In a care home or day centre, the main job is to neutralise, not to perfume. Neutralisers go in toilets, the linen room, waste rooms and service corridors, and common areas get only a clean fragrance at the lowest perceptible level. Residents' rooms, the infirmary and the dining room during meals are left unscented. Everything is decided together with the centre's staff.
In a care home, the atmosphere affects how visiting families perceive the centre and the daily life of those who live there. But it is also one of the settings where the most caution is needed.
Neutralise first, and with judgement
The main job in this kind of centre is neutralisation. Toilets, linen rooms, waste rooms and service corridors are where the problem is concentrated and where the improvement is most noticeable.
A neutraliser acts on malodour molecules without adding a fragrance on top, which is exactly what is needed here. Each source has its own:
| Zone | Typical odour | BENDIS neutraliser |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets and assisted bathrooms | WC, sweat | Cotton Fresh |
| Waste room | Rubbish, food | Jasmine |
| Linen room and damp areas | Damp, stuffiness | Aloe Vera |
You can see how each one works in which odour neutraliser to choose for each type of odour.
Common areas: very soft
In the lounge, the dining room outside mealtimes and reception, a pleasant profile does fit, but at a minimum. The benchmark is the same as in an office: it should only be noticeable when coming in from outside. Clean, discreet profiles such as green tea or soft citrus. Nothing intense or sweet.
Where not to scent
- Residents' rooms, unless expressly requested and always at the centre's discretion.
- The infirmary and treatment areas, where health protocol comes first.
- The dining room during meals: ambient scent competes with the food.
Sensitivities
In a centre with many residents there are always people with respiratory sensitivity or who dislike certain smells. Before switching anything on, discuss it with the nursing team and leave some areas unscented. Scenting here is decided with the centre, not over its head.
Schedules
- Common areas: continuous, gentle operation during the day, off at night.
- Toilets and service areas: short neutraliser cycles, also at night.
- Visits: if there are peak visiting hours, a little more presence in reception during that time.
What families notice
A family visiting several centres before deciding notices many things, and the smell on arrival is one of the first. It does not need to smell of perfume. It is enough that it does not smell of anything unpleasant and that reception has a clean, discreet scent.
Day-to-day maintenance
- Check refill levels once a week, as part of the maintenance round.
- Clean each nebuliser with isopropyl alcohol every 3 months.
- Record which device goes in each zone and with which product, so any shift can replace it.
Which device
Quiet, discreet devices, placed up high and out of reach. For long corridors it usually works better to spread two medium devices than to push one large one. The LUME covers 100 m² and the FLOW 120 m².
If the centre has central air conditioning, ATMOS and HALO connect to the ducts and avoid having devices in sight. They are the only ones in the range that allow this.
How much it costs
With the scenting subscription, from €29.90 per month + VAT per device, with fragrance or neutraliser included every month. No minimum term and 30 days' notice. More details in scenting for care homes.
Tell us the number of floors and the square metres of common areas at info@bendis.es and we will prepare a zone-by-zone proposal remotely, with photos and floor plans if you have them.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to scent a centre with elderly people?
Yes, with minimum intensity, soft profiles and respecting the unscented areas. If a resident has respiratory problems, their surroundings are left without a device.
Does the neutraliser leave a smell?
It leaves a light note, but its function is to eliminate bad odours, not to perfume. That is why it is the right option for toilets and service areas.
Can it be used in a small day centre?
Yes. One device in the main room and another with neutraliser in the toilets is usually enough.
