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Have a Fragrance-Free Hotel
I've covered this topic several times, but it's important enough to keep talking about it. Chemical-based fragrances are decreasing air quality and increasing health problems with people coming into your hotel. Strive for fresh air not perfumed air.
Hotel operations are contributing the sick-building syndrome because of the chemicals they use. Perfume and fragrance are added to mask the chemical smell and to give the notion of fresh and clean. At the very least these daily operation procedures are making people sick, but they may be slowly killing people too.
Here's a short list of products found in many hotels that are scented, presumably to give that "fresh" scent to the hotel:
- air fresheners
- candles and potpourri
- guest amenities -- soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner
- laundry supplies -- detergent, fabric softener, bleach
- cleaning supplies -- carpet deodorant, glass cleaner, floor polish, all-purpose cleaner
Have a Fragrance-free Hotel Video
Some of the toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies include chlorine, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, butane and perchlorethylene. Not only are these ingredients irritants but also they are carcinogenic. They don't just impact air quality while the housekeeping staff is using the cleaning products, the chemicals coat the surface of everything they touched -- directly or indirectly -- and impact people coming along hours and days later. And to add insult to injury the perfumes used to mask these smells are damaging too!
Here are links to two of my articles on the problems with scents, aromas and fragrances: Fragrance-Free Hospitality and Listen to the Canary's Song. I'm sure there will be more to come.
Using cleaning supplies that are food-grade, lemon juice, baking soda and white vinegar, clean the surfaces you use them on -- without leaving a chemical perfume -- and save you money. Scent-free candles are a great option. Piles of fresh fruit or bunches of flowers add a fresh aroma. Opening doors and windows, as well as drawing fresh air into the hotel, provides a clean smell that doesn't cost you a penny. Being scent-free is one way to save money, something any hotel will value.
Save money, save the people in your hotel -- be a fragrance-free hotel.
Some of my favorite cleaners are found at the Sage Blossom Resource page.
Posted by Kit
