresh is all about ventilation and freshness, hence, its name. This tiny air purifier draws in foul air and cleans it up with its built-in motor fan that produces from 45L to 50L of air volume that fights off stinky odor before it wafts through the room.

Made by Conary Enterprise, Ventifresh also uses UV light (tested safe for pets' eyes) to decompose odor through natural photosynthesis methods to produce clean air that is safe for pets, people and the environment. 

We give Ventifresh additional points for being maintenance-free as it doesn't even need batteries and filters. One simply need to plug Ventifresh to a power outlet to turn on its fan and light sensor. The device automatically shuts off when users open the door or lid of the cabinet or cat litter box where it is installed, so accidental UV light exposure is not a problem. It has a built-in magnet and “Gel Pad” accessory, so it can be installed to any plastic or metal surface within seconds.

As it is quite tiny ( 2” x 2.48” and weighing a mere 70g), its energy consumption is also low at 3W. Ventifresh can be powered by a DC5V adaptor (used in phones) or power bank for short term use.

Ventifresh's creators are confident that Ventifresh's dust-resistant motor fan can run for a minimum of 10,000 hours at least. The product ships with a one year warranty against material and workmanship faults. 

Max thinks he deserves a fresh smelling litter box equipped with cat-friendly Ventifresh.

Ventifresh sells internationally for $64.99 - $69.99 through its online store, with 59 countries covered so far, including the Philippines. MetroPets learned that the next model will be ideal in cleaning air in small rooms and suitable for cat owners with no enclosed litter boxes.

Ventifresh proves that great things come in small packages. If Max could speak, he will probably say it's pretty purrfect.