Actichem Deofresh Citrus 20 Ltr

Deofresh is Actichem's carpet deodoriser and fragrance booster - a professional deodoriser formulated to handle tough odours, provide routine odour control, and give a fragrance boost to cleaning solutions. This listing is the Citrus fragrance in the 20 litre bulk pack.

The formulation is tough enough to handle the everyday malodours encountered by the cleaning professional. Added to that is a pleasant, fresh fragrance that leaves the cleaned area with a lingering clean scent.

Deofresh is a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulations - signal word Warning, and a Category 1 skin sensitiser. It is not dangerous goods and ships unregulated. Read the safety section below before you order.

Product description

Deofresh eliminates malodours at their source by destroying the odour-causing bacteria. The fragrance is there as well, but it is not the part doing the work. That distinction matters on jobs where the odour will come back if it is only masked.

• Odour neutralising - eliminates malodours at their source by destroying the odour-causing bacteria.
• Fresh and clean scent - a choice of three fragrances to boost the fresh, clean atmosphere created by newly cleaned carpet.
• Fibre safe - ideal for use on all water-cleanable fibres, including natural fibres.
• Safe on 5th generation nylon - meets the specifications for use on 5th generation stain-resistant carpet. This is the reason to reach for it on severe malodours on that carpet type: quat-based sanitisers damage the stain-resistant treatment.
• Fragrance boost - can be added to rinse water for a fragrance boost and final deodorisation.
• Chemical compatibility - compatible with all Actichem prespray and extraction detergents, and well suited as a fragrance additive.

Is the 20 litre the right pack for you?

This is the bulk pack. At the routine dilution it holds enough concentrate for somewhere between 2,500 and 5,000 litres of working solution, so it suits a business running several trucks or doing regular commercial contract work.

Two things to think about before you order it. Decanting from a 20 litre drum into a jug is where spills and skin contact happen, so a tap or a pump is worth having if you are not already set up for it. And because Deofresh is a Category 1 skin sensitiser, more handling means more exposure - the gloves matter more on the bulk pack, not less.

If you only run one truck, or you want to trial a fragrance before committing, the 5 litre pack is the sensible starting point.

Which fragrance should you order?

The three Deofresh fragrances carry the same hazard classification and the same dilution guidance. What changes is the scent and the colour of the concentrate. Choose on what your client will accept in an occupied building, not on performance.

Where it earns its place

• Routine deodorisation - added to the prespray or the cleaning solution on everyday domestic and commercial work.
• Fragrance boost in the rinse - added to acid rinse solution so the room still smells clean when the client walks back in.
• Fire and flood restoration - at the stronger 1:100 to 1:50 dilution.
• Severe odours on 5th generation stain-resistant carpet - where a quat-based sanitiser would damage the stain-resist treatment and Deofresh will not.

Compatibility, and what not to mix it with

Deofresh is compatible with all Actichem prespray and extraction detergents and is ideal for use as a fragrance additive.

Do not mix Deofresh with other deodorisers, sanitisers, or Actichem PolyProp Plus.

Always pre-test in an inconspicuous location for substrate sensitivity to chemicals and for dye stability before treating the whole area.

How to use

Routine deodorisation

Mix 40-80 ml per 10 L of water, or of ready-to-use cleaning solution (1:250 - 1:125).
Hydroforce 1:9 tip - add 375 - 200 ml into a 5 L Hydroforce container.

Acid rinse deodorisation

Mix 40-80 ml per 10 L of ready-to-use rinse solution (1:250 - 1:125).

Fire and flood restoration

Mix 100-200 ml per 10 L of water (1:100 - 1:50).
Hydroforce 1:9 tip - add 450 - 900 ml into a 5 L Hydroforce container.

Severe odours on 5th generation stain-resistant carpet

Mix 20 ml per 1 litre of water (1:50).

Application

1. Apply directly onto the odour source.
2. Allow at least 5 minutes dwell time for effective deodorisation.
3. May be used before cleaning, or for residual deodorisation after cleaning has removed the odour source.
4. Rinse using standard techniques where stronger dilutions are used (stronger than 1:100).

Safety - please read before you order

Actichem's current safety data sheet for AP430, version 2.2 issued 5 August 2025, classifies Deofresh Citrus as a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulations, and as non-dangerous goods under the ADG Code.

