Is your listing allergy-free?

[Stephanie]

Hi everyone,

In today’s world, almost everyone has an allergy. Having said that, there are many guests willing to pay a little bit more to have some extra peace of mind. After all, no one wants to arrive somewhere and realise  something might trigger their allergies! 

It can also be beneficial for the host: having an allergen-free listing can broaden your audience and your chances to have more bookings.

From allergen free bedding to using eco-friendly cleaning products without scent, there are many things that can help to make your listing allergen-free. Plus, it doesn't have to cost the earth. 

Is your listing allergy-free? Do you have any experience of receiving unusual allergy-related requests and how to accommodate them? Is it something that you think about in your home?

Share your tips below 🙂

Thanks, 

Stephanie

[Sarah977]

@Stephanie "In today’s world, almost everyone has an allergy."

Really? I don't know all that any people who have actual allergies. An aversion to certain things, certainly. Like I can't stand the taste or smell of vinegar, or the taste of many nuts, but I'm not actually allergic to them-  nothing bad happens if would consume them, except a gag reflex 🙂

What I think is that in today's world, many people like to think or believe they have an allergy, even if they haven't ever gone for any tests that would prove that they do. Like the gluten-free craze. Many people will say they are gluten-intolerant when they've never been tested for it. But it's a simple test and in fact, only something like 1% of the population is celiac- it isn't an allergy at all, their bodies don't produce the enzymes necessary to digest gluten, so gluten literally destroys their stomach linings and prevents them from absorbing nutrients from any other food they eat. 

I do know that there is a higher incidence of allergies and asthma than there used to be, and scientists attribute this to being exposed to so many toxic substances everywhere we go. But I think a lot of people's allergy claims are just part of the "I'm special" attitude that seems to be so prevalent in recent times.

But I certainly applaud anyone who tries to find alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners, toxic building materials, microfiber, plastics, etc. Those things are bad for all of us, whether we have real allergies or not.

[Emilia42]

@Sarah977 I've never had an allergy in my life, I've never even had seasonal allergies. I also consider myself to be apart of one of the other "I'm special" groups. I can also eat canned food 5 years passed the expiration date and carry a coffee cup without a paper sleeve  . .  nothing at all happens to me. It's apparently a rare ability 🙂

[Sarah977]

@Emilia42  You are special. I never really thought about it before, but I must be, too. All those dire warnings about how you're taking your life in your hands if you eat cooked rice that hasn't been immediately refrigerated after cooking? I've been eating cooked rice that's been sitting overnight in a pot on the stove all my life, without knowing that it is sure to make me sick.

[Emilia42]

@Sarah977 

Good point. I never refrigerate leftovers or takeout. I always leave them covered on the counter for lunch the next day. 

[Emily487]

@Stephanie 

1. Of course it's not allergen free, we have to take emotional support animals or risk being delisted.

Selfishly, this is a real problem for me as a co-host who has terrible pet allergies, my toddler who comes to clean with me also has pet terrible allergies, and we do all the laundry back at my house in my own washer...so we have to bring any pet dander into my car and then into our own house. So far the only ESA's was have had have been "snuck in" and were clearly not actual Service Animals because they were all over the beds, peed in the beds, and were left alone.

2. In my listing, we state that we have down-free bedding, that we keep the place a scent-neutral as possible by using unscented detergent/ hand soaps, and that we do not use air fresheners. 

3. Unusual requests regarding allergies- 

-A very nice young mom with a toddler who has multiple severe food allergies. She asked if I could "double clean" everything and I did. I made sure that all surfaces that a 3 year old could reach were well scrubbed, that she had disposable plates, silverware, and cups to use. We are a block from a huge research hospital so this also helped her feel safe. 

-A double lung transplant patient. I showed him the apartment months before his stay. We then spoke on the phone a month before his arrival. I agreed to "double clean" everything, use a new broom, new steamer mom pads, wash the mattress pads, and change the furnace filter. He also requested that we allow his friend who runs a cleaning business to come in after I clean to clean again.  I got a 4* in Value. 

[Allison2]

@Stephanie 

No host can guarantee an allergen-free place on Airbnb.

As others have pointed out, I could purchase allergen-free everything, use natural cleaners, run air purifiers, and the very day before my immune-compromised-highly-allergic guest arrives, someone can walk into my home with an untrained, undocumented "emotional support animal". They don't even need to inform me as the homeowner/host.

So Stephanie, turning the question back around: What is Airbnb doing to support hosts who want to offer allergy-free accommodation when it's effectively prohibited by your own policies?

[Lana638]

What if the host has an allergy to pets? Is the host expected to suffer just because of the emotional need of the guest? Doesn’t make much sense. 

[Laura2592]

I live in fear of a booking by someone with severe allergies because I know  they would be miserable at our place. Our listing is in no way allergy free, nor can we do what it takes to rid it of any allergens that a guest might suffer from. We are pet friendly and clean very thoroughly between each guest but could never remove all the microscopic dander for someone who was a severe sufferer. We are on a wooded lot with old growth trees that bloom three seasons out of four in one of the worst regions for allergy sufferers in the United States. And my good friend makes a living selling scented candles and soaps which are often featured at our cottage because I am gifted with these items constantly (they smell great but not to an allergy sufferer.)  I actually make a statement on my listing that my cottage is NOT suitable for someone with allergies. I would love to be able to host any and everyone who would like to stay with us but it would be cost prohibitive to try and ready our place for someone who had a lot of allergies. I applaud other hosts who can make this happen. Its got to be difficult to travel if one has such a limiting health issue.

[J-Renato0]

In addition to my previous post in this thread, one more thing I have to say.

