How about gently spraying in the air a mix of water and Clorox bleach? If it’s some type of bacteria, the Clorox would kill it. Also put opened boxes of baking soda all around the room and dryer sheets tucked under the mattress.
I have had good luck with this:)
RR
A lot of good suggestions! I am having an odor problem too and no time to get a device from Amazon. Guests swore they did not smoke inside. They did empty the ashtray in the trash so that caused an odor but to me, there is still something lingering. Lord I do not want to wash the walls!
A Hepa works wonders! Get the one that covers ALL the smells or at least the animal filter. Like Karma, I also host dogs in my home and live with 3 men, some who work as First Responders (ie, they come home drenched in sweat, other peoples blood, etc) and with the filters running, I can only occasionally smell a musky smell. That’s when I change the filters, air out the Air suite fully, and make everyone go through their rooms and clean. It’s actually rarely the dogs that give me an issue!
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Well, what was it??? I need to know now!! 
Just curious as to why you can’t be present while it’s running?
It’s boring, I promise 
But on the off-chance that another host might have the same problem…
I had a lovely couple staying in one of the apartments for a week. He was exhibiting at a local trade show. He asked me where he could buy good flowers to put on his stand so I recommended a local florist.
When the couple left, I saw that he had kindly left a large vase of flowers - presumably the leftovers from the floral display he had on his stand at the trade show. I always add fresh flowers to the rentals when doing a turnover and the next lucky guests had two displays - the ones I provided and the ones left by the previous guest still in great condition.
So, the second group of guests checked in later that day and stayed for about five days. When they left and I went into turn over the place there was this dreadful smell. Fish. FISH. Really strong. Really fishy.
I wandered around the apartment like a demented bloodhound, sniffing everything.
I figured that the guests had probably been out on a fishing trip and picked up the fishy smell on their feet or something. I sniffed, sniffed and sniffed trying to locate the pong.
It was the flowers.
Over the years for guests flowers in the apartment I’ve just most types of bloom, usually whatever is great value at the supermarket but these flowers that the guest had left were new to me. And they totally STANK of fish.
I said it was boring! But if ever a host is reading this who has an unusual smell to identify, try the foliage
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The stinky things were these.
Gorgeous. Apparently a succulent of the Protea family. It was the flower or the water/base it was in?
Strangely, it seemed to be the flower itself. I threw the water out straight away thinking that would be to blame but no. I brought the flowers into my apartment because they were still in great condition and I thought that if I chopped an inch or so off the stems, that might do it and that I could keep them alive for even longer in my own place. But no. I had to throw them away.
It’s definitely a body smell, Ken.
I was wondering about the possibility of an ozone generator. Thanks for the recommend!
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My doctor had the same issue. She said young men have an odour about them and everything had to be aired out. If it’s not too bad, spray ammonia works well but you have to be fast.
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What about washing or getting new pillows? I don’t think the protectors are failproof,
I sometimes think that they lull us into a false sense of security. This is why I like to get new pillows for the rentals every 6 - 9 months. When you think how many people have used them over the months, and of all the dead skin, bodily oils, dust mites, bacteria and so on that have been on top of them then it’s pretty gross. Add to that the fact that people have been having their heads on them for one third of the time and sweating, dribbling, having runny noses, then it gets even worse. And that’s before you start thinking about things that are even more revolting.
I get cheapish ones and replace them fairly often and that way, I know that I’m giving guests a better experience hygiene-wise.
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I don’t either. Under the pillowcase there is the Allerease pillow protector. My pillows have a chopped foam filling in a zippered cover and the contents can be emptied out to easily wash that pillow cover with or without the filling in it.
Interesting. I have some poly-fill pillows and some of those chopped up memory foam, thinking that it would be good to give guests some options. But the memory foam ones hold smell so bad! (even while being protected by Allerease covers) I assumed the smell was in the foam itself though. Does washing just the cover really help?
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I have several pillows. The main ones on bed that people sleep on because they have pillowcases on them are Nest Bedding and have the chopped fill. I also have two in shams that have the poly fill and they are super cheap at Costco. I have one older down pillow and one memory foam pillow on a shelf. So there are 6 pillows of 4 types for my guests. The two on the shelf seldom seem to be used so I don’t know about the smell retaining properties of the memory foam. I’ve never detected a smell from any of my pillows. I just launder the covers on a regular rotating basis. The pillows and fill inside the allerease covers are laundered on a regular but less frequent basis.
Agreed… Ozone generator works when nothing else does. I got this one from Amazon: Enerzen Commercial Ozone Generator Industrial O3 Air Purifier Deodorizer Sterilizer, 6,000mg $69.00.
Don’t know about the humidity where you’re at, but hardwood floors can create a stale odor at times…