Perfume dousing guests

[Rachel9]

hi - i just thought i posted this but it's not showing up, so i'll post again. My last 3 guests have all used excessive perfume, to the point that our bedrooms need to be fully aired out for several hours + deep cleaned before we can re-habitate our space, or turn it over for new guests. Stale chemical perfume that isn't our style lingers, and the scents aren't in any way appealing to me or my family. We live in our house and vacate it to AirBNB, and highlight that we're environmentally friendly, no chemicals etc. in our lifestyle. So far, I haven't indicated this in my reviews of guests, but it bugs me, and 3x in a row suggests this might be an issue for others? How can I gracefully tell guests to not douse themselves in our house, while not making it a turn off for potential guests? thanks...

[Clare0]

Gee, haven't seen that problem before!  And 3 in a row!  Maybe you should buy a Power Ball ticket!  Do you notice the excessive perfume when you meet them or is it after they've left?  All I would suggest is if you notice the scent at check in, you might comment on how strong it is.  Many people go "nose blind" to their perfume / cologne since they wear it all the time.  Had a boss I could smell before I saw her!

Otherwise, you might put in your house rules that you would appreciate guests not over using perfume / cologne or scented candles as it is difficult to air out the premises this time of year.  And get a bottle of unscented Fabreze to neutralize the smell. 

Let's hope this doesn't happen again!

[Maria-Lurdes0]

You can also simmer vinegar in a small pot - it will kill the smell.  I've used when I've had guests who like "Axe" body spray a bit too much.  I

[Lana7]

This is my problem!   I have a 3 hour turn around tomorrow, but I'll try this !! 

my current guests use a very strong spray deoderant which absolutely reeks.. my whole home smells like a lockerroom - or worse..  the duty-free area of an airport

the room of course is the worst.  Tomorrow as soon as they're out, it'll be all windows open,  vinigar in the kettle, baking soda on the carpet and some incense burning to try and fumigate it before my next guests

[Linda-And-Greg0]

Thank you for this tip. I'm trying to get rid of the Axe body spray in our bathroom right now. The guest doused himself as his last activity before checking out. 

[Jennifer1451]

I wanted to let you know that this vinegar in a pot works! I had a 2 month guest that doused on the perfume. The smell would knock you down as soon as you opened the door. I had a quick turn-around and  was desperate for some solution that would at least help a bit. I boiled about a quart of vinegar and left the steaming pot in the entrance. About an hour later the smell was completely GONE! Thank you!

[Daniel1]

We have that problem too! I think our international guests tend to use scent a bit more liberally than we do up here in the Pacific Northwest. Usually a good 2-3 hours of airing out will do the job, but on hot-turnaround days we sometimes can't do it.

[Pasek0]

We've had a similar issue just recently with 2 different guests, both from China.  It wasn't perfume but some sort of balsam. They were lovely guests and I gave a good review, but I also gave them both private feedback explaining it would be better if they could use their strong smelling product while they were on their balcony instead of in the room, as it's not a smell that the next guests, who were arriving soon afterwards, would appreciate.

Of course, not everyone has a balcony or, indeed, a hot enough climate to encourage guests to sit outside applying their lotions!  

Anyway, I've now added it into our house rules... 'Rooms are non-smoking (nor candles, incense, mosquito coils or strong smelling products), but you are welcome to smoke on your private balcony.'  So, if this happens again, I will refer to it in the review so that other hosts can be aware and mark them down a notch on the 'House Rules' section.

[Edna12]

I was just about to start a conversation about this. My last guest left my home smelling really odd. I just could not figure out what it was. It was a strong chemical scent and I thought at first they used disinfectant spray but I am not too sure. The current guest (from Mexico) uses TONS of perfume or cologne. I like the idea of being specific in the house rules section in a polite way. I use natural cleaning products, no pesticides and occasionally I will burn a natural soy candle scented with essential oils but that is it. I think I am just not used to strong smells in my home. I have 10 more days with this guest and I'll have to say something or it will drive me nuts and give me a headache. 

[Ava30]

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@Edna12 wrote:

 it will drive me nuts and give me a headache. 

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Hi Edna: You could tell them you are allergic to heavy scent use, that it triggers headaches/Migraines (as it does for me) I am allergic/reactive to the scent carriers more than the scents themselves. Since our listing is a stand alone, and my husband is not allergic, he kindly checks first and opens windows etc before I enter if there is a scent issue. We also have an air cleaner running 24/7 in the dining room and small ones in each bedroom. It really helps. 

[Ancha1]

I had 4 women who used so much perfumed products that I had to keep the doors open at 50 degrees at night to breath. After their departure as I was cleaning I had allergic reactions to the rooms they occupied and EMT had to rescue me. I have been having many problems with 1st time airbnb guests who don't read or care about the house rules and treat our home like a cheap hotel.

[Mandi-S-Just-Business-Ro0]

Don't hate me, but I also sell a boatload of fragrance in addition to hosting. A nose this big has got to be good for something.

I've worked with people who use fragrance lavishly. It seems to be a cultural thing, like a proclamation of wealth. But it's hard to be close to - it seems to get into my clothes - and it's really hard in one of my rooms. One guest put so much on that we literally smelled it a floor below. Fortunately it was the good stuff, and high summer: easy to air out.

Here are some solutions to their solutions.

Ammonia is a natural deodorizer. Mopping with ammonia solution or leaving a solution in a bowl in the room, say, under the bed, helps. It's also handy when fridges smell stale. Stinks for about an hour two, and then it does it's thing.

Another solution is coffee beans. I used this last week when something burned in the oven and the smell was pervasive. It's easy to mix them in with potpourri. If it's bad enough, I scatter coffee on the floor and then vacuum it. 

Next is bicarb and lemon juice in hot water and mopped on. I used this in a previous life as a landlord when smokers got in. This is for the smells that seem to get into the very walls, so I mop them too (it's not as awful as it sounds). It also helps when washing the linens and curtains in a smelly room.

Hope this helps!

Cheers! 

[Josephine70]

I have a guest who uses a perfume that my husband calls it "offensive" while I call it "over-powering" and it gives us a headache. I called Airbnb to ask advice how to address this and the outsourced customer service people put me on hold for 43 minutes then hang up on me.

My guest is an over 50 year old divorced man and mind you, he leaves very early at 5:00 AM and I don't have a way of talking to him this early (timing is of the essence). My family and I are stucked with this offensive perfume for two weeks!

Rules of Airbnb should be like at the hospitals and clinics. No perfumes allowed as some patients are allergic to perfumes.

Should I just call the guest? But, he goes to work early. Should I text him? How can I put this issue in a very tactful way? I cannot ignore this issue because it is driving us crazy from the headaches and all.

[Matthew285]

@Josephine70 there is no completely tactful way to tell someone that you need them to change something about their personal habits.

But you can certainly try to be as tactful as possible, which is what I am sure you are shooting for.

You don't really need help from AirBnB support; you need help from "Dear Abby" or "Ask Beth".

Could you leave a note for him? Perhaps something that does not blame him, but refers to your own sensitivity to the scent? Something like:

"Hello! I am so embarrassed to ask this favor, but we have discovered that we are sensitive to some ingredient in the cologne/scent you use. It is causing us some medical distress. Would it be possible for you to do something to help reduce our exposure?"

This doesn't call the scent "offensive" or "overpowering", but does hopefully communicate that you need less of it in your life.

[Clare0]

@Matthew285 You took the words right out of my mouth!  Hosts are managers of their own business and need to learn how to resolve these types of issues themselves.  Not at all surprised that Airbnb hung up...