Buying an air purifier for hotels

Hotels are a hotspot for poor indoor air quality. Not only are many hotels located in urban areas or near motorways where fine particle pollution concentrations are high, but they are also a place where people congregate, putting hotels at significant risk for pathogen transmission. These factors, among others, put hotel guests at high risk of negative health effects. What, exactly, are the risks? Can hotels protect guests with a professional air purifier for hotels? Read on to learn more.

Air quality in hotels

Awareness of the problems associated with poor indoor air quality has been building since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more and more people understand that indoor air pollution is associated with a host of detrimental health risks.

Hotels: a high-risk area for viral and bacterial transmission

Hotels, like all indoor spaces, suffer from certain factors that make it easy for viruses and bacteria to proliferate. First of all, similar to in our homes or office spaces, humans spend 90% of their time indoors. This is equally the case when guests stay in a hotel. Also similarly to all other indoor spaces, hotel air is significantly more polluted than outdoor air, often upwards of 8 to 10 times more polluted.

In a hotel, the most germ-contaminated surfaces include:

• Luggage cart handrails
• Elevator buttons
• The front desk

A 2023 study found that, once touched, germs from these high-touch locations are transferred to guests’ fingertips within one hour’s time in 60% of instances. 9 out of 10 times, guests then track those germs around the hotel when they touch door handles, TV removes, and light switches. Once a person becomes infected with these germs, it is easy for them to be spread through the air (aerosols) when a person talks, sneezes, coughs, breathes, eats (in a hotel restaurant, for example), or sings, creating a superspreading event¹.

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have lasting effects on all consumer markets, especially in hospitality, leaving people feeling less at ease about staying in places where people congregate. Since COVID-19 is transmitted through infected aerosols dispersed in the air, indoor air quality (IAQ) is a crucial consideration for hotel guests. Not being able to know who stayed in the hotel room beforehand and IAQ being at the mercy of the hotel are two reasons causing hotel guests to feel uneasy. A survey conducted in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic found that 40% of people surveyed would be more likely to stay in a hotel equipped with a professional air purifier².

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Sources of air pollution within a hotel establishment

Indoor air pollution may have many sources inside a hotel. Hotel policy varies from hotel to hotel, with some allowing pets and some even still allowing smoking. Pet dander brought from home or from having a pet in the room, tobacco (cigarettes and cigars), marijuana, and e-cigarettes (vaping) from previous guests may all leave their mark on a hotel room and even adjoining rooms. Pet dander, in addition to causing unpleasant odours, may lead to allergies and trigger asthma attacks in those who are vulnerable.

Second-hand and third-hand cigarette smoke

Second-hand and third-hand cigarette smoke cause serious problems in hotel rooms. Studies show that the impact on health caused by second-hand and third-hand smoke are just as serious as those caused by first-hand smoke. Cigarette smoke contains over 250 harmful chemicals (including volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and even substances that are radioactive!), many of which fall under the category of ‘fine particles’. Most tobacco particles measure between 0.3 to 0.5 microns in size but some nanoparticles measure as small as 0.1 microns³. Third-hand smoke, also known as the residue left on surfaces long after a cigarette is extinguished, can be very difficult to remove, sometimes even requiring replacing carpets and furniture entirely in both the home and professional spaces.

Shisha pipes, another form of tobacco consumption, are becoming more of a concern in hotels as well. Growing in popularity, shisha pipes leave behind many of the same toxic particulates, gases, and chemicals left by cigarette smoke. Like cigarette smoke, it is difficult to remove from soft furnishings and fabrics.

Cannabis smoke

Cannabis smoke contains significant amounts of particulate matter (PM). Studies have even established that cannabis smoke releases PM2.5 concentrations that are 10 times higher than those measured during ‘orange sky days’ caused by Sahara desert dust and wildfires⁴.

E-cigarettes

Traces of vaping left in hotel rooms by previous customers also has its impact on health. One study found that e-cigarettes have the same negative physiologic effects that regular cigarettes do. Breathing in e-cigarette vapour exposes a second-hand smoker to nicotine, nitric oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, and dangerous additives, to name a few⁵.

