Allergens & Guests

Five common room allergens cause nearly all your guests’ allergy symptoms. You can eliminate mitigate these reactions by outfitting rooms with hypoallergenic bedding encasements and HEPA air purifiers. These AllerEase® rooms have a daily operating cost of approximately 75 cents.

dust mites

The proteins produced by dust mites are the most common trigger of allergy and asthma symptoms. And the number of people to dust mites is snowballing. More than 25% of the population in developed countries is now allergic to dust mites.

Much of the population isn’t even aware they have this issue. They don’t realize their stuffy nose in the morning is a reaction to dust mites in their guest room pillows and mattress. This bedding provides an ideal environment for dust mite nesting sites. An unprotected mattress, pillow, or comforter, likely has millions of dust mites inside.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Protect your guests from dust mites by encasing pillows and mattresses with hypoallergenic covers. These specially woven cases have pores too small for these microscopic creatures to pass through. Unprotected bedding can harbor millions of dust mites. With over 25% of people now allergic to the digestive enzymes they produce, it is crucial for hoteliers to offer guest rooms that meet their needs. The investment required is less than 10 cents per day.

Not all hypoallergenic bedding products are created equal. Ensure you choose products that have been independently tested for effectiveness by a reputable laboratory.

POLLEN

Pollen is probably the best-known allergen. Common allergy-symptoms include stuffy or runny nose and watery eyes. Pollen exposure is not limited to outdoors. Guests often bring these microscopic particles into hotels on their clothes, skin, and hair, where it remains a potential problem once inside.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Install a true High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) air filter in designated rooms to remove airborne allergens. A true HEPA filter removes 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. For comparison, small pollen grains range from 10 to 20 microns, meaning true HEPA filters can effectively eliminate all airborne pollen from a hotel room environment. Additionally, a 2016 NASA study demonstrated that HEPA air purifiers are capable of capturing airborne viruses, including COVID-19.

PET DANDER

Millions of people are allergic to pet dander. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the shedding of cat or dog hair that is the issue; rather it is the protein produced in their skin that causes allergic responses.

These proteins are tiny and can remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can protect your guests from pet dander and other airborne allergens by placing a true HEPA air filter in guest rooms. We also recommend regular cleaning and vacuuming of any fabric furniture in rooms.

Housekeeping can take an additional measure by lightly spritzing an anti-allergen spray on the carpeting and any fabric furniture in a guest room.

MOLD SPORES

Molds are microscopic fungal organisms. They are present in most places, both outdoor and indoors. Mold grows by digesting plant or animal matter, such as leaves, wood, and food. They spread by releasing tiny, lightweight spores that travel through the air.

Proteins in the secretions of the mold filament cause allergic reactions for many people. Symptoms of a mold allergy are those typical of many other allergies. They can include wheezing, a stuffy or runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, and even rashes or hives.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Molds tend to grow in dark, damp places. It is essential for those located in humid areas to keep the humidity of your hotels below 50%. You can accomplish this with a combination of air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

Mold spores range in size from 1 to 20 microns. This fact means that a true HEPA air filter can remove most of the airborne mold spores present in your hotel.

It is also crucial for hotel maintenance to clean the in-room heating and air-conditioning units monthly.
A hotel’s central heating and air-conditioning system must also be regularly maintained to remove mold and other contaminants.

CHLORINE

Chlorine is the most overlooked and harmful allergen encountered on a daily basis.

Since the early 1900s, municipalities in the U.S. have been adding chlorine to their water supply to kill bacteria and other living organisms that can cause water-borne illnesses. Although adding this harsh chemical is effective, there are significant downsides to chlorine usage. First are the short-term cosmetic effects. Chlorine, even at the low levels, strips skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and more prone to effects of aging. Chlorine also attaches to the protein in hair, drying it out and leaving it brittle and hard to manage.

Exposure to chlorine over the long term has serious negative health consequences as well. Numerous studies have shown that people on chlorinated water systems have increased incidences of heart disease and cancer.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We face extensive chlorine exposure from showering and bathing. Not only is chlorine absorbed through the skin, but we can inhale it as shower steam contains up to 50 times the chlorine level of tap water. Studies have shown that your body can absorb more chlorine from a single 10-minute shower than it does from drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.

Chlorine vapors are known to be a strong irritant to the sensitive tissue and bronchial passages inside our lungs. The inhalation of chlorine is a suspected cause of asthma and bronchitis, especially in children.

You can protect your guests from chlorine in their showers by placing easy-to-install shower filters in their bathrooms. These simple and effective products remove up to 95% of the chlorine present in municipally treated water. We recommend Sprite shower filters. They offer the most extensive line of this ultimate health and beauty product.

Wellness Hospitality Association Int’l

More than 25% of people in developed countries now suffer from allergy or asthma symptoms. The WHAI educates the hospitality industry about the prevalence of room allergens and their negative impact on the guest experience and hotel profitability. Our organization offers allergen education and staff training on how to reduce and eliminate room allergens. We provide strategies and training for hotels to leverage hypoallergenic rooms to increase RevPAR. The WHAI also promotes hotels that offer hypoallergenic rooms to travelers looking for those accommodations. Our mission is to make hypoallergenic rooms as common as smoke-free rooms by 2030.

FOR CLIENTS