Merry Maids

Why is odor management important to your business? For most customers part of the perception of clean is smell. When they open the door, they want to know that there home has been cleaned visually, but they also want it to be odor free. Just as the definition of clean is different for many people, the same could be said about the subjective definition of a “clean smell.” Since so many people have grown accustomed to solutions that mask odors, Fresh Wave IAQ is a new concept for most. However, with a segment of the population being sensitive to smell, Fresh Wave IAQ offers a nice alternative. Merry Maids strives to educate our customers about the value of using non-toxic odor eliminator by using Fresh Wave products in the cleaning process.

What do you find most appealing about Fresh Wave IAQ products? We find it appealing for two reasons: first, its all-natural ingredients and second, is that it neutralizes odor rather than masking it. Odor masking solutions often do not work and they can actually make the odor worse. It is nice to be able to eliminate odors and not have a lingering chemical scent in the air. Many customers find this to be a major advantage.

What are some odor challenges that you have had to face? And how did you overcome these challenges? We find that most home odors come from pets. Fresh Wave products help eliminate those odors, by spraying dog beds or even sofas.‬ In addition, garbage disposals are also a source of foul odors, which Fresh Wave IAQ easily mitigates. And, then of course there are the diaper odors that linger in babies’ rooms even after the soiled diapers have been removed. We recently had one franchise owner who received a call from a customer who had a dirty refrigerator in storage for three months. The customer assumed that the refrigerator had been cleaned prior to being put in storage, which was not the case. The refrigerator was so foul that the customer wanted to see if their insurance would pay for a new refrigerator, but it was not covered under their plan. Merry Maids cleaned the fridge by removing items, washing out the interior with spray and then left Fresh Wave IAQ gel in the fridge overnight. The customer was amazed that the smell had been completely removed!

How important is it to use natural odor management solutions? Consumers as a whole are continually being educated about natural cleaning products. While many seem to gravitate towards the use of scented candles for eliminating odors, there is a large segment of our customers who prefer us to use natural odor management solutions. ‪ At Merry Maids, our goal is to make the right choice. Using natural solutions like Fresh Wave IAQ is always the right choice for our associates and our customers. We do give our customers options when it comes to the cleaning products that we use and we let them determine if a non-toxic solution is right for them.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? Karen: I would like to be Samantha from the TV show “Bewitched” and wiggle my nose and make any dirty home clean in an instant. And, at Merry Maids, we actually aim to be that magic wand that immediately takes care of even the dirtiest of homes.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional — with whom would it be? We would want to be Steve Jobs. He was such a visionary when it came to thinking outside of the box and delivering what the customer wants, even before the customer knows they need it. He was incredibly demanding when it came to design and visual aesthetics. We read in his book that Steve Jobs actually pushed his engineers to make sure that the interior components of all products did not have any sharp corners. When his engineers pushed back on this and asked, ”Why… no consumers would know or care,” his response was: “I will know that there are sharp corners inside of my products. I care.” Merry Maids has a similar philosophy when it comes to attention to detail. A customer may not see that dust bunny in the corner, but our associates go to great lengths, with a keen attention to detail, when it comes to cleaning properties and will always go above and beyond to deliver an exceptional customer experience for our Merry Maids clients.

If you could time travel what time period would you go to? We would both like to travel to the year 2050 and see how the world has changed.

Where would you live? What would your profession be? It depends on what mother earth is like at that time, but we would like to be in a tropical place playing golf amongst echoes of “El Diablo.”

There is nothing more powerful than smells to evoke memories or conjure images, and the retail and hospitality industries have been making use of this phenomenon as a way of enhancing our experiences  (and getting us to consume more) with them for years.

That soothing baby powder scent in the toddler aisle that makes you feel all cuddly; it’s not coming from the pink baby blankets.

Retailers are increasingly using ambient scents to induce shoppers to stay longer, spend more and maybe even behave a little more kindly toward fellow shoppers. Many feel they can tap into that scent association to help establish emotional intimacy with their brands.

However, many scents go into the air conditioner or ventilating system, causing more negative than positive effects to customers.  And the ambient odors can actually overwhelm consumers, ultimately driving them out the door.

For example, the London Underground used a fragrance, described as a rosy jasmine with a hint of herbs, during a test aimed at making the subway smell more pleasant. It was quickly halted when some commuters complained that it made them feel sick.

