Foul Odors Negatively Impact Schools and Colleges According to New Poll

Schools can easily become a stinky place if the source of bad odors aren’t properly addressed. A new poll from Oxy-Gen Powered, an odor eliminating solutions company, shows those foul odors can negatively impact educational environments.

According to the survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll, a majority of survey-takers (93%) say a foul odor would negatively impact their perception of an organization. When it comes to schools and colleges in particular, 55% of the survey-takers say a foul odor would negatively impact their perception of the educational institution.

“No building occupant or visitor wants to be greeted with an unpleasant smell in a lobby, restroom or anywhere else in a facility,” Andy Piucci, Vice President of Sales – North America at Oxy-Gen Powered, said in a statement. “This research highlights the risk organizations take when they fail to properly eliminate indoor odors caused by urine, feces, kitchens, mold, mildew, pets and more.”

The survey also polled how foul odors impact people’s perception of hotels, retail stores, entertainment venues, office buildings, and gym/fitness centers.

Once people encounter bad odors, many change their mind about the facility and take steps to avoid it in the future. More than half of those polled (56%) say after experiencing a foul odor in a facility they would assume the facility is not clean. More than half would look for an alternative facility. Half would spend less time in the facility, 46% would tell friends, family or colleagues about it and about 34% said they would never return to the facility again.

The survey was conducted from January 9-13, 2020 and polled 2,013 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

You can find more information about Oxy-Gen Powered and their line of odor eliminating solutions at www.oxygenpowered.com.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.