Actichem Deosan 20 Ltr

Deosan is Actichem's anti-microbial odour neutraliser - the one for severe malodour where the smell is bacterial and you need the bacteria dead, not just covered. It pairs a professional malodour absorber with a blend of biocides and potentiators, so it works on two fronts at once. This listing is the 20 litre bulk pack.

It is the right product for organic waste, urine, faeces, sewage, pet contamination, flooding and fire damage odours, and for mould and mildew spores. It is the wrong product on stain-resistant nylon - see the warning below before you order.

Deosan is a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulations - signal word DANGER. It causes serious eye damage. It is not dangerous goods and ships unregulated. Read the safety section below before you order, and make sure whoever uses it has eye protection.

Product description 

Simply cleaning an area will not remove odour molecules. Bad odours exist in the air and are trapped in fabrics, carpets and porous materials. In addition to a cleaning routine, you need an odour control strategy.

Deosan attacks the problem from both ends. The odour-causing bacteria and spores are destroyed by a blend of biocides and potentiators, while a professional malodour absorber encapsulates and neutralises the airborne smell. That combination is what makes it the quickest way to restore healthy indoor air quality after a sewage, flood or trauma job.

• Professional odour neutralising technology - a professional malodour absorber that encapsulates and neutralises air-borne malodours.
• Sophisticated anti-microbial chemistry - destroys odour-causing bacteria and spores with a powerful blend of biocides and potentiators.
• Fresh residual scent - deodorises the area with a fresh floral scent.
• Fire damage odours - effective against tough fire odours.
• Mould and mildew - the biocidal activity also destroys mould and mildew spores.
• Hard surfaces - equally at home on hard surfaces as on textiles.

Why the 20 litre pack

The 20 litre is the working pack for restoration crews running Deosan regularly - sewage and Category 3 losses, flood work, decomposition, and any job where the treated area runs to whole floors rather than a single room.

At the routine 50 to 100 ml per litre rate, 20 litres makes roughly 200 to 400 litres of working solution. Used as a 1:100 residual post-spray it goes a great deal further again.

If you use Deosan occasionally rather than weekly, the 5 litre pack is the sensible buy - it is the same product and it will not sit in the shed going out of date.

Where it earns its place

Deosan is highly effective on hard surfaces including concrete, plasterboard, wood, tiles and grout, and is suitable for all wool and synthetic fabrics and carpeting - with one important exception, below.

• Sewage and Category 3 water - where the odour is bacterial and the bacteria are still live.
• Urine and animal contamination - carpet, underlay, subfloor, concrete.
• Flood and water damage - including the plasterboard and framing behind the wall.
• Mould and mildew - destroys spores rather than bleaching the stain.
• Fire damage - tough smoke and combustion odours.

Important - not for stain-resistant nylon

Deosan will possibly remove some or all of the stain-resistant treatment from stain-resistant nylon carpet. Do not use it on that fibre unless you have made a considered decision to.

The practical caveat CCW have always given still applies: stain-resistant carpet that is severely soiled by organic contaminants will already have lost a high proportion of its stain-resistant treatment. On a sewage or urine job that carpet is often past saving anyway. That is a judgement call for the technician on site, not a rule - but make it knowingly.

Always pre-test in an inconspicuous location for substrate sensitivity to chemicals.

How to use

Dilution

CCW's long-standing recommendation is 50 to 100 ml per litre of water (1:10 to 1:20).

Actichem currently publish a wider range of 1:10 to 1:50 (20 to 90 ml per litre). We have asked them to confirm which is current. Until they do, use the stronger CCW range on heavy organic contamination and the weaker end only for light residual work.

Application

1. Apply the solution directly onto the odour source.
2. Allow 10 minutes of reaction time before further cleaning or rinsing.
3. When used after cleaning, a light rinse is enough to remove excess Deosan solution.

Always ensure the Deosan makes physical contact with the odour source. This is the whole job. A deodoriser that cannot reach the contamination does nothing.

Deosan can be applied before cleaning, after cleaning, or both. If large amounts of organic matter are present, always treat the area again after cleaning has removed the soiling - even if you already treated it beforehand.

For large areas, a 1:100 solution can be made up and used as a light post-spray, raked into the carpet.

Do not mix Deosan with any other cleaning solution.

