Please make "fragrance-free" a filter

Answered!
Brian450
Level 10
Tempe, AZ

Please make "fragrance-free" a filter

There is now a HUGE number of people who are fragrance-sensitive or have MCS. I'm one of them.

 

The odours of conventional cleaning products, air fresheners, dryer sheets, etc. make me sick. They give me headaches, burning eyes, feelings of tightness and tingling, respiratory irritation, heart palpitations, nausea, dry mouth and many other symptoms. I've had more than one vacation ruined by fragranced bedrooms that were making me ill. Surveys indicate that about one-third of the population in the US and other countries is fragrance-sensitive or has MCS or prefers fragrance-free spaces.

 

Please AirBnB stop ignoring this incredibly large group of people. You currently have filters for 13 different accessibility features. Could you PLEASE add another one, "fragrance-free"? Fragrance-free properties actually exist, it's just that you can't easily find them, at least not on the airbnb site itself. (Google search can be used as a workaround, but it's far from perfect.) Thanks!

1 Best Answer

I can see why you would think that, because you are probably picturing the people who would use this feature as entitled white ladies who put too much faith in Gwyneth Paltrow's take on medicine. In truth, they are people with conditions like MCAS who need to travel and are grateful for any accomodations that aren't a total assault on their bodies. Because of that, as long as the host makes the accomodations the say they will (e.g., no scented products and cleaning with safer products) they can expect very positive reviews.

 

For example, the only fragrance free Airbnb I know of is near Sedona, is always booked, and has great ratings.

In my own experience, I have managed to find a number of hosts who were willing to work with my medical issues, and we have always been on good terms because the accommodations I asked for were relatively easy (see above) and even though I wasn't perfectly comfortable, I felt much better then I would have in an ordinary hotel or Airbnb. But a fragrance free filter would have saved me SO MUCH work contacting hosts and explaining my medical needs.

 

The only time I have ever heard of a person leaving a bad review was when a woman was repeatedly assured by a host that the room used unscented laundry detergent and no scented air fresheners, which turned out to be completely untrue.

 

As for the other points like the healthy bed (i.e. A bed that doesn't off gas the VOCs that trigger our symptoms), those are things that would make a space even better for many, but I don't think anyone would expect those things just because a place is listed as fragrance free.

 

I think you are also underestimating the prevalence of these conditions because people with them usually don't mention them. People who report any degree of problems with fragrances are about 20% of the population (mostly headaches and such) and severe sensitivities are about 2%. That means a number of hosts may already be practicing fragrance free cleaning of their properties, but are unable to communicate it with the large numbers of clients who would love to rent such a space. At one rental I checked out in 2021, I spoke to a cleaning lady and asked if she could use mostly vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda to clean. She replied that those were all she used because her son was "sensitive to chemicals."

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181 Replies 181

That's the irony. We're basically asking AirBnB to stop ignoring that gigantic pile of cash that is just waiting to be grabbed by serving the demand (and facilitating the supply) for less toxic lodging.

 

40% of Americans (Pew Research, 2016) eat "most" or "some" organic. 

 

Over 50% (Steinemann, 2016) would prefer public accommodations to be fragrance-free.

 

This illustrates the size of the market that would potentially be drawn towards less toxic lodging options.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Brian450

 

Interesting figures. 

 

I can't speak to the whole of America, let alone the world, but I have now hosted hundreds of Airbnb guests, including many Americans, and not a single one, literally not a single one, has ever requested I don't use fragrances in the house. The only guests who have ever mentioned fragrance has done so in a positive way, i.e. to say that they like it. I've also never had a guest have any kind of allergic or otherwise negative reaction to it. 

 

Now, I am not saying that there aren't a lot of people who are adverse to fragrances or even severely allergic to them, but those numbers sound out of whack according not only to my hosting experience but to the people I know and meet and work with.

 

As for organic food. Well, I can only think of a couple of American guests out of many that bought SOME organic food, even though it is widely available here. Those were only people that had lived in California. I am not joking.

 

Sorry, I know it's not very PC to say, but I suspect that a lot of people simply do not tell the truth when filling out surveys or participating in research and the surveys themselves skew questions to get the answers they want. As a journalist, I get sent loads of emails every day with research results and most of them appear to be extremely biased in favour of whatever outcome the researchers would like to achieve.

@Huma0 You probably haven’t had any because they might have it mild (I did for years), some might not know they have MCS, I didn’t know it for years. I though it was just a symptom, not a health condition on its own.  The ones with severe mcs try not to travel unless they have to. And even if they have too, they might not. I know a lady that avoided going to her mom’s funeral because she couldn’t fly in. Most of us are broke, so we won’t have much money to travel for fun. We usually have to see naturopaths (don’t take health insurance), but supplements (that aren’t covered by health insurance) have to drive far to see a doctor, etc. BUT for those that have a little money to travel might actually travel if there were FF Airbnb’s! Also I don’t see many people with food allergies either. Like 3 in 16yrs, but we all know about them, right?! MCS is going up 300-300% per decade! So I bet you will hear from one soon!

