Fifteen clean 250 milliliters (ml) glass bottles, three per product, were filled with six milliliters of spoiled whole milk. Each of the four supplied cleaning products was prepared as a mixture of 6.25ml products in 500ml of autoclaved minimal media in spray bottles, and the control was untreated spoiled milk. Three bottles were treated for each supplied product mixture for a total of three treatment cycles, with each treatment cycle consisting of two sprays of the respective product directly into the bottle. Following each treatment cycle, the bottles were swirled around so the cleaner mixed with the spoiled milk. Four panelists rated the malodor of the milk after each treatment cycle using the following rating key:
| Rating
|
Description
|
| 1
|
No malodor
|
| 2
|
Slight malodor
|
| 3
|
Noticeable malodor
|
| 4
|
Strong malodor
|
| 5
|
Very strong malodor
|
An effective product needs to have an average rating of two or one. Each bottle, including the control, had to be rated a five before starting the test. After the first and second treatments, the bottles sat at room temperature to evaluate if there was an increase in malodor after 24 hours. Panelists rated the malodor of the milk after the overnight aging of the milk bottles before spraying a third and final treatment into the bottles to keep them at room temperature for a total of 240 hours and final malodor ratings were taken.
Protocol for 1L of Minimal Media:
- 7.50 g Bacto peptone media
- 3.27g Bushnell Hass Broth
- 1 Liter DI Water
The product that reduced the most malodor was Roebic's K-37 Septic Tank Treatment even after 24 hours. The least effective product overall at reducing malodor was Roebic's RV & Marine Holding Tank. Both Instant Power RV & Marine Holding Tank and Instant Power Septic Shock had some initial reduction after the first and second treatments. Without continuous treatment, all four products regressed back to a very high malodor after a total of 10 days (240 hours).
| Product
|
Averages of Four Panelists
|
| Initial Ratings
|
After 1st Treatment
|
After 2nd Treatment
|
After 24 Hours
|
After 240 Hours
|
| Instant Power RV & Marine Holding Tank
|
5
|
3.75
|
4.13
|
4.29
|
5
|
| Roebic's RV & Marine Holding Tank
|
5
|
4.50
|
4.00
|
4.21
|
5
|
| Instant Power Septic Shock
|
5
|
3.58
|
3.50
|
4.83
|
5
|
| Roebic's K-37 Septic Tank Treatment
|
5
|
3.50
|
2.54
|
3.75
|
5
|
| Control (Spoiled Milk)
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|