Why the heck does lighting a match get rid of ...umm..."bathroom" odors? Well...
When a match is struck, it produces sulfer dioxide, a "very pungent substance, to which the smell receptors are extremely sensitive." MadSci explains, "You can smell a minute amount of sulfur dioxide, but when you have done so, you will not smell anything else for a while." So, the match doesn't really get rid of the odor -- it just covers it up. This seems the most likely explanation, but MadSci presents a few other possibilities, including "oxidation of smelly substances in the flame" and "absorption of smelly substances onto the smoke." Take yer pick!
See? Not only is this blog breathtakingly beautious, it's also educational, and has only half the calories of a quarter pounder with cheese!
