No matter what type of commercial facility you have, odor will always be a concern. In order to combat this reoccurring issue, there are a few tips and tricks you can follow. Odors vary by type of facility so we will touch on each major type of commercial facility in this blog. It is extremely important to keep odors under control because odors can completely alter a customer, visitor or employee experience. There are also certain smells that can cause concern and pose risk to health and safety. Action Unlimited Resources hopes to provide you with more knowledge on facility odors, why it is important to address them, and tips on how to combat them through this week’s blog in order to help keep your customers and employees happy and healthy in your facility.
Tips for Different Types of Facilities
Health Care Facilities.
Hospitals and doctors’ offices are extremely busy places with a staff of people who have important things to focus on. Often smells and odors can be the last thing these employees are thinking about. A great solution to help combat this is to install metered or passive dispensers throughout the facility and assign one individual to refill the dispensers when needed. One North Dakota trauma center noticed their complaints on odors reached 0% once implementing this.
Keep your restrooms clean and odors under wraps in your restaurants. Over 50% of people will tell a friend about a bad experience with a restaurants bathroom OR post about it online. The need to share this information is fueled by the concept that if there is a dirty bathroom, there is a dirty kitchen. Keeping an odor-free restroom starts with Schedule periodic plumbing and operational checks of toilets and faucets as well as exhaust fan performance. Check and repair or replace light bulbs as needed. A poor lit restroom can alter a customer’s perception of cleanliness. Develop a cleaning checklist and clean and inspect the restroom periodically during business hours. Seventy-one percent of people prefer a pleasant scent to no scent at all while in the restroom.
Commercial Buildings.
An important reason to keep your office building odor-free is because odors both good and bad can affect people’s work performance. This is explained by the proven concept that odors are actually learned and associated with different memories – leaving individuals unable to perform as efficiently in the workplace when they are distracted by odors. Using one consistent type of air freshener throughout your office could help to teach employees to associate that scent with getting motivated and working hard. Storage Spaces are a big area of concern in commercial buildings. Keeping storage spaces humidity free prevents musty odors from forming. Make sure you have dehumidifying system in place wherever you store excess belongings within your facility to keep your items and the area smelling fresh.
Odors That Should Be Addressed Immediately - If you are smelling sewage in your facility there is a chance the gases produced by sewage decomposition are seeping in through foundation cracks. This is not only a concern for the structure of the facility, but the gases also pose a health risk.
- Hydrogen Sulfide: This gas can be identified by the smell, which is similar to rotten eggs. In low doses this can cause irritation to one’s nose and throat. In high doses it can have more extreme health risks by causing fluid in your lungs and/or eye damage.
- Methane: This is a greenhouse gas that is highly flammable. It is typically mixed with other sewer gases. Alone, it is scentless and could go undetected. It can pose health risks from a minor headache to more serious issues and possible death.
Now that you are better informed on how to combat odors in your commercial facility and what odors are especially important to be aware of – it is time to put your odor fighting plan into ACTION.
At Action Unlimited Resources, we are your one stop shop for anything facility maintenance related, feel free to reach out with any questions you may have about keeping your facility smelling brand new – year round.
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