Another example includes an attempt in San Francisco to promote milk consumption by putting chocolate-chip-cookie scent strips in bus shelters. Transit officials ordered them removed amid concern they might provoke allergic reactions.

The reality is that we don’t fully understanding how a person will react to an odor – odor sensitivity is a very subjective thing.  While it may seem like a cutting-edge way to keep customers happy and buying more stuff, ambient odors run the risk of damaging a brand’s reputation.

Retailers and hoteliers should consider simply developing odor management plans that mitigate all odors.  By creating an odor-free area – whether foul or ambient – the likelihood of keeping customers happy is going to be higher.

Why alienate those customers who have odor sensitivities?  It’s too much of a business risk to create ambient odors that ultimately drive business out of your store.

A Kentucky Representative fully agrees with this philosophy.  Democrat Rep. Carl Rollins recently sponsored a bill that would encourage the use of green products in schools throughout the state.  Though many districts are already using them, the bill stipulates that Kentucky’s education officials publish an annual list of preferred green cleaning supplies.  It also directs state education officials to consult with the Department for Environmental Protection and the Kentucky chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council to recommend cleaning procedures, local policies, and ideas for staff training.

We think this bill is a great idea and would like to add an idea of our own.  We want to remind school districts of the importance of natural odor-eliminating products.  As many of us know, stain removal and the routine clean up of child-related messes are only half the battle.  Messes often leave smells, and getting rid of odors is more important to productive learning than you may imagine.   It has been scientifically proven that foul odors can actually negatively impact learning.

In addition, foul odors are no strangers to schools.  Recently, sewer odors in a school sent five students and a teacher to the hospital at a Detroit high school.

Fresh Wave IAQ would make a great addition to Kentucky’s list of approved green cleaning products. Not only do they handle the smells that traditional cleaning products may leave behind, but also they are green through and through — an A+ combination if ever we saw one!

We highly recommend that the Kentucky school district, and any school district for that matter, fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that will tackle any foul odor.

Movie theater employees recently investigated a mysterious odor seeping from a locked bathroom. After prying open the door, the employees discovered the body of a man having been reported missing several days prior.  It turns out the man had suffered a heart attack while in the stall, a situation that, while no business wants to confront, is sadly a possibility for any venue where people frequent.

This type of tragedy presents quite a challenge and it’s not all that uncommon, unfortunately.  We have covered stories about an auto dealer selling a car that once warehoused a dead body, and how crime scene cleanup can be a pretty grim business.   The dark side of life often does find its way into commercial businesses and it is vital to be prepared for the absolutely unthinkable.

From dealing with law enforcement, the local media to grieving families, we highly recommend that you develop a contingency plan for situations like this – this also means dealing with public relations, disaster clean up and odor mitigation and much, much more.

Unfortunately, life is very complicated and any commercial business should hope for the best but plan for the worst.  You never know when a tragedy like the one in Colorado could happen to your business.

While Jersey natives never fully admit that there are industrial parts of their state that stink – these are proud people mind you – they did step up and confess that a municipal waste site was actually stinking up the place.

The poll conducted by the Trenton Patch asked people to weigh in on how much they noticed, or didn’t notice, the odors coming from a local landfill. It seems the odors may be getting stronger for many as a significant number of respondents noted how the smell has been getting worse lately, even causing some children to gag.

The noxious fumes are said to be more potent in warmer or more humid weather, so we can only imagine how this mild winter isn’t helping.  And if global climate change trends continue, we predict lots more days of hot weather ahead.

So, imagine how this odor will impact local businesses in the Trenton area.  Although these noxious odors are coming from an outside landfill, they can very easily make their way into retail outlets, restaurants and even area hospitals.

So while Mother Nature may not be lending a hand to our poor odor-stricken business in the Trenton area, all hope is not lost.

Fresh Wave IAQ products are cost-effective, easy-to-use, and highly efficient at combating foul odors – even those odors that come from outside sources like landfills.   Rather than masking odors, Fresh Wave IAQ absorbs and destroys them on the molecular level and can eliminate even the most difficult smells that can make its way into a business.

If you are a company, school, hospital or governmental organization in the Trenton area dealing with this foul odor issue, please fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that tackles the most challenging odor situations.