Safety - please read before you order

Actichem's current safety data sheet for AP433, version 2.3 issued 8 August 2025, classifies Deosan as a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulations, and as non-dangerous goods under the ADG Code.

Signal word: DANGER

GHS classification:

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

Hazard statements:

• H315 - Causes skin irritation
• H317 - May cause an allergic skin reaction
• H318 - Causes serious eye damage

H318 is the one that matters, and it matters more on a 20 litre pack. Serious Eye Damage Category 1 means a splash of concentrate in the eye can cause irreversible damage. Decanting from a 20 litre drum is exactly the operation where that happens - it is heavier, harder to control, and usually done at chest height. Actichem specify an eye wash unit in the personal protective equipment for this product. Have one where the drum is stored.

H317 is cumulative. Skin sensitisation builds with repeated exposure and does not go away. A technician who handles concentrate bare-handed for long enough can end up unable to work around the product at all.

Personal protective equipment Actichem specify for handling the concentrate: safety glasses with side shields or chemical goggles, chemical protective gloves (butyl, neoprene or Viton), overalls, barrier cream and skin cleansing cream, and access to an eye wash unit. Maintain adequate ventilation.

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 safe to handle without protection.

This page previously described Deosan's safety profile as "Non-hazardous". That was wrong. The classification above comes directly from Actichem's current safety data sheet.

Download the Deosan AP433 Safety Data Sheet

Specifications

The rest of the odour control range

• Deosan 5 Ltr - the same product in the smaller pack.
• Deozyme 5 Ltr - enzyme digester for organic material that is still present.
• Deostor Organic 5 Ltr - concentrated neutraliser for decaying matter and rotting organic material.
• Deofresh Citrus 5 Ltr - routine carpet deodorising and fragrance.
• Odourtak SV Citrus 5 Ltr - for fogging a whole space.

Deosan, Deozyme, Deostor or Deofresh?

These ranges are not interchangeable, and buying the wrong one is the most common mistake with Actichem odour control. The question that sorts them is what is producing the smell right now.

• Deosan - live bacteria and microbial growth. It kills the organisms producing the odour and neutralises what is already in the air. The only one in the range with biocidal action.
• Deozyme - the organic source is still physically present. It digests the material rather than killing bacteria. Note that Deozyme relies on live bacteria to work, so Deosan and Deozyme should not be used together or in sequence without a thorough rinse - Deosan's biocides will kill Deozyme's organisms.
• Deostor - a specific residue, most often fire and smoke. The heavy neutraliser. Several Deostor products carry a materially higher hazard classification again.
• Deofresh - routine carpet work and everyday malodours, with a fragrance.

Frequently asked questions

How far does 20 litres go?

At the 50-100 ml per litre rate, roughly 200 to 400 litres of working solution. As a 1:100 post-spray it goes a great deal further.

Should I buy the 20 litre or the 5 litre?

The 20 litre suits crews running Deosan regularly on sewage, flood and decomposition work. If you use it occasionally, buy the 5 litre - same product, and it will not sit around.

Why is Deosan classified DANGER when other deodorisers are not?

Because it contains biocides. The chemistry that kills bacteria and mould spores is also the chemistry that damages eyes and skin. Actichem classify it Serious Eye Damage Category 1, hazard statement H318. Wear eye protection and gloves for the concentrate - particularly when decanting from the drum.

Can I use it on stain-resistant nylon?

Not without accepting that it may strip some or all of the stain-resistant treatment. On carpet already severely contaminated with organics, much of that treatment will have gone anyway - but make that call deliberately, and pre-test.

Can I use Deosan and Deozyme together?

No, not without rinsing thoroughly in between. Deozyme works by means of live Bacillus organisms. Deosan is a biocide. It will kill them and you lose the enzyme digestion you paid for.

Does it kill mould?

Actichem state the biocidal activity destroys mould and mildew spores. It is not a stain remover - it will not bleach out existing mould staining.

Will it fix the smell on its own?

Only if it can reach the source. Deosan has to make physical contact with the contamination. No deodoriser fixes an odour sealed under contaminated underlay, a wet subfloor or a cavity - that has to come out first.

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 Deosan, Deozyme, Deostor or Deofresh for the job in front of you? Ring us before you order and we will talk it through.