With summer just around the corner, the swimming season will soon be upon us, and according to the CDC, swimming is the third most popular sport or activity in the U.S. (walking is number one, and “exercising with equipment” is number two).
Many of us have fond memories of spending hours in the pool during our younger days. Also engrained in our memories is the pungent smell of a pool locker room: a mix of mildew, chlorine, and an overall musty smell that accompanied our afternoons.
High humidity levels create a breeding ground for offensive locker room odors, which are often compounded by wet towels left lying around. Moreover, many facilities also have hot tubs and steam rooms, which generate additional humidity.
In fact, some people think that because of the smell native to pool locker rooms, swimming pools could be unsanitary, and that’s not necessarily the case. Although many pools have taken the steps to ensure their pools are completely sanitary, the smell in the locker rooms is a challenge to conquer.
Developing odor management strategies to withstand the moisture inherent to these spaces requires much consideration. Even with sufficient ventilation and drainage, the odor can be stubborn to alleviate, leaving this locker room odor to live on for long periods of time. This can be quite a turn-off, especially in cases of pools at private clubs and high-end hotels.
The right odor management strategies should focus on using eco-friendly solutions that fully eliminate odors – without masking them with chemical-based perfumes. The combination of humidity, chlorine, and perfume is a noxious odor cocktail that will surely boost guest complaints, and could even cause allergic reactions amongst pool-goers.
Many people have fond memories of spending summer days at the pool. By taking the right cleaning approach, it is possible for these facilities to be completely odor-free in ways that will allow this summer institution to happily live on for many more generations to come.