With the “scent” industry booming these days (think Axe Body Spray and celebrity-branded perfumes) it is no wonder that both women and men are using these perfumes to create their own unique odors.

While we may be leaving a trail of lemon drops or ocean mists in our wake with our signature scents, the reality is that we may be causing others to have allergic reactions.

A state representative in New Hampshire is taking the concept to heart by sponsoring a bill to ban state employees who work with the public from wearing perfume.  The bill was proposed after a constituent with extreme allergies approached the representative with the proposal.

Banning perfume is a pretty strict measure, and would most likely prove hard to enforce.   OMI Industries has an alternative that would be more effective at eliminating strong odors from public buildings – without the need for draconian legislature aimed at hard-working public servants.

Fresh Wave IAQ is the only line of commercial-grade odor eliminating products that are non-toxic and effective on both odors and inorganic odors.  FreshWave IAQ product can efficiently clear the air of wayward smells without masking odors with chemicals.  It’s simple, cost-effective, and requires no lobbying, petitions, or campaign promises.

And, if you are a government facilities manager or Jan/San organization with government contracts, and want to ensure odor-free environments in the facilities you clean and manage, please fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that tackles the most challenging odor situations.

So when a noxious odor coming from the rear of an aircraft recently sent three crew members from a Boston-bound US Air flight a local hospital upon landing, the company had more than a smelly situation on deck to contend with.

Thankfully the three patients suffered no serious injuries, but the fallout from a putrid plane ride can linger long after the air has been cleared.

We may not think about it, but smells really do have an impact on the way we experience things.  Imagine how quickly a routine flight can turn into a travel nightmare if a foul odor wafts its way into the cabin.    Even if there was little the airline could have done to prevent the offending smell, chances are travelers will be looking at a competitor’s site when they book their next journey.

Not to mention that most of an offended traveler’s social network will be wallowing right along with them as they read the dashed-off tales of woe they hastily tweeted, texted and online reviewed while waiting for their baggage.  It is easy to see how an isolated odor incident can lead to more than just one lost customer, and no one wants to lose business to a stinky review.

Airlines have enough to worry about these days.  Smells should not be one of them.  Having a comprehensive odor management program is a simple process that could prevent significant economic losses.  Fresh Wave IAQ products are cost-effective, easy-to-use, and highly efficient at combating foul odors.  All flights, especially of long haul duration, could benefit from using non-toxic, odor-eliminating products that meet the most challenging odor abatement situations.

Rather than masking odors, Fresh Wave IAQ absorbs and destroys them on the molecular level and can eliminate even the most difficult smells that often lurk in airplane carpeting and upholstery, bathrooms and kitchens.

There is no need for odors on a plane to deflate an entire business structure.

And, if you airlines facility operator or manage an airline cleaning crew and have challenges managing foul odors beyond your control, please fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that tackles the most challenging odor situations.

The Hertz Corporation is a long-time user of Fresh Wave IAQ’s natural odor eliminating technology. Hertz vehicle service attendants use Fresh Wave IAQ in every car at 72 major U.S. and Canadian airport rental locations. The company also utilizes Fresh Wave IAQ within 1,000 off-airport locations and 170 licensee locations across the U.S., as well as locations at London’s Heathrow and Stansted airports.

Today, we are speaking with Paula Rivera, Manager of Public Affairs for The Hertz Corporation, about odor management and why it is important to Hertz and much more.

Why is odor management important to your business?

Odor management is very important for Hertz. Our customers want cars that are completely odor free. And in our business, often times cars are returned with cigarette smoke and/or fast food odors embedded into the cloth of the seats that need to be eliminated. We aim to always provide travelers with cars that are clean smelling and our odor management strategies help us achieve this. Ultimately, we want our clients to have a great journey and part of having a great journey is having a car that clients are happy to drive.

What do you find most appealing about Fresh Wave IAQ products?

Fresh Wave IAQ products are very easy to use and the system fits naturally in our overall car-cleaning process. The other big thing is that, since it is a natural product, it reinforces our environmental sustainability initiatives. So, we use Fresh Wave IAQ because it is good for customers and employees and we don’t have to worry about using toxic substances that are harmful and because it fits in with our overall sustainability initiatives. What are some odor challenges that you have had to face? And how did you overcome these challenges? The biggest challenge really is having cars that smell like cigarette smoke. Up until we started using Fresh Wave IAQ, we used many products to try and eliminate this type of odor and we could not find a solution that worked as well as Fresh Wave IAQ.

