A Story from the Field: A Smell That Was Not the Herbs

Mor Nid is forty-six and a Thai traditional medicine practitioner. She runs a small clinic in a shophouse on Phetkasem Road, close to Khlong Phasi Charoen. The ground floor holds a consultation room and a treatment room with four massage beds. Behind them is a store room for herbal medicines and a small area for preparing herbal compresses. Upstairs there is a compact herbal steam room. Most of her regular clients are older people from the neighbourhood and office workers from around Bang Wa who come in after work to ease tight muscles.

During the 2026 floods, the canal rose until water spilled into the soi and flooded the ground floor of the clinic to about mid-shin for three days. Mor Nid managed to lift two of the massage beds onto bricks, but the other two stood in the water. The floor mattresses stacked in the corner were completely submerged. Sacks of dried herbs, compresses she had already prepared, and the spare sarongs and client clothing in the low cupboard were all soaked or damp.

When the water went down, she and her assistant washed the floors, laundered the linens, and ran fans for several days. She reopened quickly, because many clients were part-way through a course of treatment. But during a session, a client lying face-down on one of the beds said, "Mor, the padding smells musty." Another commented that the room smelled like wet laundry rather than the warm herbal scent they were used to.

Mor Nid opened the store room again and looked more carefully. The sacks on the bottom shelf had grey-white mold spots. The compresses she had kept had a sour smell. The wall behind the shelving was beginning to show mold stains. She realised the recovery was far from finished, and that the smell of the clinic was the first thing clients used to judge how clean it was.

Her situation is shared by many small clinics and massage shops along the canals of Phasi Charoen, Bang Wa, and Bang Khae, where shophouses sit low and close to the water. These are businesses built on trust and repeat visits, and on a reputation for cleanliness and calm that a single flood can shake.

Why Thai Medicine Clinics and Massage Shops Struggle to Recover After Floods

Everything is soft and absorbent. Floor mattresses, massage bed padding, pillows, sheets, towels, and client clothing all soak up moisture and odors very readily. Foam inside a padded bed that has taken on water dries extremely slowly and becomes an invisible source of mold.

Herbs are organic material. Dried herbs, herbal compresses, and herbal medicines are plant materials that absorb moisture easily. Once wet, they grow mold quickly and should not be used on clients.

Faces rest close to the padding. During treatment, clients lie face-down with their face against the padding or in the face cradle for long periods. A musty smell from the bed is much more noticeable here than in almost any other kind of room.

Steam rooms and warm, humid spaces. Herbal steam rooms, showers, and the area where compresses are steamed are already humid. Add floodwater, and mold spreads rapidly along grout lines, ceilings, and walls.

Vulnerable clients. Older people, people with chronic health conditions, and people living with long-term pain are often the most loyal clients. They are also more sensitive to germs and mold spores than the general population.

Low-lying canal-side buildings. Many clinics occupy ground-floor shophouse units close to the canals, which take water early and drain slowly when the canal is high.

The Risks for Clients, Practitioners, and the Clinic's Reputation

Skin. Massage means continuous direct contact with the skin. Linens or padding that still carry germs from floodwater can cause rashes, itching, or skin inflammation, particularly for clients with sensitive skin or small wounds.

Breathing. Mold spores from bed padding, curtains, and the herb store room can trigger symptoms in people with allergies or asthma, both for clients and for therapists who spend the whole day in the room.

Flood-related illness. Assistants who waded through water to move equipment are at risk of leptospirosis if they have cuts on their feet or legs. Anyone who develops a high fever or muscle pain, especially in the calves, after contact with floodwater should see a doctor and mention the exposure.

Trust. Clients of Thai medicine clinics often come for a continuing course of treatment. If they notice a musty smell or feel the clinic is not clean, they may stop part-way through. In a close-knit neighbourhood, word about cleanliness travels fast.

Regulatory requirements. Different types of clinics and massage businesses may have hygiene standards they need to meet. If you are unsure whether anything extra is required after a flood, check with the agency that oversees your type of establishment.

What to Deal with First: Beds, Linens, Compresses, and Herbs

• Herbs and compresses. Dried herbs, herbal compresses, herbal medicines, and raw materials that touched floodwater, or that were stored in a room damp enough for them to develop a smell or mold spots, should all be discarded. Do not dry them in the sun and reuse them.
• Floor mattresses and bed padding. Floor mattresses that were submerged should be thrown away. Faux-leather bed padding that is still dry inside can be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions. If water seeps out when you press it, or there is a smell from inside, have an upholsterer replace the foam.
• All textiles. Sheets, towels, sarongs, and client clothing should be washed in hot water as the fabric label allows and then tumble-dried or dried completely. Anything that still smells or shows mold stains after washing should be replaced.
• Steamers and electrical equipment. Compress steamers, steam generators, and any sockets that were underwater must be checked by an electrician before use.
• Shelving and the store room. Wash the shelves, wipe down the mold on the wall behind them, and reorganise so herbs are kept in sealed containers, raised off the floor, and away from the walls.

