Allergies and hotel rooms

When we sleep we produce half a litre of sweat and shed about 1 gram of skin cells per day. It is estimated that in a matress there may be up to 10 million dustmites in a matress and up to 10% of the weight of a matress is made up of dead skin and dustmites. It is also thought that up to 80% of the dust we see is in fact dead skin cells.

An undercover operation by Which? Holiday (Jan 2009) has uncovered poor standards of cleaning in some of the UK’s most visited budget hotel chains. Stained and mouldy mattresses, a suspected blood-stained duvet, food debris on the floor, high levels of dust under the bed, a toilet with urine and faeces round the edge of the seat were just some of the discoveries made.

This website is designed to help you find clean, allergy friendly rooms and/ or accommodation where your food allergies and special dietary requirements are specifically catered for. Features of such rooms/ accomodation include:

Anti allergy pillows / duvet

Hypoallergenic pillows and duvets which can be washed at temperatures of up to 60 degrees which will kill all dustmites. They may also have a impermeable cover meaning dustmites and their faeces are unable to cross from the matress/ pillow to yourself and vice versa.

Anti allergy mattress / pillow protectors

Matresses and pillows are encased in an impermeable hypoallergenic cover meaning dustmites and their faeces are unable to cross from the matress /pillow to yourself and vice versa.

High Thread count linen

The high thread count means the fabric is tightly woven meaning that less allergens are able to penetrate the linen, ensuring better air quality.

Bedding washed at 60 degrees. Bedding washed at this temperature kills any dustmites.

Limited upholstry

Dustmites live in soft furnishings. If throws, cushions, carpets, rugs such like are removed, there are fewer suitable habitats for dustimtes. These soft furnishings are also washed infrequently in hotels making them a source of bacteria and germs.

Blinds /shutters instead of curtains

Curtains gather dust and are difficult to clean, thereby providing a habitat and food for dustmites. Blind and shutters can be wiped clean easily, removing the dust necessary to keep the dustmites alive.

Mattresses professionally cleaned

A regularly, professionally treated matress will have undergone a process designed to killed dustmites and removed their faeces.

Hard Flooring

Dustmites are unable to live in vinyl, tiles, laminates or wooden flooring. This flooring is also easier to clean.

Hoover with a HEPA filter: Frequent vacuuming as a dust control measure may, in fact, aggravate allergic asthmatic conditions because conventional (non-HEPA) vacuum cleaners blow the dust through the cleaner's bag and back into the air. Using a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter traps the very small dust particulates so they are not blown back into the air.

Damp dusting

Regular dusting simply moves the dust into the air, allowing it to settle later. If a damp duster is used this allows dust to be trapped and removed resulting in improved air quality.

Natural Ventilation

Dustmites allergens live within the room and not outside so be ventilating the room can allow the allergen to escape. Ventilation in hotel rooms with ensuite bathrooms is especially important as high levels of humidity encourage the growth of dustmites and moulds.

Underfloor heating. Conventional radiators and warm air heating not only trap dust but in turn create air flows causing allergens to be blown around the room. Underfloor heating does not trap dust and also reduces humidity which in turn reduces the growth of mites and moulds efficiently.

Dehumidifiers

These will reduce the humidity in a room. Dustmites and mould need humidity to survive so by reducing humidity levels there are likely to be less dustmites.

No smoking

Many people are sensitive to tobacco smoke but for those that already suffer from allergies, tobacco smoke can aggrivate their symptoms.

No pets

Cat and dog dander, or skin flakes, as well as their saliva and urine, can cause an allergic reaction – sneezing, wheezing, and running eyes and nose.Pet dander can remain in a room for up to six months after the pet has been removed so it is important that a room is pet free to ensure no pet dander is ever present

Air Purifiers

An air purifier is able to capture airborne pollution, allergens, smoke and odours ensuring that the air quality in the room is greatly improved.

Non- scented cleaning products and air fresheners

Many people with allergies are sensitive to scented products. Mary Lamielle, the president of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies, who in a 1990 press release lists the following symptoms induced by fragrances: “watery eyes, double vision, sneezing, stuffiness, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo, coughing, bronchitis, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, asthma, anaphylaxis, headache, migraine, cluster headaches, seizures, convulsions, fatigue, confusion, disorientation, incoherence, short term memory loss, anxiety, irritability, depression, mood swings, rashes, hives, eczema, flushing, muscle and joint inflammation, pain and weakness, irregular or rapid heartbeat hypertension”.2 2. Irene Ruth Wilkenfield, Patient Education: Scents Make No Sense, The Environmental Physician, Fall 1991, page 26

No flowers/plants in room

Plant pollens can cause hay fever. Mould can also grow on the surface of the damp soil causing allergic reactions.

Air cleaning plants

Some houseplants purify and renew our stale indoor air by filtering out toxins, pollutants and the carbon dioxide we exhale - replacing them with life sustaining oxygen. Research by NASA showed that some house plants are more efficient in filtering out toxins than others. Philodendrons, Spider plants, and Pothos were found to be the most efficient in the removal of formaldehyde. Gerbera Daisies and Chrysanthemums were found to be effective in the removal of benzene, a known carcinogen.

Rooms cleaned and aired on day of arrival

To ensure there are no traces of dust hotel rooms need to be rehoovered, dusted, aired, and the bed aired, on the day of arrival. A room may have been cleaned when the last occupant left but this may have been some time ago.

Bacteriostatic barrier applied to all room surfaces

A bacteriostatic barrier is applied to all surfaces to repel microorganisms that trigger allergies and cause illness.

For guests with sensitive skin

Laundry detergent suitable for sensitive skin

Laundry detergent chemical residue is the most overlooked cause of sensitive skin reactions, contact dermatitis, MCS, and eczema irritation. Common laundry chemicals that can leave residues include perfumes, UV brighteners, dyes, carbonates, salts, fillers, enzymes, and even lubricants for your washing machine.

Chemical residues coat and stiffen fibers and fabrics making your linen and clothes itchy and scratchy so that you must use fabric softener, another major irritation to sensitive skin.
The residue left behind in clothes after just 8 washings can add as much as 2% to the weight of the fabric. When the fabric is in contact with the skin moisture activates the detergent residue and begins to irritate the sensitive skin.

Lanundry degtergent suitable for sensitive skin leaves no residue behind.

Non chemical cleaning products

While much of the research is mixed or inconclusive, a variety of human and animal studies have linked chemicals common in household cleaning products with a wide range of health risks. Some of the chemicals commonly found in cleaning products can cause irritation of the eyes, allergies to the skin, irritate the lungs, and as such poses a serious health risk to those with pre-existing heart or respiratory problems.They have also been linked to liver and kidney problems.

Chlorine filter

This is a filter which is attached to the shower removing the chlorine from the water. Chlorine vapors can be inhaled during a hot shower and absorbed through the skin. Chlorine when in contact with the skin and hair breaks down cells thus depriving them of moisture and elasticity. It also poses health riskes such as complications with asthma and bronchitis. In 1992 the American Journal of Health published a report that showed a 15% - 35% increase in certain types of cancer for people who consume chlorinated water. The report also stated that much of these effects were due to showering in chlorinated water

Special menus for food allergies

Some hotels will offer special menus for people have food allergies and intolerances to foods including nuts, gluten, wheat and dairy products. It is advisable to mention these food allergies when booking your accommodation to ensure that your needs can be catered for.