Odor puts repeat business in jeopardy. According to recent Harris Interactive surveys, 90 percent of U.S. adults would never rebook at a hotel and 85 percent would never return to a restaurant with unpleasant odor. In the retail environment, a Harris Interactive survey revealed that unpleasant odor ranks as a top annoyance over poor customer service. Odor directly impacts customers’ perceptions and prevents them from ever returning or recommending a business to others. To help combat unappealing scents, Cintas Corp. has issued a list of tips to help businesses implement an odor maintenance program.
“Business owners cannot afford to have unpleasant odors in their establishments,” said Mike Thompson, senior vice president, Cintas Facility Services. “It’s critical to implement an ongoing maintenance program to provide a pleasant, clean scent around the clock.”
Cintas’ tips for executing a successful odor maintenance program include:
Clear the air. Implement air fresheners to counteract odors and provide a clean scent. Select air fresheners that operate on a 24-hour basis and neutralize odor-causing bacteria rather than masking it. Choose a fragrance that complements the application and limits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to meet environmental safety standards.
Attack odor at the source. In restrooms, use auto flushes, automatic drips, and urinal screens to eliminate odor. Auto flushes keep toilets free of debris and work on-demand to eliminate odor. Automatic drips neutralize odor coming from urinals and cleans them. While some urinal screens come with a scent, they also help eliminate odor from urine on the floor by reducing splashing. In the facility, perform obvious odor-control tasks by taking out the trash frequently and cleaning the facility daily.
Deep clean. Beyond a daily clean, deep clean floors and restrooms on a routine basis to extract and eliminate odor-causing contaminants. Use a high-pressure steam system to remove dirt, break down build-up and extract all contaminants from grout lines, tile, and carpets. For a restroom deep clean, scrub walls, floors, toilets, urinals, sinks, mirrors, and fixtures using chemicals, agitation, and extraction.
Address indoor air quality (IAQ). IAQ significantly aids in providing a clean scent throughout a facility. Clean coils and change air filters in ventilation systems on a routine basis for proper circulation. Also, place mats strategically around the facility to capture contaminants and prevent them from settling into carpets or the air filtration system. When utilizing mats, properly maintain them on a regular basis to prevent them from becoming saturated.
Partner with the right facility services provider. Partner with a provider to develop a customized odor maintenance program. A provider visits a facility on a routine basis to refill odor management products and ensure all units work properly. It provides staff with the quality tools and chemicals needed to clean and sanitize the facility daily. Trained technicians will also deep clean floors and restrooms. This is valuable for businesses that do not have the equipment or trained staff required for such maintenance.
