Preventing Facility Odors During Winter

As facilities hunker down for another winter, odors can waft in like unwanted guests at a holiday gathering. Distributors play a key role in anticipating these unwanted scents and helping customers identify and address them before the winter chill keeps everyone inside, according to Phil Carrizales, director of Hygiene and Facilities Solutions for Acme Paper & Supply Company Inc., Savage, Maryland. 

“Odors worsen in the winter months due to an influx of moisture coming from the outdoors, especially when adequate matting is missing or isn’t maintained correctly,” he says. “Also, most facilities have more outdoor airflow during months with nice weather.” 

When outdoor airflow is limited, heating systems also can produce additional odors. Carrizales points out that if building owners do not maintain heating systems during the summer, mold and mildew can accumulate — leading to foul smells when the systems get turned on.  

“When you close up a building, have fewer doors and windows open, turn the heat on, and have people walking in with wet feet, you will bring in and trap odors,” says Mike Sawchuk, managing director of Sawchuk Consulting, Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada.  

Foul smells also can reduce indoor air quality and occupant comfort, adds Keith Schneringer, senior director of marketing — Facility Care + Sustainability at Waxie Sanitary Supply, a BradyPLUS company, San Diego.  

“You may not see particulates in the air, but they will have an effect,” he says. “Some smells can be overwhelming to people and make it harder for them to concentrate.”  

Carrizales adds that a smell is a clear indication that cleaning teams need to step up and get to work. As the saying goes, the smell of clean is no smell at all.  

Types of Odors 

The first defense against facility odors is to help end user customers to understand the different types, according to Schneringer. He recommends distributors prepare themselves to describe two types of odors in a building: transient and residual.  

Transient odors occur when something is happening in a specific area. For instance, a manufacturing process that produces a strong smell, a floor stripping chemical being used, or equipment that’s emitting musty smells. These are all examples of transient odors, which will dissipate with adequate ventilation. 

Residual odors are caused by ineffective cleaning or foul-smelling materials. Examples include gas emittance from a poorly treated floor drain or urine-soaked grout in a restroom.  

“Being able to identify if an odor is transient or residual is the first step toward figuring out how to mitigate it for your customers,” says Schneringer. “Transient odors only require extra ventilation, or maybe a handheld neutralizer that temporarily masks the smell.” 

Distributors can identify odors and their sources as they walk through a customer’s facility, he adds. For instance, if a customer’s kitchen smells pleasant, like food cooking, then there is likely no issue. But grease buildup and food caught in drains can make the kitchen smell rotten. Meanwhile, odors in senior living centers may result from food or urine absorbed into the carpet. Urine in grout lines or under the floor can cause a terrible smell in restrooms.  

“You need a more robust response for residual odors like these,” Schneringer notes. 

Sawchuk also classifies residual odor sources as hidden or visible, and recommends distributors pay attention to both. 

Visible soil refers to substances such as food or fecal matter on a floor, which are easily noticeable and can contribute to unpleasant odors. The harder ones to spot and take care of are odors that cannot be seen, he adds. Foul odors can arise from stagnant water in floor drains, uric acid buildup in urinal pipes, and urine in grout lines on tiled floors.  

“Pathogens are microscopic, but some pathogens, like bacteria, can give off an odor,” Sawchuk adds. “Those odors might be from food waste in an unemptied trash receptacle or hidden in a corner that hasn’t been cleaned.”  

Matting Mistakes 

Many odor issues are obvious to distributors and customers alike, but others come from a less obvious culprit. Most facilities place matting by entryways to prevent occupants from tracking snow, water and dirt throughout the facility. But if matting is not properly cleaned or switched out regularly, it can foster mold and mildew growth, creating a terrible first impression.  

“Wet matting also creates a safety issue, especially if immediately transitioning to a hard surface,” says Carrizales. “And if there is carpet beyond the wet matting, the carpet basically turns into a secondary sponge that captures moisture.” 

Distributors can work with customers to develop a program that uses mats of the right type and size. He explains, “You want to get three good solid steps on a mat. Some people bring out a 3-inch by 5-inch mat and think that’s fine. But you need a mat that’s wider and longer.” 

Customers must understand that matting needs daily maintenance, Carrizales stresses. Vacuuming and weekly mat exchanges are sufficient in dry weather. But daily mat swapping may be necessary during snowy and wet weather to avoid moisture buildup.  

“A lot of facilities do not properly clean the matting,” Sawchuk agrees. “They should vacuum mats with a wet/dry vac to remove soil. Otherwise, you will have soils of all types being walked in from the outside. People’s shoes may bring in everything from animal droppings to cigarette butts and more. All these things can be a source of odors.”  

To tackle this issue, he recommends encouraging customers to purchase mats versus renting them.  

“People often believe renting mats is a better solution,” says Sawchuk. “But they end up paying more for them and don’t know whose mats they are getting back. End users should buy mats that will last a few years and keep them maintained. Ideally, they should buy a few extras, so they are available when needed.”  

He advises helping customers select a three-mat system that includes a scraper mat that effectively removes tough dirt from shoes; a less aggressive scraping mat that both scrapes and dries the shoes; and a drying mat that ensures when people step off the matting system, their shoes are completely dry. 

The mats should also extend 15-to-20 feet at every door, he adds. 

“That is the best way to stop soils at the entrance,” Sawchuk notes. “Industry studies indicate that close to 80 percent of a building’s soil is walked into the facility once mats get dirty. Customers will have a cleaner building with the right matting and maintenance. This will lower their cost of operation, keep the facility cleaner, and reduce odors.”  

Another source of indoor smells in the winter comes from cigarette smoke, as smokers often congregate near entrance doors to stay warm while smoking.  

“People don’t realize that smoke will accumulate over time and get embedded on surfaces inside the building,” Sawchuk says. “Now, cleaning teams may need to do a deep cleaning of drapery or furniture to remove it. Paint can yellow from too much smoke, and the smell will get locked in. Smoke also can get into filters and air exchanges. It’s much better to keep smoke out in the first place.” 

Distributors can help place smoking posts, receptacles and signage to direct people to designated smoking spots, preferably 25 feet away from entrances.  

“You also need to make sure customers do not put smoking areas near air intakes or they will introduce smoke inadvertently,” Schneringer adds. “Along with an understanding that you don’t just clean for visible soils, you need to clean for health.”