Guest's allergies to laundry detergent

Answered!
Ali40
Level 10
Crozet, VA

Guest's allergies to laundry detergent

I'm fairly new to Airbnb and hosted my 3rd guests this weekend.

 

Upon check out they messaged me and said they both have allergies and that most laundry detergent brands have a "sensitive or fragrance free option" as they were sensitive to the smell of freshly laundered linens.

 

They left the apartment tidy, and I didn't hear a word from them until check out about the linens, and if they had told me about their allergies when they booked the apartment, I would have made sure the linens were washed in a fragrance free detergent.

 

They haven't left a review yet, and I wrote them a good review, as they were good guests. But shouldn't they have infomed me ahead of time if they had such sensitivities? I've also contacted everyone currently booked and asked about allergies AND added to the house rules to let me know if they need the linens washed in frangrance free detergent. 

 

Ali

1 Best Answer
Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

Unless you advertise and offer a Hypo-allergenic stay (and premium price), I would do nothing.

Your home, your rules, your cleaning routine.

It is not in my interest to explain my cleaning routine/choice of cleaning products with guests. 

My answer to mold/allergy requests is to say "I'm sorry I cannot guarantee your health in my home"  I'm not a Doctor, biochemist or psychiatrist and have no need to expose myself to a lawsuit. 

If they give timely notice (they cancel sooner than later) I will refund them.

That said, I don't have mold in my home. I don't use air fresheners and do keep air circulation in my house.

Keep it simple

 

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39 Replies 39
Alicia294
Level 2
Portland, OR

In my experience hotels do not use scented laundry detergent. About 75% (or more) of the airbnbs I've stayed in do use scented detergent. I go to great lengths to contact hosts ahead of time to ask them if they use scented detergent. If I have a choice I will not stay at a place that uses scent. If for whatever reason my choice is limited I will ask them to wash the sheets in unscented detergent. But, of course, they still reek of cheap perfume for the reasons Robert describes. I almost always bring my own sheets and pillows for this reason. It is such a waste of my time and money. I wish airbnb had an "unscented stay" designation for hosts who actually provide an unscented environment...I would absolutely pay a premium for that.

Kirsten99
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

I actually acquired a Chemical Sensitivity through exposure to harsh, scented laundry detergent, while staying at a pub in the UK (not air bnb, but a small, traditional hotel).  While I have always disliked strongly scented detergents and air fresheners, I wouldn't have described myself as allergic or having a chemical sensitivity before this incident, about two and a half years ago.  It has caused huge problems, because now I can't even tolerate friends coming to my house who have used normal washing powder, and if I get too close to the washing aisle at the supermarket I get sick.  After exposure I can be sick for days afterwards.  I would not have known to ask for a scent-free room because before that incident, I didn't realise I could become sensitiesd.  If travelling in the UK, I take my own bedding, and ask hosts to remove their own bedding and any air fresheners from the room before my arrival, unless they use an eco brand - I always ask really politely and all of the hosts have responded sympathetically . But I feel limited when travelling further afield, and my dream would be to have any businesses open to the public to use non-scented products, and not to use chemical air fresheners. This would not only help people who already have allergies or sensitivities, but it would also prevent many people like me from developing these life-altering sensitivities in the first place.  I would educate guests about non-scented detergents, and explain that many guests are allergic to scented products.

I have the same issues here in the United States. I do not understand why it is suddenly ok to pump scents throughout hotels and why scented laundry products are the norm. The amount of chemicals in these products are insane. I am sensitive to scented products and I know others are too, and even those who are not, don't necessarily love scents while traveling. We are the ones suffering, if places used unscented products, allergic to clean air, can you please pump some scented toxins into them please. Laws need to be in place that ban  these products from public spaces. We are forced to breathe in chemicals that make us sick, or even if they don't for others, they may not enjoy the particular scent. Smoking was banned in the US and it took only a few years for plug ins and other continuous emitting scent products to take over our public air space. It needs to stop, there are more chemicals in those products than there is in cigaret smoke. 

@Kirsten99 When my primary care doctor would not help me I found an integrative practitioner 5 years ago who agreed to write an Rx for low dose naltrexone 3 mg (then 4.5 mg a year later). I am still somewhat reactive (nasal burning, headaches), but it has definitely dialed down my chemical sensitivities (and burning mouth syndrome). I urge you to have heavy metals testing as elevated metals and/or mold illness are the most common underlying conditions. 

Julia1
Level 8
London, United Kingdom

I had a guest who asked if I had non feather bedding due to allergies, this was prior to booking and I could accommodate her, anyone with allergies should ask questios of the host prior to booking or bring their own supplies - I have an allergy to a chemical preservative found in many products inclding so called sensitive so always take my own body wash, shampoo etc. 

That "freshly laundered" smell you refer to is chemically engineered to smell that way and last forever. Even if you wash the sheets and towels in Fragrance Free detergent, the smell will not dissapate. That "fresh Smell" is actually really dirty petro-chemicals- same as what is used in fertilizer, gasoline, nicotine and yes-hairspray, febreze, scented candles, "yummy" smelling soaps, etc. People have a toxic (means poison)reaction to these products because the chemicals attack multiple bodily functions (not just alergies). The Fragrance industry is unregulated and on average 200-500 different chemicals are used in scented products that have not been tested, nor ever will be. This goes beyound allergic' to a toxic build up in our bodily systems and environment that can turn on us "scent lovers" at any time, and you too, can become intolerant just like that.Please Google  "Health Hazards of Fragrance Chemicals"to become more conscious of what "fresh smelling" stuff exposes yourself, pets and guests to. 

Thank you for spelling it out for uneducated hosts and guests! I frequently use he phrase "if you are not sure please ask the most sensitive nose you knows" to evaluate (odors/fragrances). Folks, to see how safe or how toxic your products are you can look them up in an enormous database at EWG.org (Environmental Working Group).

Cormac0
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Ali40 

 

Does anybody remember the post a few years back about the GUEST with abominably smelly feet that was turning his hosts stomach?

 

You pay your money and you take your chances 

 

"We offer a fragrances free environment" next line "Guests with body odor problem please do not book."

Betsy188
Level 1
Los Angeles, CA

I don't know why AirBnB doesn't have a policy around this.  For sure I will in the future ask in advance.

Sudsrung0
Level 10
Rawai, Thailand

I have stopped supplying laundry detergent in my properties, When people do ask do I provide, my answer is, I dont know what is suitable for you, get them to buy their own brand then they cannot complain to you,