Pesticides

Pesticide products often contain fragrance. There are several reasons for this. One is of these of course, is to mask the odor of the pesticide portion of the products. Also properties of the fragrance may enhance the pesticide action. Some fragrance chemicals are themselves registered pesticide.

Masking the odor of the pesticide makes the product more acceptable to the consumer. After all, few people would be willing to spray a product in their homes that stank. A product that has a pleasant odor is less perceived as a toxic product.

Properties of fragrance can enhance the action of the pesticides. Many fragrance chemicals have solvent properties which may aid in dissolving the pesticide and allow it to disperse more easily. Other fragrance materials can enhance the absorption.

Some materials used in fragrance are also registered as pesticides. Some of the materials represent less toxic means of pest control such as essential oils used as propellants. Others may add to the toxicity of the product or be even more toxic than the pesticide portion of the product itself. The fragrance in Allercare is one such example.