| Why do businesses use products with added artificial | | | | chemicals that may be used in a product are not. |
| scents? Cleaning products that have added scents | | | | Chemical mixtures commonly have different effects |
| have the benefit of masking odors or giving rooms, or | | | | than their single components do. The common |
| entire buildings, a clean smell. Some hotels use artificial | | | | household cleaning products ammonia and chlorine are |
| fragrances to mask the smell of cigarette smoke. | | | | a good example of this. When these two chemicals |
| Other products have certain chemicals added to them | | | | are mixed together the result is a deadly gas. Is it |
| to trigger a specific emotional response in the people | | | | worth the risk to your guests to mix scented chemical |
| who come in contact with them. | | | | fragrances? |
| Scents evoke different memories in people. Smells of | | | | Asthma is the most common chronic condition found in |
| the beach or of bread baking are examples of | | | | children and it affects twice as many children as adults. |
| aromas that have a tendency to evoke fond | | | | The Asthma and Allergy foundation of America has |
| memories. Fragrances have been designed to trigger | | | | stated that the number of asthma sufferers under the |
| an emotional response in guests to encourage them to | | | | age of 18 is increasingly dramatically, affecting more |
| stay longer or return sooner. Unfortunately, these | | | | than 1 in 20. Fragrances can be considered air |
| same fragrances are slowly damaging or killing the | | | | pollutants. They contribute to poor air quality and health |
| guests that businesses are trying to care for with their | | | | problems. Many of the chemicals that are used in |
| hospitality. | | | | fragrances are synthesized petrochemicals so not only |
| Most people are unaware of the dangers that | | | | do they spread quickly, they last longer too. |
| chemical fragrances often carry. Air fresheners may | | | | In the United States, there is a trend to create |
| contain hazardous ingredients like 1,4 dichlorobenzene, | | | | smoke-free areas, and restricting outdoor smoking to |
| a lung irritant; formaldehyde, a carcinogen; and | | | | certain areas. People are concerned with the hazards |
| d-limonene, a pesticide; as well as others that are | | | | of second-hand smoke. This concern needs to expand |
| neurotoxins or disruptive of the endocrine system. | | | | to include the hazards of scented perfumes, air |
| While not every air freshener contains such toxic | | | | freshener chemicals and cleaning products. Is it worth |
| ingredients, caution should be exercised around them. | | | | losing chemically sensitive guests just to use a product |
| While the individual chemicals that are used in air | | | | with scented chemicals that may mask odors in your |
| fresheners are tested, the resulting combinations of | | | | business? |