How important is it to use natural odor management solutions?

This is very important to us on two levels. First, it helps eliminate any negative responses from customers and employees. We like to offer cars that are clean smelling, but don’t have any lingering chemical odors that come from other types of solutions. And, second, as I mentioned, it fits well into our sustainability initiatives, which is very important to The Hertz Corporation.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

I am not sure if this is a superhero power, but I would love to have a photographic memory.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional — with whom would it be?

I would want to be my husband Tony Rivera, who is a professional musician. His work day starts at 3 p.m., when he starts music lessons, and he is able to play gigs at local venues several times a month.

If you could time travel what time period would you go to? Where would you live?

The 1920s and I would be a professional patron of speakeasies.

Thank you Paula for spending five minutes with us! Be sure to check out this video about the Hertz “Odor Free Fleet Program” to learn more about Hertz’s innovative use of Fresh Wave IAQ.

Stay tuned for more “Five Minute with Fresh Wave IAQ” posts!

Last year, particularly in the mid-Atlantic and in our nation’s capitol, a huge stinky problem descended on homes and business. And the government was not to blame.  Stink bugs had invaded.

With temperatures dropping, these bugs, which use a bothersome odor to help protect themselves against predators, come inside from yards and wooded lots and hang out in attics, basements and other cozy nooks and seek refuge in local businesses.  And once they have infiltrated, they can be very difficult to send packing.  And they truly do smell. Badly.

Once a stink bug lands on some sort of material, the smell can stay for a very long time.  For most businesses, if not all, stink bug smell removal is essential. Whether you own a restaurant, manage a hotel or other place of business that relies on foot traffic, the smell of stink bugs can send customers packing.

Experts believe that the problem will be worse as winters have more “warm-up” periods.  If during the winter, the temperature warms significantly, the stink bugs get energized and move into the working areas of businesses. The warmer the temperatures, the more the stink bugs move, and the better the chance they can land on a customer’s lap at a restaurant.

While there are creative ways to get rid of stink bugs – from homemade light repellents to aerosols to vacuum cleaners — the smell can remain. As Fresh Wave IAQ absorbs and destroys odors on the molecular level and is highly effective in eliminating the most difficult odors found (no masking of odors), it can tackle the most challenging stink bug issue for any business.

If you find your business is being infiltrated by stink bugs, please fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that tackles this unique and challenging odor management situation.

As a result, big money was invested into overhauling ventilation systems and other building infrastructure projects, but to no avail.  Nothing seemed to work.

Regretfully it wasn’t until significant damage had been done to the local economy that the city of Valleyview finally identified the cause of the horrible fumes, a sewer main that runs the length of the town business frontage road on its way to the wastewater treatment plant.  Depending on atmospheric pressure and temperature, gases released from this flow can waft through manhole cover holes and into noses everywhere.

The city has attempted to plug these holes, but the plugs were never meant as a permanent fix; sewers are designed to vent.  So what is a town to do?  Though entirely mitigating the foul odors may not be possible (at least for the foreseeable future) there is a solution for the local merchants — and it does not require expensive construction.

These local merchants could very easily implement a comprehensive odor management program that includes FreshWave IAQ products, which is a simple, cost-effective way to combat foul odors, even if they emanate from very large, complex problems.  Hotel lobbies, schools, storefronts, post offices, everything that makes a town a town, could easily benefit from our line of nontoxic odor eliminating products that meet the most challenging odor abatement situations.

Rather than masking odors, Fresh Wave IAQ absorbs and destroys odors on the molecular level and is highly effective in eliminating the most difficult odors found in carpet and upholstery, restrooms and other locations, as well as instances ongoing sewer odors.

There is no need for a bad sewer main to negatively impact an entire business community.  Fortunately there is an answer and commerce, and life in general, can continue even in the face of the foulest odors.

And, if you own a business that is being impacted by foul odors beyond your control, please fill our contact form and one of our odor management experts will reach out to you with a solution that tackles the most challenging odor situations.