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lana913 

 

Yes, it's quite possible that I will hear from one soon and also quite possible that have have hosted someone with milder conditions who wasn't aware of it. I am just surprised that no one at all has mentioned it, neither any of the hundreds of guests I've hosted over the years nor friends, families, colleagues or acquaintances. Perhaps there is less awareness of it here in the UK. Then again, I've hosted many guests from the US and around the world and, as I host in my own home, people do tell me about their allergies, to pets, dust, pollen, certain foods etc. but no one has ever mentioned fragrance.

 

Don't get me wrong. I do sympathise with people with allergies. I was diagnosed with a chronic one in my 30s but the doctors couldn't figure out the cause. While I was suffering from this, my life was hell, I was frequently in tears and it was a big factor in me leaving my job. This allergic reaction initially only flared up when I was in my workplace so I naturally assumed there was something there that was setting it off, but I was met with hostility when I brought it up to my manager or to HR. One colleague even told me she had thought that I was being a drama queen and making it up until she witnessed me having a very severe reaction.

 

The problem is, it's often very difficult to diagnose the cause of an allergic reaction. I feel like hosts would be opening themselves up to all sorts of liabilities by offering a fragrance free listing, but each to their own. If a host is willing to take that risk, it is of course their choice.

 

 

Brandy156
Level 1
Oregon, United States

I have a disability that is called by the following names, and a few others. MCS,(Multiple Chemical Sensitivities / TILT, (Toxic Induced Loss of Tolerance) /  EI, (Environmental Illness). Multiple chemical sensitivity.  (MCS) "is a chronic condition, sometimes referred to as environmental illness, total allergy syndrome, sick building syndrome, chemical intolerance, or idiopathic environmental intolerance." This is not something that I can change and there is no cure except for complete avoidance of the fragrance, scents and chemicals that cause a plethora of symptoms. When I go anywhere, I usually feel some degree of sickness. Depending on the strength and duration of the exposure to a given product or item, my symptoms can be mild to severe and last for a short time or for days.These symptoms can be one at a time, a few or several all at once depending on the exposure. They are headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty breathing, flushing, rashes, dry, itchy or runny eyes, nasal dripping/sinus infection, brain fog, memory loss, insomnia, weight gain or loss, bowel/GI issues, sore throat, chronic pain, muscle aches/body aches-flu like symptoms and a general feeling of malaise. Anywhere I go I am bombarded with fragrance and toxic chemicals that cause me to be some degree of sick, even though I don't necessarily show it. 
Context:
The world has gone insane with fragrance/scent in everything - sprays, plug-ins, rub ons, addons and additives, etc., including subjecting household pets to these toxins. All of these  contain untested chemicals. Only 3% of all of the "approved" chemicals of the over 10,000 allowed to be used in consumer products in the USA have been tested for safety. Many used in the USA have been banned in the EU for over a decade. Almost 1/3 of the population of the USA react negatively to these chemicals and experience some of the the aforementioned symptoms without realizing the cause. Clean has no smell. Fresh has no fragrance. We are brainwashed to believe that happy named, pretty bottles,  plugins or candles make our environment healthy. And of late that VOC laced essential oils will cure all. Why would anyone want to smell chemically created fragrance all day and night. Carcinogens, VOC's, etc. Anything that touches your skin is absorbed to a certain degree and  anything you breathe in goes into your blood stream and in both cases is distributed throughout your body. Bonus----Your taste buds capabilities diminish as well for tasting food or smelling wine when constantly bombarded with chemicals/fragrance. As a society we are plagued with chronic illnesses, all ages and all countries. It is the chemicals, many petroleum based that are slowly making us weak and ill. For your consideration, go completely fragrance free for your rental. Cheaper to clean and maintain--life of you appliances, linen, etc. A healthier environment for your guests-they will feel better.  Less pollution in the air and down the drain. Also, I encourage you to do your own research regarding indoor air pollution. Lastly, and this one requires some thought and empathy, why would anybody assume that anyone else would like or want to smell what you think is pleasant? Be well and scent free, it is a kindness to yourself and others.
 
Carrie455
Level 2
Portland, OR

Many people don’t tolerate fragranced laundry, perfumes, air fresheners etc. (asthma, migraines, autoimmune, neurological conditions) and are looking for better options. They may be able to better tolerate a stay in fragrance than someone with MCS, but they may feel better without. And many hosts don’t necessarily like catering to fragranced people then having to wash the fragrance out, or try to.  

with so many families and individuals needing a break from these toxic products air bnb absolutely should be linking people up. It would be a good service not a hinderance.  

Carrie455
Level 2
Portland, OR

Of course there is only so much control in a space but I think if it could say things like “FF non-toxic laundry, no air fresheners, eco products provided and must be used”. 
Ive stayed in a place and it smelled like toxic laundry from the residue on guests clothing, but I could add my own bedding and it was ok. 
Much better than if they used those products on the bedding.  

