Surface wipes that are EPA approved to kill Norovirus; available at Staples.com

[mom2jcg]

My husband works for a chemical/janitorial company that sells Oxivir and I have used them many many times in cleaning at my house. Just a small tip---if you use the wipes extensively, you might want to wear rubber gloves. The peroxide in them will mess up the skin on your fingertips and leave a very weird texture. It might not bother everyone, but it drives me crazy! I feel like I constantly need to apply lotion if I forget to wear gloves.

 

[sea nymph]

The whole sanitizing the room thing is a bit OCD to me. Chlorine and bleach(basically the same thing) are actually one of the worst things for your immune system). I think hand washing is a good thing, but their are a lot of germaphobs out there that take things to the extreme. I'm not sure why people assume absorbing and inhaling chemicals is good for them. Just my opinion.

I live with one and it sure makes life miserable!

 

[Sparkly]

We didn't clean our Kidani Studio at all, touching remotes, bedspreads, curtains..nobody got sick! (well, I did a little but that's probably due to overdoing it at Ohana the next night)

 

[goofy4tink]

I would assume most people wash their hands and practice good hygiene. The whole sanitizing the room thing is a bit OCD to me. Chlorine and bleach(basically the same thing) are actually one of the worst things for your immune system). I think hand washing is a good thing, but their are a lot of germaphobs out there that take things to the extreme. I'm not sure why people assume absorbing and inhaling chemicals is good for them. Just my opinion.

I hear ya!! I'm one of those that had the tip of her nose go numb at pools when dd was in swim classes!!! It was the chlorine in the water, being heated a bit.

But, while most people do practice good hygiene, just watch little kids. Oh dear God...the stuff I see them do and then put their hands on railings. Just imagine what would happen if 20/20 ever took a black light to one of the attractions at WDW and scanned the handrails in the lines, or the grab bars on the actual ride!!! Horrifying.
So, we try to wash our hands more often than usual and then keep them away from our faces when traveling. We've yet to get sick and I have never 'sanitized' a room before. Yes, I've walked on the carpet in bare feet, I touched, and used, the remote without cleaning it first. I have actually used the wrapped glasses to drink from and I leave my toothbrush out, but the brush end of it in a travel cover thing. No germs yet.

 

[kandb]

I always sanitize hotel rooms when we first arrive. But in reality, if there was a family in the room who had the norovirus going around, I wonder if you can really sanitize everything they came into contact with the room. I always make sure our whole family washes our hands before we eat a meal (probably the most important thing to do on the whole trip) AND remind children not to put their hands on their faces (mouth, nose eyes). Yeah, I'm a borderline Germaphobe.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I always santize a hotel room. If you have done this to a room and saw how dirty the wipes are that you are using you would have an understanding just how gross a hotel room is even at Disney.

After seeing the youtube video of the kid with the remote in his bare butt checks trying to change the tv channel you would think twice about where that remote you are holding has been. I always put my remote in a ziplock bag.

We never use a bar of soap to wash our hands I always bring a pump bottle of soap.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

Why not just enjoy your vacation and not worry about it.

For me - a WDW vacation usually meant that I would be terribly, terribly sick as soon as I got home. Two Decembers ago, I had to stay in my room for two days because of the vomiting and diarhea. As a solo vacationer, I also felt pretty lonely that long in my room.

For the past 2 vacations, I worried about this a lot - and washed my hands A LOT ! I also carried an anti-bacterial gel. I didn't get sick at all ! Not even a sniffle !

It is REALLY terribly important to worry about it!

 

[Ofinn]

I hear ya!! I'm one of those that had the tip of her nose go numb at pools when dd was in swim classes!!! It was the chlorine in the water, being heated a bit.

But, while most people do practice good hygiene, just watch little kids. Oh dear God...the stuff I see them do and then put their hands on railings. Just imagine what would happen if 20/20 ever took a black light to one of the attractions at WDW and scanned the handrails in the lines, or the grab bars on the actual ride!!! Horrifying.
So, we try to wash our hands more often than usual and then keep them away from our faces when traveling. We've yet to get sick and I have never 'sanitized' a room before. Yes, I've walked on the carpet in bare feet, I touched, and used, the remote without cleaning it first. I have actually used the wrapped glasses to drink from and I leave my toothbrush out, but the brush end of it in a travel cover thing. No germs yet.

I'm kind of weird, but I think people should worry more about improving their immune systems then the germs out there. Viruses and germs are everywhere. Eating right, exercise, a little sunshine without sunscreen(vit D) and by all means sleep sleep sleep. I'm 40 and we never worried about that stuff when I was a kid. It seems like in the last 10 years people have become germaphobes,yet most people don't take care of their own bodies. I also walk barefoot on carpet and don't sanitize anything in a hotel room so far my family and I have remained healthy on vacation.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm kind of weird, but I think people should worry more about improving their immune systems then the germs out there. Viruses and germs are everywhere. Eating right, exercise, a little sunshine without sunscreen(vit D) and by all means sleep sleep sleep. I'm 40 and we never worried about that stuff when I was a kid. It seems like in the last 10 years people have become germaphobes,yet most people don't take care of their own bodies. I also walk barefoot on carpet and don't sanitize anything in a hotel room so far my family and I have remained healthy on vacation.

