Please make "fragrance-free" a filter

[Brian450]

There is now a HUGE number of people who are fragrance-sensitive or have MCS. I'm one of them.

The odours of conventional cleaning products, air fresheners, dryer sheets, etc. make me sick. They give me headaches, burning eyes, feelings of tightness and tingling, respiratory irritation, heart palpitations, nausea, dry mouth and many other symptoms. I've had more than one vacation ruined by fragranced bedrooms that were making me ill. Surveys indicate that about one-third of the population in the US and other countries is fragrance-sensitive or has MCS or prefers fragrance-free spaces.

Please AirBnB stop ignoring this incredibly large group of people. You currently have filters for 13 different accessibility features. Could you PLEASE add another one, "fragrance-free"? Fragrance-free properties actually exist, it's just that you can't easily find them, at least not on the airbnb site itself. (Google search can be used as a workaround, but it's far from perfect.) Thanks!

[Andrea2460]

I hate to be a wet blanket but in my check in instructions, I ask the guest to let me know if they are sensitive to fragrances.  Of the thousands of guests, there were less than six who asked for accommodation.  Not that I will stop asking, but just making an observation.

[Brian450]

This is a filter / biased sample effect. Those who are highly fragrance sensitive often avoid travel as a rule, because of the enormous difficulty of finding suitable accommodations. If they travel, they will prefer accommodations that advertise unscented and natural cleaning and laundry, and conversely actively avoid accommodations that are obviously unsuitable.

One of the things that make a space unsuitable for fragrance-sensitive people is carpet. Carpet traps scents, and is usually an absolute nightmare, especially in the bedroom.

I try to find places that have tile in the bedroom, and hardwood as a compromise. If a place has carpet in the bedroom, that's almost an automatic no. So if your space has carpet in the bedroom, it would not be surprising if you get almost no guests with fragrance sensitivity as a concern. 

Other factors that will almost automatically drive away fragrance-sensitive people is expressed commitment to "enhanced cleaning" in the description (because this means MCS-triggering disinfectants), visible plug-in air fresheners or spray bottles in the pictures, or assurances that the space has been recently remodeled or renovated. Unless this was done with nontoxic building materials, it means strong VOC emissions from fresh paint.

[Linda3636]

Great points, Brian! The "natural cleaning" can be a major red flag, too, as many use products like the highly toxic Mrs. Meyers or things that include essential oils. So many mistakenly think "natural" automatically means safe for everyone.

When EOs and/or products made with EOs are used in the shower/bath/laundry/etc., keep in mind that there are many different brand new chemicals being created once the chemical compounds in the EOs mix with other things, especially camphene that's found in most EOs - when it mixes with chlorine, found in most water supplies, it then creates toxaphene, which is a banned "forever" pesticide. That's for sure not a non-toxic option.

Also when EOs are oxidized, you then create several toxins like the benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, etc. that folks adamantly say they don't want to be around when they ditch the synthetically fragranced products, not realizing they aren't actually avoiding those (and many other) toxins by using EOs as an alternative.

[Jozi9]

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[Krista-and-Ryan0]

Hi @Brian450 

Have you had much luck staying at any Airbnbs that are fragrance free? Can you recommend any? I have some travel coming up in the US (specifically Phoenix and Salt Lake City)..... hoping to connect with people who have brought this up on these forums for recommendations. 

[Marie8425]

I seen a Host post about a filter also because she offered fragrance free  

Therese-And-Tom0

[Valicia0]

Absolutely agree.  No fragrance!  The easiest solution airbnb could offer is a request box to check stating "prefer fragrance-free".  Since it would be a request, it would not require hosts to be held to provision.  But, it would let the host know guest does not want scented linens, air freshners or plug-ins.  

[William2519]

I totally agree with this!  Currently on a two leg trip and both used normal laundry products for their towels and linens.  I have to take antihistamines with me to travel because I’m never sure if the Airbnb I book will have fragrances linens and towels or not.  It’s pretty bad.  It’s also hard to ask because I also don’t want to scare off a potential host.  

I see the worry that a lot of others have regarding abuse of the system, but maybe Airbnb can add the fragrance free button and just let hosts choose to do it or not.  I’m sure the ones who are already fragrance free would be happy to add the button.  If you’re worried about a scammer or bad reviews, then just don’t add it for your listing!  Slowly I’m sure more will start doing it, but at least if a few do it, then traveling in countries where fragrances laundry products is the norm won’t make people like us suffer so much.  As a side note, fragranced laundry products aren’t as common in Asian countries, so I love traveling there.

[Northern-Stay--Irena0]

Completely agree.

Did it happen already?

[Nancy2282]

Yes!  Please. We need a low or no fragrance filter.   I am writing this wide awake at midnight in an Airbnb with the hideous laundry detergent fragrance on my sheets.  Ugh.  Nauseating and way over stimulated.  **bleep**.  Last night they had the fragrance plugins. Aaaack!  At least I could put those in a closet.  

signed,  No sleep for me.  

please go fragrance free. 

[Zheng49]

I just recently hosted my first guest who is allergic to fragrances. I found out when I showed her where the laundry detergent is and she said she brought her own because she is allergic to scents.

I asked if she smelled anything in the room, she said nothing. So that was a relief 🙂

I do use an air purifier in the room though, but otherwise nothing special is done. Oh, and I don't use any plug-in air fresheners in the house. 

[Kerry574]

i met my family at an Airbnb that my sister booked for us. It was so stinky from plug-ins and laundry detergent that I ended up sleeping in my car.

I don’t bother to even attempt renting a house anymore. I use Hipcamp and camp out of my car. It would be amazing to be able to find Airbnbs that don’t make me ill.

[Jennifer5018]

This! 💯

[Tracy1108]

**bleep** I can't agree with you more people are some clueless about this I literally am no longer able to travel

[Stacey413]

I'm not looking up MCs because I don't have one -- but companies (P&G's Downy Scent Beads for one) are putting out incredibly overwhelming products that seem to be appealing to more and more uninformed airbnb hosts -- These products DO NOT wash out or wear off, in fact, they are incredibly powerful [forever] chemicals designed to be motion-activated. After purchasing a resale fleece sweater online that was treated with something that wouldn't wash out and then staying in an Airbnb with the exact same smell, I had to investigate. These smells are 1) absolutely overwhelming, and 2) impossible (so far) to wash out. We've tried baking soda, vinegar rinses, repeated washings, and leaving the clothes in the sun/outdoors for days -- none of these practices touch it. When I stayed at the airbnb, I couldn't sleep and my pajamas came home smelling of the product -- that's when I asked the host what she used, and she gave me the product name. Point is, it's not just sensitive people, it's a products that are much more powerful than the traditional softener or rinse aid of old. I will be asking before every airbnb I stay in now, and certainly not using it in my own listing.