Cheryl877
Level 1
Southborough, MA

As a pre-covid frequent traveler and short-term rental customer, I can attest to the fact that these properties are often over-using super toxic things like plug-in air fresheners and overly scented laundry detergents.  There have been a number of trips ruined by migraines from these things.  It's an awful feeling to be 'trapped' in a rental that is making you sick.  I have begun to scour reviews and 'word search' for things like 'scent, smell, fragrance' and I also obsessively look at photos.  If I spy a plug-in, I won't go there.   I agree with previous comments: You can't make a host legally responsible for 'smells' but a host can be up front about their commitment to a non toxic environment via their cleaning and laundry practices.  You will gain lots of new guests with this new practice, I promise you.  PS HOSTS: Pure Baking Soda is a POWER HOUSE laundry soap and costs much less than commercial crap.  Esp if you buy in bulk.  CLEAN SMELLS LIKE NO SMELLS 🙂 

 

This is an absolutely great idea! I dread going away because of my “Multiple Chemical Sensitivity”. I actually avoid traveling because the location will be uninhabitable for me if they use fragrance or toxic cleaning supplies. There are thousands of people like me with the same problem.  I went to an allergist recently and he told me that he feels bad for people like me because there’s nothing he can do to help except refer to an Environmental Medicine Doctor. I asked him how many patients come in like me? He said about 30 percent! It’s only growing and growing. The more people I open up to about it, the more I realize what a problem it is. 

Pam1839
Level 2
Wallington, Australia

Yes, I agree.  In my B&B I ask people not to apply fumes, wear any applied tanning products in the spa bath, and not be smokers.  Very hard on my business, all of them, but essential for the future.  Someone has to stand up and once more people do, it will become an option for chemically sensitive people to consider travel. 

Cheryll7
Level 3
Bend, OR

People need to be allowed to search based on healthy (and/or allergy) choices. I would love to be able to search for a certified organic mattress, no perfumes/fragrances, low emfs/no wifi, and no pets. Why is this so difficult? I've asked them to add these features on their search engine, to no avail. There are travel sites where one can search hotels based on these details so why don't they all do it? As Brian states, one can search for non-smoking spaces, how is that so different? Thanks Brian, for starting this post, I hope it forces change, as I do really enjoy this as a travel option.

Alessandra1089
Level 2
Genoa, Italy

I totally agree with you, and I really hope that Airbnb will add this filter. I’ve got a condition called Mastcell activation syndrome and I’m also allergic to a wide number of fragrance allergens, so that finding a suitable accommodation is quite difficult for me, and this filter would make my life easier, because it's literally a matter of life and death for me . Also, nowadays there is more attention to the environment, and considering that fragrances and nasty cleaning products have a big role in pollution (especially they have a big bad impact on indoor air quality) it could make sense also for people who care about the planet to allow them to choose the accommodation that is more aligned with their values.

Amanda660
Level 10
Auchenblae, United Kingdom

Thoughts?

 

A host moves to be totally fragrance free and cuts out all and any chemically produced cleaners, etc and promotes the fact.

 

A guest(s) then  books/stays who used perfumes, deodorant sprays, fake tan, sun lotion, vape, aftershave etc.  The residual smells and chemicals would impact the next guests, how do hosts get around this?  They can’t ban guests with ‘scents’ as their market would shrink dramatically.  

 

Not being at all facetious but genuinely interested in folks’ thoughts on the matter.

This is a indeed a problem for fragrance free short-term rentals, and something that hosts who run fragrance-free B&Bs often complain about. There is no easy answer while the larger culture still lacks awareness of the problem.

 

I think it starts with clear communication - guests who book such a property need to be told repeatedly, not just by the host but also by the booking site that there is an expectation that they arrive fragrance-free and don't bring any of the products you mentioned. There could be a separate page in the booking process where guests are required to check a box that asks for a commitment not to bring fragrance into the space.

 

To make this easier, the host should offer fragrance-free body care products to guests.

 

The page would also make it clear that if the guest contaminates the space with perfume, they will be charged a substantial cleaning fees to get the smell out. This should not be perceived as unusually harsh or impractical. It's the same policy hotels already have for people who smoke in non-smoking rooms. The hotel will charge them several hundred dollars for the required deep cleaning to get the smoke smell out of the room.

 

Materials are an important. A viable fragrance-free short-term rental should have tile floors and no carpet. 

@Brian450   This is sounding less and less like a viable business strategy.

 

It's one thing for a host whose property happens to have the correct flooring to use the necessary products to try and accommodate a guest with your condition. That is something that many hosts would be happy to do for their guests in the name of great hospitality. It's quite another thing to make special demands of guests without your condition in order to accommodate it, especially to the extent of punishing them with fines for using their own toiletries. That is absolutely not tenable unless you're catering exclusively to clientele with MCS.

 

Perhaps you've inadvertently made a great argument for a niche travel platform by and for people with MCS as an alternative to Airbnb. I don't know, maybe something like this already exists on social media. There are plenty of other niche listing sites with specific clientele (e.g. LGBT, nudists, senior citizens) as well as listing sites for needs beyond general accommodation (events, retreats, etc) that are able to better fit their users' needs by specializing. It seems to work a lot better than asking hosts to accommodate needs they have no way to truly understand.