Yep, agree 100%. Quick story. My dd, a college freshman, has had every thing that has come down the collegiate pike this year. Started with a nasty strep throat in mid-Sept. Then, in November, it was hand/foot/mouth disease!! That was particularly awful! Then, last month?? Mono!! Now, she has a boyfriend, and I assume they are engaging in boyfriend/girlfriend activities. BUT...that young man has yet to get anything she has had. And? He has a compromised immune system! But, he eats really well. And probably gets more sleep than my idiot dd!!!
So yeah....boost that system. Eat good food, get plenty of rest. And if need be, take some multivitamins. That will go a lot further than sanitizing the world.
In 30+ stays in WDW, I have never come home sick, or been sick while at WDW. My dd did one year...but my mother had died about 2.5 months prior to our trip, it was a very last minute trip to bond a bit after Meme's death, and dd was just 10 then...she got sick the day after we arrived, so I'm assuming she picked it up at home and brought it with her. Stayed in our room for 2 days until she was fever free. I did actually try to clean off the surfaces before we left!!

And remote in his butt??? Seriously?? Ok, now I'll be bringing a plastic baggie to put that thing in...thanks for the mental picture...

 

[justthe6ofus]

I always santize a hotel room. If you have done this to a room and saw how dirty the wipes are that you are using you would have an understanding just how gross a hotel room is even at Disney.

After seeing the youtube video of the kid with the remote in his bare butt checks trying to change the tv channel you would think twice about where that remote you are holding has been. I always put my remote in a ziplock bag.

We never use a bar of soap to wash our hands I always bring a pump bottle of soap.

I have never thought about putting the remote in a ziplock, but thanks to this horrible image, I will do so for the rest of my life.

Bringing the pump soap is a good idea as well. I understand there is only so much you can do...but I'm more than willing to take some easy steps like these, as well as a quick room wipe-down and regular hand-washing, if it can even slightly reduce the chances of picking something up.

 

[thisismyusername]

We are a fairly crunchy family who eats well and takes good care of our bodies, including getting plenty of exercise and lots of sleep. As such, our family is fairly healthy (knock on wood). I also travel during the summer months since there's fewer bugs going around.

But if I were traveling during peak stomach bug season, you bet I'd use hand sanitizer (that would kill norovirus) and wipe down the room a bit, and I'd do it without feeling one ounce of shame or guilt that I was being labeled a germaphobe. Sorry, but I'm not interested in not getting every single penny of enjoyment out of a $9k vacation. A stomach bug generally wipes my entire family out for an entire week since everyone generally gets sick at staggered times, and I'd rather not deal with being regretful that I didn't take a few minutes to take precautions to keep my family as healthy as possible while taking an expensive vacation.

I don't practice this kind of sanitized lifestyle at home, but I certainly am more cautious while on vacation.

 

[GaudenziGirls]

Thank you for all the info. My daughter has cystic fibrosis and we just got back from WDW where she ended up catching pseudomonas and now is in hospital hooked up to all sorts of Iv's! We never leave the house with out Sani wipes and any info on sanitation is def. appreciated

 

[pjacobi]

After seeing the youtube video of the kid with the remote in his bare butt checks trying to change the tv channel you would think twice about where that remote you are holding has been. I always put my remote in a ziplock bag.

So that's how fecal bacteria gets on the remote control! I always wonder since studies were released which reported that the TV remote control and door knob where the most contaminated spots in hotel rooms.

The fecal bateria from the remote control won't hurt you if it gets on your hands, but reach into a bag of chips and now it is in you mouth.


-Paul

 

[thisismyusername]

So that's how fecal bacteria gets on the remote control! I always wonder since studies were released which reported that the TV remote control and door knob where the most contaminated spots in hotel rooms.

The fecal bateria from the remote control won't hurt you if it gets on your hands, but reach into a bag of chips and now it is in you mouth.


-Paul

Uh, hopefully people putting remote controls up their you-know-whats isn't as widespread as YouTube would make it appear.

Fecal material can be on toilets, airborne, and around the bathroom, and, most often on hands that aren't washed thoroughly (or are washed thoroughly, but then touch the sink knobs that were touched when the hands were dirty). It gets on things like remotes and doorknobs from people then picking those things up with contaminated hands.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

I would assume most people wash their hands and practice good hygiene.

Then you obviously haven't observed a public restroom recently. I'm appalled at the number of men I see go in a BR, use the facilities, and walk right back out. I mean, geez, neanderthals or what?

I'm no germophobe, but when we stay at an SSR suite with washer/dryer the washer gets a first run with a load of hot water and bleach before it ever touches my clothes.

My mom was (and, in all honesty, still is) what most would consider obsessive about cleanliness in general (and hotels in particular). When I was a kid, she was meticulous about cleaning phones, bathrooms, and inspecting the beds. Drove my dad nuts. She always took a can of lysol and did her own cleaning bit anytime we went on a trip. Back then, it seemed over the top. These days, with bedbugs and all manner of nasti virii coming from all corners of the world, she's looking more like a visionary. And she takes no small delight in hearing all the cleaning steps people are advised to take that she did for years, and caught more than a little flack for it.

I'm nowhere near as careful as she is, but she's put a good, healthy dose of caution in me, and a few minutes due diligence in setting up my hotel room and in my day-to-day practice in a place like an amusement park allows me to relax and enjoy the vacation.