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One of our customers used a very high dose of formaldehyde 37% solution (60 liter formaldehyde in 40 liter water) for disinfection in his chicken farm (saloon). Now he says the odor of formaldehyde is very strong and can`t start breeding season. How can I help her?

Can he neutralize formaldehyde odor with some chemical treatment? Maybe he can use sodium hypochlorite (bleach). Do you think chlorine can oxidize formaldehyde?

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  • $\begingroup$ Just use water and a fan. Bleach will react exothermically and may start a fire. $\endgroup$
    – CoffeeIsLife
    Nov 19, 2016 at 12:06
  • $\begingroup$ No, you don't want to add more water unless you can wash it away. Dampness will "hold" the formaldehyde. This seems to be inside, so you want to use a fan and increase the temperature to dry the place out. $\endgroup$
    – MaxW
    Nov 19, 2016 at 16:44
  • $\begingroup$ Many tanks I suggest her washing Evey think with water ,and increasing temperature ,when I have report inform you @quantum American $\endgroup$
    – garni
    Nov 19, 2016 at 17:03

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Ammonia water, AKA ammonium hydroxide ($\ce{NH4OH}$), reacts with formaldehyde to form hexamine, a comparatively innocuous solid (though it is flammable when dry).

Safer might be Neutralization of Formaldehyde Gas by Ammonium Bicarbonate and Ammonium Carbonate, which would greatly reduce the flammability of the product.

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