Air quality in Airbnb Homes

[DeDe2]

I love Airbnb and have been booking houses to stay in on the site for the last two years. The problem is, many of the homes we have stayed in are musty, from the cheap $100 crash pads to "luxury" homes that cost us more than $400 per night. Many of my friends have had the same problem and like me, when they return from their vacation wind up sick in bed for a couple of days from the musty air they were breathing. 

Since polluted indoor air can cause major health issues, we're hoping Airbnb can add a rating on spaces that let people know if the place they are staying in is "healthy."  It will be based on the honor system, but if a homeowner isn't honest, they can be called out in customer comments.

DS

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Can't say I've noticed the same in the places I've stayed. 

[Amy42]

You can rate homes on their "Cleanliness" factor. 

You may want to mention this to hosts at least in private comments. If they rent it regularly it may not get aired out all that much, dust mites and other allergens can accumulate and hosts may not realize it. 

I rent out space in my home and have to say, it seems like guests expect a home to be more perfect than is reasonable sometimes. They notice all kinds of little things that you overlook when you live there. I think my house is spotless for a place that's truly lived in, and people still rate me down on cleanliness sometimes, so I'm left scratching my head as to why. Sometimes it's because I have a cat and they have no clue that house pets can track litter and make smells, no matter what we do to ensure it's clean; sometimes I realized I've overlooked some obscure nook and cranny or maybe there was a stray hair or something small and obscure that just grossed them out. 

Do your hosts a favor, give them the benefit of the doubt and let them know there is an issue. If a place truly is bad, do not stay there --and notify them there's a real problem. I've stayed unfortunately in many a hotel room with windows you could not open that did smell slightly musty or dusty, so I don't think the problem is limited to Airbnb. 

[Annette33]

oh... crash pads for 100 a night? Not where we live... at $98 per night we are on the upper end, completely separate apartment from the main house, great views, spotlessly clean as all guests so far have attested to..... I believe most hosts take their duties seriously, but it always seems more difficult to maintain high standards with shared spaces. too bad  you couldn't rely on previous reviews, they are just not very reliable, usually everybody and everything gets praised all the time. Good luck in the future!

[Ange2]

@Annette33   "oh... crash pads for 100 a night? "  that made me laugh.  Mine is not a crash pad and is under $100/night. I've seen a lot of "crash pads" with 5 star ratings.

[DeDe2]

Unfortunately I was born and raised in NYC. Any decent home within two hours of here to rent costs a small fortune

[Ange2]

@DeDe2   Unless the mustiness is overwhelming (not a good sign) "healthy air" is a relative a term (when there are no science gagdets around to measure it)  so it would be unfair to say someone was dishonest if the air was not up to one's own personal standard!  Sometimes cleaning products produce that smell and also when it is particularly damp and still outside the streets smell musty too!  I use mostly organic products, but I keep all my windows open whenever I can so the judgement would be more about local city air - nothing I can do about that.

I think it would be better to add "Air Purifier" or "Allergy  Friendly" to amenities, that way people who have, allergies, asthma, are sensitive to air quality can choose according to their needs. It is already a niche.

[S11]

THANK YOU, Ange for the great suggestion! I have an air purifier in my place, and completely forgot to add this to my amenities.
I also try to make sure that the ventilation is regularly serviced. Clean, fresh air is always the best for everyone!

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

Can't say I have ever experienced this in years and years of travel - other than when staying in historic properties where the construction and fabric of the buildings means moisture behaves differently to our hermetically sealed houses these days.

I know some people can be very sensitive to things like dust or cleaning products. I think if I had a request from someone asking about air quality in our home I could only point to us being live and healthy so far. I'd guess outside air in London is more 'dangerous' than inside! The idea of air purifiers is a good one for hosts and guests concerned about this,

[Susan234]

I'm not sure what you mean by polluted air but I have 3 air filters m in my unit. I don't allow smoking. I bleach my linens. As a
35 year certified sanitation expert I'd want details. The uninformed public often blames their last experience when in fact most illnesses occur 72 hours to several weeks after exposure. The opportunity for you or anyone else to become ill at a lodging property is nil at best.

[Jhon16]

The Air purifier is one of the best solution for dust allergies and humidity. I think alos authority should set up this device. This is the small device look nice so anyone can use in any place. Check out this air purifier guide https://freshhomeguide.com/air-purifier-humidifier-combo-ultimate-guide