Odours and allergens

In addition to the odours mentioned above, hotels may experience other unwanted smells and exposure to allergens that may lead to an impact on hotel customers’ comfort. Some may include odours released by cleaning agents used by janitorial staff (which release VOCs and chemical pollution), mould and mildew, water damage, and/or renovation/restoration. For hotel rooms that are equipped with kitchens, kitchen drains and cooked food from previous guests may also remain present for lengthy periods of time.

Many hotel rooms may also experience the accumulation of dust, both airborne and on surfaces, especially those not regularly used by guests: on top of the television, on shelves, on the headboard of the bed, and in the bathroom. Dust mites may also be found in bed sheets, mattresses, pillows, rugs, curtains, and upholstered furniture.

How to improve indoor air quality without having to refurbish your entire facility

Unfortunately, it will be difficult to achieve improved indoor air quality without investing in either improved ventilation or air purification. Regular ventilation is a requirement in indoor spaces if you want to keep indoor air pollutant concentrations at safe levels. The best way to do this is by regularly opening windows to push out stale air and circulate fresh air. Many hotel rooms have windows that cannot be opened, however, making this impossible.

Relying on the hotel’s HVAC system is the next course of action, but if the HVAC system is not blowing clean air, air quality will continue to be poor. During the COVID-19 crisis, many HVAC systems, especially those that were not regularly maintained or contained proper filtration, were suspected of dispersing germs into the air.

This is where an Eoleaf air purifier comes in. Do keep in mind that even with an air purifier installed, regular ventilation is always recommended, but an air purifier will help clear the air of dangerous air pollutants when sufficient ventilation is impossible.

The benefits of purifying a hotel’s indoor air

Boost customer satisfaction and loyalty

During health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, hotel customer health and safety is and should be at the forefront. Removing harmful pollutants from the air significantly benefits guest well-being and boosts customer loyalty. Combat viruses and bacteria (as well as their transmission), odours, allergens like dust particles, pet hair and dander, pollen, chemical pollution like VOCs, and fine particle pollution with one convenient device. This helps keep guests comfortable and reduce unpleasant symptoms caused by indoor air pollutants. A professional air purifier for hotels also helps drive away foul odours that keep guests from returning.

Multiple studies have shown that removing air pollution from indoor spaces helps promote better sleep^6,7. Sleep quality is already a real problem amongst many hotel customers, so encouraging improved sleep cycles is another excellent way to keep customers coming back.

Protect hotel staff and reduce absenteeism

Hotel guests are not the only ones who benefit from improved indoor air quality. In fact, hotel staff who frequent hotels on a daily basis are the ones who are exposed to indoor air pollution more than anyone else. Indoor air pollution has been shown to impact a worker’s productivity and level of focus, and combatting polluted air helps foster a healthier work environment^8,9. Furthermore, like guests, filtered indoor air helps safeguard building managers and hotel operators from pathogens, reducing the risk of sick leave and improving hotel staff well-being.

Boost your establishment’s image and competitive advantage

Investing in improved indoor air quality encourages hotel guests’ loyalty and confidence. When faced with the decision to choose between a hotel offering rooms with clean air and one that does not, providing clean air will give a leg up on the competition.

Wellness is of growing importance in the hospitality industry. Customers who are particularly concerned with germ spread from viruses and bacteria, hygiene, allergies, asthma, and/or the negative effects of air pollution in general will choose a hotel with filtered air every time. This is especially true in a post COVID-19 pandemic world where masks and social distancing are all still fresh in our minds. Building customer loyalty through hotel air quality management will improve a hotel’s rankings and enable them to reoccupy rooms more quickly.

Save on energy costs

Instead of investing in a massive overhaul of a hotel’s ventilation system, installing air purifiers is a more cost-effective way of improving indoor air quality (IAQ). High-quality air purifiers that use energy-efficient air filters are designed to consume very little energy. When energy usage and air conditioning make up 15 to 20% of a hotel’s costs, an air purifier is a good investment.

How to choose the best air purifier for hotels?