For quick wipe-downs of shared touch points during the day, such as bed edges, handrails, door handles, and the reception counter, you can use CHEMGENE HLD4H disinfectant spray according to the label. Test on a small corner of faux-leather padding first.

Rebuilding the Herb Store the Right Way

The herb store is the part of a Thai medicine clinic that is easiest to overlook and hardest to get right after a flood. Restocking into a room that is still damp simply means the new stock will spoil too. Practitioners who have been through floods before tend to follow a few principles:

• Empty the room completely. Take everything out, including stock that looks fine, so you can see the floor, walls, and the back of every shelf.
• Dry the structure before restocking. Walls and floors should feel dry to the touch and smell neutral after the room has been closed for a night. A dehumidifier for a few days makes a big difference in a windowless room.
• Use sealed containers. Airtight jars or tubs with lids keep humidity out far better than sacks or open baskets. Label each container with what it holds and when it was received.
• Raise and space the shelving. Keep the lowest shelf well above the floor, and leave a gap between shelves and walls so air can move.
• Restock gradually. Order what you need for the coming weeks rather than a full season's supply, so you can confirm the room stays dry before committing to more stock.
• Prepare compresses in small batches. Fresh compresses made closer to the day of use are less likely to develop a smell than a large batch stored for weeks.

Once the room is clean, dry, and treated, it becomes a pleasant part of the clinic again, with the warm, familiar scent of herbs rather than the sour note of something that has gone wrong.

Common Approaches That Do Not Solve the Problem

• Boiling herbs or burning incense to cover the smell. The herbal scent makes the room smell pleasant for a while, but the mustiness from the beds and walls is still there, and the mold has not been reduced.
• Wiping bed padding with bleach. Bleach dries out, cracks, and discolours faux leather, and leaves a chlorine smell on a surface that sits right next to clients' faces.
• Sunning floor mattresses and using them again. The outside dries, but the filling stays damp and still carries germs from the floodwater.
• Painting over moldy walls. Mold that is still alive under the paint pushes the new coat into bubbles and comes back.
• Re-drying damp herbs. Herbs that have grown mold may retain substances produced by the mold. It is not worth the risk of using them on clients.

The Solution: Disinfection Fogging and Ozone Treatment for Clinics by WHD

World Health Disinfection (WHD) provides disinfection fogging and ozone treatment for Thai traditional medicine clinics, applied Thai massage shops, foot massage rooms, herbal steam rooms, and herb store rooms in Phasi Charoen, Bang Wa, Bang Khae, Taling Chan, and nearby areas.

Disinfection fogging with CHEMGENE HLD4H. Once the mud has been cleared and everything that must be discarded has been removed, our team applies CHEMGENE HLD4H with an ultra-low-volume (ULV) fogger. The fine mist reaches under massage beds, around bed legs, into the gaps between partitions, and through the herb store, showers, and steam room, helping to reduce bacteria, viruses, and mold on surfaces.

Ozone treatment. After fogging, the team runs an ozone generator in the closed rooms. Ozone helps reduce airborne mold spores and breaks down the odor molecules soaked into curtains, partitions, ceilings, and walls, so the treatment room once again has clean air that suits relaxation.

Safety and materials. No people, pets, or plants may be in the room while ozone is running. New herbs and compresses, massage oils, and all herbal medicines must be moved out first. The team controls the dose and duration to suit the room, because high concentrations of ozone over long periods can make rubber and some faux-leather materials age faster. Speakers, the cash register, and other electronics are moved out or covered. After treatment, doors and windows are opened and the space is ventilated for the time the team recommends before anyone goes back in.

How the Work Is Done in a Clinic or Massage Shop

1. Survey. We look at how high the water rose, the condition of the beds and mattresses, the herb store, the steam room, and mold on the walls, and plan a closure day that affects your appointments as little as possible.
2. Preparation advice. You receive a list of herbs, compresses, mattresses, and textiles to discard, items to move out, and the work the electrician and upholsterer should complete first.
3. Disinfection fogging. CHEMGENE HLD4H is fogged throughout the consultation room, treatment rooms, herb store, showers, and steam room.
4. Ozone treatment. The rooms are closed and the generator runs for the set time with nobody inside.
5. Ventilation. Doors and windows are opened so the ozone can break down before laundered linens and new herbs are brought back in.
6. Re-check. We check the smell at the level of the bed padding, which is closest to clients' faces, and advise on herb storage and humidity control.