Signal word: WARNING

GHS classification:

• Serious Eye Damage / Eye Irritation, Category 2A
• Skin Sensitisation, Category 1

Hazard statements:

• H319 - Causes serious eye irritation
• H317 - May cause an allergic skin reaction

H317 is the one that catches people out. Sensitisation is cumulative and permanent. A technician who decants concentrate bare-handed a few times a week for a year can end up unable to work around the product at all. Glove up for the concentrate even though the working solution is dilute. This applies with more force to a 20 litre drum, which is decanted far more often than it is replaced.

Personal protective equipment Actichem specify for handling the concentrate: safety glasses with side shields, chemical-resistant gloves in butyl or neoprene, overalls, a PVC apron, barrier cream, and access to an eyewash unit.

Transport is a separate question to hazard. The HAZCHEM code is not applicable and the product is not regulated for the transport of dangerous goods. That is a shipping rule. It does not make the product non-hazardous in use, in storage, or on site - the safety data sheet states plainly that this is a hazardous chemical.

Read the full safety data sheet before use, and make sure whoever actually uses the product has a copy.

Download the Deofresh Citrus AP430 Safety Data Sheet

Specifications

Note on pH. The AP430 safety data sheet records pH 7. Actichem's Deofresh product page states pH 7.5. Both figures are near neutral and neither changes how you use the product, but we have shown both rather than pick one. We have asked Actichem to confirm which is current.

The rest of the odour control range

• Deofresh Citrus 5 Ltr - the same product in the smaller pack.
• Deofresh Powder Fresh Floral 5 Ltr
• Deofresh Tutti Fruiti 20 Ltr
• Deostor Organic 5 Ltr - for decaying matter, waste and rotting organic material.
• Odourtak SV Citrus 5 Ltr - for fogging.

Deofresh, Deostor or Odourtak?

These three ranges are not interchangeable, and buying the wrong one is the most common mistake with Actichem odour control.

• Deofresh is a carpet product. It goes into your prespray or your rinse on a normal clean, deals with everyday malodours, and leaves a fragrance. It is the routine one.
• Deostor is a concentrated odour neutraliser for a specific odour source - decaying matter, fire and smoke residue, or severe persistent odours. It is the heavy one, and several of the Deostor products carry a materially higher hazard classification than Deofresh does.
• Odourtak is fogged, not sprayed. It is for treating a whole space where the odour is in the air and in porous materials rather than in the carpet.

Frequently asked questions

How far does 20 litres go?

At the routine rate of 40-80 ml per 10 L, a 20 litre drum makes roughly 2,500 to 5,000 litres of working solution. At the fire and flood rate of 100-200 ml per 10 L it makes 1,000 to 2,000 litres.

Is Deofresh hazardous?

Yes. Actichem's safety data sheet classifies it as a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulations, signal word Warning, with a Category 2A eye irritation and Category 1 skin sensitisation classification. It is not dangerous goods, so it ships unregulated, but that is a transport rule rather than a hazard rating. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling the concentrate.

Does it just mask the smell?

No. Deofresh works by destroying the odour-causing bacteria at the source. The fragrance is an addition, not the mechanism. That said, no deodoriser fixes an odour whose source is still present - if there is contaminated underlay or a wet subfloor, deal with that first.

Can I use it on wool and other natural fibres?

Yes. It is suitable for all water-cleanable fibres, including natural fibres. Pre-test in an inconspicuous spot for dye stability first, as you would with anything.

Why use Deofresh rather than a sanitiser on stain-resistant carpet?

Quat-based sanitisers damage the stain-resistant treatment on 5th generation nylon. Deofresh meets the specifications for use on that carpet type, which is why it is the right choice for severe malodours there. Use it at 20 ml per litre for those jobs.

Can I mix it with my sanitiser to save a step?

No. Do not mix Deofresh with other deodorisers, sanitisers, or Actichem PolyProp Plus. It is compatible with Actichem prespray and extraction detergents, and that is where it belongs in the process.

How long does an opened drum last?

Actichem do not publish a shelf life for Deofresh, so we will not state one. Keep the drum closed, store it out of direct sun and away from heat, and if you are working through 20 litres slowly it is worth checking the fragrance and appearance before a job rather than after.

What we see in the field

[Technician's Note - replace before publishing: two to four sentences of first-hand CCW field experience relevant to this product. A pattern you see, a mistake customers make, or something learned from servicing or selling it. Not spec repetition, not a sales pitch, not invented.]

Not sure whether you need Deofresh, Deostor or Odourtak for the job in front of you, or whether the 20 litre is the right pack? Ring us before you order and we will talk it through.