Background

Keeping hotel indoor air quality clean and safe for guests is a huge challenge, especially with high turnover, shared spaces, and constant foot traffic from staff and vendors. Indoor air quality in these large facilities is a hotspot for mold, VOCs, germs, and viruses like COVID-19, which makes strong hotel hygiene practices crucial for keeping guests safe and comfortable.

Traditional solutions – like increasing air exchanges, using ionizers, or applying chemical sprays – frequently don’t deliver the results hotels need. They can be costly, labor-intensive, or even introduce new problems such as ozone generation, mold spore contamination, or hotel germs that leave hotels searching for better ways to protect their spaces.

The Study

An independent study conducted by Scientific Air Solutions and published in EC Microbiology (2023) examined the effectiveness of nonthermal plasma technology (formerly AIRPHX, now Maple Air) in a busy, full-service hotel managed by a leading global hospitality brand.

The hotel environment included:

• 450+ guest rooms
• An eight-story atrium
• Large ballrooms, conference centers, restaurants, and fitness facilities

During hotel testing, Maple Air units were installed in high-traffic common areas, guest room hallways, and conference spaces. Over a two-year period, more than 20,000 air and surface samples were collected to measure the technology’s impact on indoor air quality.

Key Findings

Significant Reductions in Airborne Pathogens

Before installation, airborne contamination levels averaged 430–507 CFU/m³, well above acceptable air quality standards. After the nonthermal plasma technology was deployed, levels dropped by 84-86%, showing consistent improvement in hotel indoor air quality even at full occupancy.

Surface Contamination Reduced by up to 96%

Surface swabs revealed an initial 92-93% reduction in contamination on high-touch areas like elevator buttons and lobby counters. After 18 months, reductions of 95-96% were maintained, helping the hotel uphold strong hotel hygiene standards.

Effective Across Direct and "Halo" Treatment Areas

Reductions were seen not just in treated zones, but also in nearby spaces including conference rooms, restaurants, and guest rooms. This “halo” effect confirmed the technology’s ability to provide broad coverage throughout the property.

Proven vs. Other Solutions

Compared to older ionizers, nonthermal plasma technology performed far better. And unlike systems that need constant chemical treatments or filter changes, it runs automatically and continuously without interrupting daily operations.

Why Maple Air Is So Effective in Hotel Environments

Maple Air produces a proprietary blend of oxidizing molecules that neutralize viruses, bacteria, mold spores, VOCs, and other contaminants both in the air and on surfaces.

• Safe: Byproducts like gas-phase hydrogen peroxide remain at 1/100th of OSHA safety limits.
• Scalable: Units can cover millions of cubic feet without losing effectiveness.
• Low-Maintenance: The system operates quietly and continuously, reducing total cost of ownership compared to other methods.

Keeping Hotels Safe with Advanced Air Purification

With guests, staff, and vendors constantly moving through a hotel, clean air becomes an essential part of maintaining a safe and welcoming space.

Tackling Mold and Maintaining Hygiene

Maintaining proper hotel hygiene is more critical than ever. Issues like mold in hotel rooms and poor indoor air quality can compromise guest safety and satisfaction. Studies show that black mold can be present in poorly ventilated or older properties, posing both health risks and legal liabilities.

Hotels with strong hygiene protocols in 2025 are increasingly relying on advanced solutions like Maple Air to maintain hotel hygiene standards. By continuously reducing hotel germs, hotel dust, VOCs, and airborne pathogens, Maple Air helps make cleaning routines more thorough and effective, including those used by major chains like “Hilton hotel cleaning procedures hygiene standards,” ensuring safer environments for guests and staff alike.

Whether you operate a Hilton property or any other hotel brand, adding nonthermal plasma technology can help meet and exceed industry hotel hygiene standards, reduce Hotel COVID risks, and deliver measurable improvements in hotel indoor air quality.

Reducing Hotel Smells and Harmful VOCs in Hotels

Hotels often use scenting systems or diffusers to create a signature smell, such as the “hotel lobby smell” or other curated fragrances that make rooms and public spaces feel welcoming. While these scents may improve guest experience, they can increase volatile organic compound (VOC) levels in rooms. Many commercial and personal air fresheners release VOCs that can harm a hotel’s air quality, creating possible health issues or discomfort for guests and staff.

Maple Air’s nonthermal plasma technology naturally acts as a hotel odor remover by eliminating unwanted smells and reducing VOCs without the need for additional scenting. This means hotels can maintain a clean, fresh environment without relying on sprays, hotel smell diffusers, or fragrance systems to support both guest satisfaction and responsible air quality management.

The Bottom Line

This peer-reviewed study confirms that Maple Air (formerly AIRPHX) delivers independently verified reductions in harmful pathogens in busy, complex hotel environments. With reductions of up to 96%, it provides a proven solution for:

• Hospitality
• Education
• Healthcare
• Commercial properties
• Residential applications

Cleaner air. Healthier environments. Real results backed by data.

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