Let’s face it, no one dreams of booking a budget hotel for a vacation or trip. Budget hotels are usually choices made by travellers who are financially constrained or have no other options at the time.
While these budget hotels surpass expectations and prove to be a delight to their guests, there are some that insist on living up to the reputation of being, well…“budget”. Travellers who lodge in these category of hotels are plagued with such issues as substandard service, limited facilities, unventilated room and environs.
Of these plagues, the most unpleasant is usually the room smell situation. There’s nothing less inviting than walking into a hotel or being assigned a room with a bad smell. Not only does it make your stay unbearable, depending on your health conditions, it can give you allergic reactions.
If you are travelling on a budget and have found yourself in such a predicament as being lodged in a room with a bad smell, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal, offers 4 tips to help you eliminate the odour and control the exact scent you want.
Open your windows!
A major kind of room odour experienced by most lodgers in hotels is the mouldy smell which come from old beddings, soaked walls, stale air or even body smells from the last lodger. The best way to tackle this problem is by opening your windows whenever possible to let air through. Most budget hotels do not have air conditioners and so their windows are built in such a way that ample air can be let in when opened. The best gift you can give yourself and the room is the gift of fresh air as it naturally removes airborne odours like those from cigarette smoke and cooking.
De-0dorize the carpets and floors
Another way to kill odours in a room is by sprinkling baking soda on the floor or on the carpets a few hours before room service comes in for cleaning. This is one of the cheapest and least toxic ways of de-odorizing the room as the baking soda helps absorb any trapped odors. Also, vinegar is another substance that works great fordeodorizing rooms when sprayed on carpets or floors.
Use Scented candles and potpourri
Who does not like pleasant smelling smells? A good way to keep you hotel room smelling great is by burning scented candle or potpourri. Place them at strategic spots in the room and they slowly release scent, filling the room with fresh fragrance.
Use room sprays
A good way to also kill or mask the awful smells in the room is to use air-neutralizing or air-freshening sprays at intervals. You can get whatever fragrance you find suitable, however, citrus seems to work best with odours. It is also advisable to get sprays with a bit of alcohol too as it make the perfume last a little longer. The only disadvantage of this is that you have to keep spraying over and over again, and it is a temporary fix to the smell problem.
Use a reed diffuser
Reed diffusers work a bit like scented candles, except they do not require heat and are less intoxicating. Also, while you have to put off the candle while you are not around, the reed diffuser can stay for 24/7, giving your room the fresh scent your require. The good thing about diffusers is that you can easily make one for yourself, all you need to do is mix up your own concoction of essential oils to create the perfect smell for your home.
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