Creating list of MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) friendly or no fragrance/scented stays

[Kip93]

If you have any recommendations for MCS friendly or non scented / fragrance free airbnb listings please let me know.  I'm creating a list for a MCS group and wanting to share it. Many people on that site or looking for places to stay but its incredibly difficult.  I get horrible migraines from scented laundry detergent, perfumes, cleaning products so it has become increasingly difficult to find a place to stay where I'm not sick.  So far I have about a dozen properties, and looking to add as many as I can.  Thousands of people are searching for this, so if you're a property owner please share, hopefully it will get you more listings!  If you are a traveler, share your great experience and I'll add it to my list.  I'll then update the complete list here to help others.  Thanks!

[Luis5555]

Sorry I am just seeing your request. Check out airbnb.com/h/camaliticottage

thanks. 

[Greg2406]

@Kip93 

One hundred percent agree, and hopefully Hosts are starting to include their cleaning processes and products in the property description.   We believe, at a minimum, Hosts should always use dye free, scent free, and perfume free wash products for bed linens and towels.   Now when it comes to disinfecting door knobs, cabinet pulls, light switches, tv remotes, toilets, couches, couch pillows, faucet and shower handles, we have to use a product that destroys viruses as well as bacteria and most products we have found only address bacteria.  Again, the lowest scented cleaners are always the best and hopefully all Hosts try to use these.   We have also moved to unbleached bamboo, dye, BPA, fragrance, and chlorine free toilet paper. 

To be honest, we would hope that all Host properties were cleaned to a level 1, but unfortunately this is not occurring as many Guest negative comments will reflect statements around uncleanliness of a property.    It would be nice for ABB to add a box in the booking request area to request Host to provide specific details on what they use to clean with.    

[Joelle43]

Hello @Greg2406 

I agree with so much of what you have said and also like to use non scented and hypo-allergenic products especially with bed linen and towels for people who are sensitive to smells

But what do you do when you have a guest who uses a VERY strong perfume that permeates every fabric you can imagine and although I washed everything at least twice, the smell still lingers for over a week😱  Luckily I didn't have anyone staying straight away.  Left the windows open for days and still there.   I imagine someone is going to tell me to use an O-zone machine but that costs money and how do you tell someone that it's because of their strong perfume?  It"s really awkward and not sure if Airbnb would lean my way if I put in an extra cleaning fee for this reason?

So no matter what steps a host can take, how do you guard your place from guests using perfume, cleaning products, smoking illegally, sneaking in a pet etc?  I just don't see how a host can guarantee that a place is MCS proof and advertise it as such without taking the risk of a guest turning against the host because they had a bad reaction to a product or smell left behind by another guest.  

[Greg2406]

@Joelle43 

I have used Ozium spray for nearly four decades and it works very good.  Sometimes having to reapply if a guest has bathed in cologne or perfume.  Smoking, vaping, and especially dipping illegally inside the property is an immediate eviction as stated in our House Rules and advise you do the same.  There are alarms like 3D Sense and Minut Gen 3 sensors that detect smoke and even noise.  These can get expensive, but if you are experiencing guests repeating these issues, then perhaps one of these alarms can be used along with good HR's.   We are not against smoking at all and we always allow it on our property, but smoking inside someone's private home should be dealt with quickly and decisively.   

Addressing if someone lists the property as MCS, we would not recommend it because of the obvious issues you already mentioned.  Guests can have medical or other issues that make them sensitive to a host of items, and you as a Host cannot be expected to address each of the issues, but do offer to inform the guest that if there is are any requests they have, including use of cleaning products, soaps, etc. to let us know.  

An honestly, it may be a hard claim with ABB on assessing extra fees for odors.   

Ozium, it works.  

[Stacey413]

Super helpful detail on how to clean -- and how to describe it in my listing. I've recently encountered an airbnb and a resale sweater treated with Downy Scent Beads, and learned that this chemical scent is almost impossible to wash out, and actually transfered to my pajamas and my person after sleeping in sheets treated with it and drying with towels also treated. While I'm sure I can't describe our listing as chemical-free for people with sensitivities, I don't ever want to stay in another airbnb treated thusly, and I want to spread the word about how antagonizing the laundry enhancers are. I'm on a mission now 🙂

[Luis5555]

Hello Kip. Are you still sharing this post? I would LOVE to get people to my Cottage who are fragrance free. I don't seem to get too much of that kind of crowd. Thank you for your efforts!

Blessings

Daniele at Charming Cottage Getaway in Greenfield Center, NY

[Madi452]

Hey Kip!