Providing allergy-free accommodation may involve legal liability.
If the guest has an allergic attack and thinks that the host is to blame, he may complain or in the worst case scenario he can sue him. That is, even if the guest is not right. Certainly the host can prove the opposite, but it can be time consuming and tiring.

So, to be on the safe side, the host would have to ask the guest to sign a contract with numerous clauses ... 
Alternatively, the host would have to have a disclaimer text with which the guest should have to agree.
Anyway, it would be too complicated for the host.

If someone has a serious allergy, it is best to treat the allergy. There are medicines to be used when there is an allergic crisis or to prevent it. It is important to understand the limitations that the allergic person has. In this case, the best thing to do is to pick a hotel and, at the time of booking, notify about special requirements. Hotels have lots of rooms and can accept special requirements.

My position is not about lack of empathy. On the contrary, I understand the seriousness of the problem for some people. I would recommend what I think is best for anyone who has a serious allergy problem. Staying in a hotel with special accommodations and 24 hours concierge, in my opinion may be the safest option.

[Ellie331]

I advertise as Allergen Free due to numerous allergies. I have guests that return back to me because I am allergen free. I just had a guest that was so allergic to any types of chemicals or smells and I had to wash every single item in a free and clear detergent before the arrival. I also had to remove cleaning supplies, soaps and detergents. This was the first vacation that this guest  was able to take in over 5 years because of the unfortunate disability.  This  guest also mentioned that it is nearly impossible to find any allergen free properties. I was more than happy to comply with her wishes merely because of compassion.  However, Airbnb does not see it that way, if someone chooses to say they have an ESA (fake or not fake....the big question, unable to ask for documentation.)

 Even though I advertise as allergen free I had a guest tell me I had to accept the booking because of AirBnb policies. I felt totally discriminated against because I choose to be allergen free for guest and my family members. Now, the guest that is coming with their ESA will not even respond to my texts and emails and are due to arrive in the next 24 hours. Nor, will they respond to AirBnB making it a very uncomfortable reservation.

 My last guest is hoping more people will be allergen free and promote a place of wellness and safety for those that typically can not vacation due to the severity of their allergies. I am totally on board with some hosts providing an allergen free environment, which includes no pets! 

[Zach312]

Something much simpler: In every listing, a box for owners to check that says “a dog/cat regularly lives here when it is not being rented” and one that says “a cat/dog lives here while it is being rented.”

Those are separate from “you can bring your dog/cat.”

Most property owners who do NOT check “pet friendly” say a cat/dog DOES live in the space when it’s not being rented, when I ask, and they do NOT mention it in the listing. 

It’s just not possible to clean a place well enough that if a cat/dog lives there regularly I will be comfortable there. I moved into an apartment where a cat had just lived and it was months of thorough cleaning until I felt comfortable. Non-allergy sufferers don’t understand  it, and allergy sufferers, while not everyone, are by some measurements 1/4-1/3 of the US and EU populations. Dog/cat ownership is even higher. 

[Zach312]

Also, I’ll eat day old rice with my unwashed hands and I’ve eaten street food from Morocco to Bolivia with no trouble. 

Some posters here think allergies are an issue of cleanliness. They’re not, at least not mostly. I’ve been in pristine clean places seriously allergic, and slept in other seriously nasty places with no allergies at all. 

[Zach312]

And to those fearful of someone bringing their comfort dog: that is horrible, and needs be fixed, but as a renter with allergies I’m much much more worried about the host who lives in the place with his dog 11 months a year and brings the dog with him when he travels in August.

[Sarah977]

@Zach312  I'm a home-share host and while I don't accept guest pets (because so many pet owners are irresponsible or think it's perfectly fine for Fido to sleep in bed or on the furniture), I do have a dog and a cat myself. But I definitely mention it in my listing, and because I don't use IB, and communicate with all my guests before accepting bookings, I always make sure they have read the listing info and know about my pets. 

I'm not even sure if someone with allergies would be bothered by them, as they are pretty much outside animals and I don't have carpets, upholstered furniture, etc, but I know some people have quite severe allergies.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

I have mild allergies to dust and pollen - my eyes will be irritated and and turn red, exposed skin (usually face, hands, neck) will itch and get blotchy, my nose will start running and I will sniffle and sneeze like crazy. Nothing life threatening - so I rarely mention it. I don't really think of these things as allergies, just reactions to certain environments that are "a bother to deal with".  I simply try to book places without carpets or clutter to avoid situations where I may start itching or sniffling.

Also Henry and I are sensitive to fragrances (we get headaches and if exposed long enough my headaches will develop into full blown migraines while Henry starts to gag and feel very very nauseous) so we prefer places with large windows that open and if we see anything that is cause for concern we will *sometimes* ask about plug-ins or air fresheners, and request they be removed prior to and during our stay. This is usually enough and we've never had any issues or problems. 

Other than this WE find a way to manage in whatever environment or situation we find ourselves in. If we couldn't then we'd probably stay home instead of expecting everyone else to bend over backwards for us.

One of our former guests told us (very happily) near her check out date that she brought 4 months worth of allergy medication but she didn't need to take any during her entire stay with us. We use allergen free bedding and fabrics, try to use eco-friendly and non-scented products whenever possible for OUR sake, not just our guests. But we would not promote our place as allergen free or promise this to any guest because it's the guest's responsibility to confirm and make sure their specific needs are met. If anyone asks about allergen free bedding or cleaning products I'd be willing to send photos or more detailed descriptions of what I use/provide so the guest can determine if they'd be okay but ultimately the responsibility and decision is theirs, not mine.