Foul office odors permeating the air are enough to keep people distracted from work. As a result, health and productivity go down the drain. Are you one of those who spend half of their waking hours inside a stinky office or commercial building?
An acute sense of smell is inherent in some people. It is as if they were born as hounds in another life. The odor molecules of a substance reach its olfactory receptors faster than everyone else. They ring the foul odor alarm swiftly like the internet speed at the office.
An acute sense of smell is a boon. Why? Because foul office odors have terrible stories to tell about the workplace. They serve as a warning that something nasty is going on.
A foul office odor may cause mild to serious health problems like migraine, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. People with allergies are vulnerable to foul odors. They are prone to cough that triggers asthma and consequent breathing problems. In addition, a persistent foul odor could raise anxiety and stress levels at the office.
Solving the foul odor dilemma includes deciphering foul office odors, pinpointing their origin, and calling professional help to get rid of them once and for all!
Deciphering foul office odors
What is the stinky smell? Deciphering foul office odors and knowing where they come from is the first step in combating obnoxious smells. You cannot win the war if you don’t familiarize yourself with the enemy and its location, right?
7 foul odors that every office manager should be aware
Investigate thoroughly and call for professional help if your office reeks of obnoxious odors. It could cost your business an arm and a leg if left unattended.
1. Sewer odor within commercial buildings
Have you inhaled a foul odor that smells like a rotten egg? The sewage system in your building could be the culprit. It collects toxic and non-toxic gasses produced by the bacterial breakdown of organic household and industrial wastes.
Hydrogen sulfide is the source of a rotten egg smell. The odor molecules enter your nostrils and attack the central nervous system. A low concentration of hydrogen sulfide causes headache, nose, and throat irritation, while a high concentration causes eye damage and fluid in the lungs. The foul odor seeps through open windows and cracks in commercial buildings.
2. Highly flammable methane odors
The highly flammable methane gas is a component of fossil fuel used for heating. Industrial wastes in landfills, wastewater treatment, agricultural, and other industrial processes generate it.
If your business is in the industrial sector, be aware that this dangerous gas that may seep into your business facility. For example, do not light a match if the odor molecules of methane invade your nostrils! Instead, seek a cleaning professional’s help to eliminate this toxic gas that is detrimental to health.
3. Odorless carbon dioxide
If you think only stinky odors pose a potential health hazard, think again. Carbon dioxide, a colorless and odorless gas in solid or liquid form, is the most lethal of all chemicals. It has many applications in the food, beverage, and logistics industries.
Carbon dioxide in solid form, otherwise known as dry ice, is used to transport chilled and frozen foods or pharmaceutical products. In liquid form, they use it in carbonating drinks and conserving wine. Business owners involved in food, beverage, or transportation must seal off offices and business facilities to avoid this odorless gas from creeping into the facilities. In addition, their efforts must include employees’ risk assessment and gas detection tests.
4. Suffocating ammonia
Have you felt suffocated by a pungent and irritating smell? The odor molecules of ammonia may have invaded your nostrils. Textiles, plastics, pesticides, dyes, and other chemicals use this colorless gas. Inhaling ammonia in high concentrations can lead to respiratory failure. Meanwhile, a lower concentration may cause incessant cough and nose and throat irritation.
5. An office that smells like canine
Business owners must look into complaints of stinky dog-like smells in offices. Dead rodents and pests may hide behind desks, cabinets, and office equipment. A regular inspection and deep cleaning can avoid this foul odor dilemma.
6. Water contaminants in the water supply
Have you smelled something fishy in your office water supply? It is a far cry from something intimate. The fishy smell is from chlorine, a water disinfectant. High-level chlorine in tap water makes you think about swimming in a pool. Business owners must provide distilled water for employees and customers, as chlorine-treated water is unsafe to consume.
Does water in the office smell like metal? Unfortunately, it is a sign that heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, or iron may have infiltrated the office water supply system. In addition, bacteria, sediments, and other foul-smelling chemicals still make their way into the water supply despite the strict implementation of the water purification system.
7. The stinky smell in company restrooms
Company restrooms are breeding grounds for bacteria that emit foul odors. Deep clean every inch of space to eliminate millions of microbes that share space in the office restroom.
An earthy smell may emit from mold spores growing in damp places in the restroom.
Urine, which undergoes a chemical process, is the perfect food for odor-causing bacteria. The more they multiply, the stronger the odor. The pungent smell emanates from urinals and spills on the floor.
A burst pipe emits a foul odor from exposed sewage. As mentioned earlier, the complex gasses produced in the sewage are hazardous to health.
Floor drain dysfunction is another source of foul odor. For example, a drain trap underneath the floor contains water at all times. If the water dries, sewage gasses vent upward and emit a foul odor.
Let Professional Cleaning Services Help Get Rid of Your Foul Office Odors
Foul office odors are no laughing matter. So, the next time you smell poop, you can say, Ah! It is the odor molecule of poop traveling up my nose! And before it could leave any residue, call Prestige Property Services immediately and ask for help to clean and eliminate foul office odors for good!
Call 714-224-0301 or email info@prestigepropertyservices.com for booking and inquiries.