Masked activated carbon substrates

A method of forming a substrate that contains an odor control coating, the method comprising forming a coating formulation comprising solvent, activated carbon, a binder, and a masking agent, said binder comprising a water-soluble organic polymer that includes a nonionic cellulosic ether and a water-insoluble co-binder, wherein said co-binder is a polymer latex selected from styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyvinyl acetate homopolymers, vinyl-acetate ethylene copolymers, vinyl-acetate acrylic copolymers, ethylene-vinyl chloride copolymers, ethylene-vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate terpolymers, acrylic polyvinyl chloride polymers, acrylic polymers and nitrile polymers, and wherein said masking agent comprising inorganic masking particles having an average size less than the average size of said activated carbon; applying the coating formulation to the substrate; and heating the resulting coated substrate to drive the solvent from the coating, preferably wherein the coated substrate is heated to at least about 50°C.