Welcoming Clients Back

For a clinic built on continuing courses of treatment, the way you invite clients back matters. A few small steps help regulars feel comfortable returning:

• Tell them what you have done. A short message or a note at reception explaining that the clinic flooded, which items were replaced, and that the rooms have been professionally treated reassures people far more than saying nothing.
• Lie on the bed yourself. Before the first appointment, lie face-down on each bed for a few minutes. If you notice any smell, clients will too.
• Show fresh linens. Clean, neatly folded towels and new client clothing are visible signs that the clinic has been restored with care.
• Be flexible with older clients. Some older or more vulnerable clients may prefer to wait a little longer before returning. Offering to hold their course or reschedule without pressure builds goodwill.
• Keep the room dry. Run a dehumidifier in the treatment room and store room for the first weeks, and keep an eye on corners and grout lines for any early signs of mold.

Clinics that reopen carefully often find that regular clients return with even more confidence than before, because they have seen how seriously the clinic takes their health and comfort.

Preparing for the Next High Water

Canal-side neighbourhoods in Phasi Charoen are likely to see high water again in future rainy seasons. A little planning now can turn the next flood from a costly restart into a few days of inconvenience.

• Know what goes up first. Write a short list and keep it by the door: herb containers, compresses, linens, and floor mattresses go to the upper floor or high shelves before anything else, because they are the items most likely to be ruined.
• Raise the beds quickly. Keep sturdy blocks or bed risers on hand so every massage bed can be lifted off the floor within minutes when warnings are issued.
• Protect the electrics. Know where the main switch is, and switch off the power to the ground floor before water reaches the sockets. Ask an electrician whether any sockets can be moved higher during repairs.
• Choose easier-to-clean materials. When replacing items, consider beds with wipeable, well-sealed upholstery, washable mattress covers, and sealed storage containers that can be carried upstairs in one trip.
• Keep contacts ready. Note the numbers of your electrician, upholsterer, herb supplier, and WHD, so you can book help as soon as the water starts to drop rather than waiting until the smell has already set in.

Clinics that act within the first days after water recedes usually face a much smaller job than those that wait. Mold takes hold quickly in warm, humid rooms, so early drying and early treatment save both money and stock.

10 Reasons Phasi Charoen Thai Medicine Clinics Choose Fogging and Ozone

1. ULV disinfection fogging reaches under massage beds and between partitions where wiping is difficult.
2. Ozone treatment breaks down the musty smell clients notice most when lying face-down.
3. The herb store is ready for fresh stock without a lingering musty odor.
4. It uses CHEMGENE HLD4H, suitable for the wide range of surfaces in a clinic.
5. Steam rooms and showers are restored at the same time.
6. Older clients and people with allergies can return with greater peace of mind.
7. Therapists can work all day without breathing musty air.
8. It helps protect the continuity of treatment courses and client trust.
9. The team controls the ozone dose and moves herbs, massage oils, and electronics out before starting.
10. We work regularly in Phasi Charoen, Bang Wa, Bang Khae, and Taling Chan, and you can reach us easily on LINE @whd268.

Before and After

A Clinic Owner's Perspective

"At first I really did not want to throw away the herbs and compresses. I thought drying them in the sun would be enough. The team explained that anything that had grown mold should not be used on patients, so we discarded all of it, replaced the mattresses and the bed padding, and only then did the fogging and ozone. When we reopened, our regular patients told us the room smelled clean and fresh again, just like before."

Mor Nid, Thai traditional medicine practitioner, Khlong Phasi Charoen (a representative scenario based on typical field situations)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I keep herbs that were on a high shelf and never touched the water, even though the room was damp?
A: If they are in sealed containers, dry, and show no musty smell or mold spots, they may be usable. If anything smells unusual or you are unsure, discard them for your clients' safety.

Q: Can faux-leather massage bed padding be ozone-treated?
A: Yes, at a controlled dose. The team assesses the materials and sets an appropriate treatment time, because some faux leather and rubber can degrade if exposed to high concentrations of ozone for too long.

Q: How long will the clinic need to close?
A: It depends on the size of the space and how strong the odor is. The team will give you clear fogging, ozone, and ventilation times at the survey so you can reschedule appointments in advance.

Q: What extra work does the herbal steam room need?
A: Have a technician check the electrics and the steam generator first, then scrub mold from the grout and ceiling before the room is fogged and ozone-treated along with the rest of the clinic.

Q: When can older clients come back for massage?
A: After the full recommended ventilation time, once the rooms no longer smell. Anyone with a chronic condition or unusual symptoms should consult a doctor. This article is not medical advice.

Q: Which areas do you cover?
A: Phasi Charoen, Bang Wa, Bang Khae, Taling Chan, Bangkok Yai, Chom Thong, and nearby areas. Call 065-556-6294.

Let the Scent of Herbs Be the Scent of Your Clinic Again

Book a survey for your Thai medicine clinic, massage shop, or herb store room in Phasi Charoen after the floods.

See Our Disinfection Service – Click Here

Book Ozone Treatment – Click Here

Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Links

• Dust mite removal service
• Ozone odor and chemical residue removal
• CHEMGENE HLD4H disinfectant
• All articles
• External sources: WHO: Floods and health and Department of Health, Thailand