Anyone else a germ freak???

[GailT]

Originally posted by melanie18
It's nice to know I'm not the only crazy one here!

We carry the small bottles of Purell in our backpack when going to the parks (we were just there in Jan04 and I was terrified of DD3 getting the flu - not that the Purell would stop it, but it made me feel better). Even more ridiculous, I bring those pop-up Clorox wipes to clean the remote, wipe down the toilet, counters, door knobs, etc. at the hotel.

It's amazing I find time to visit the parks I'm so crazed cleaning the room!

I thoght I was the only one that wiped everything down and I never step in the shower without flip flops on. I buy a pair for when I get there and just dump them on the last day, I don't wanna bring them home with me. YUCK

 

[GailT]

Originally posted by meganbear
Well now I see there are others just like me! I have every intention of bringing a can of lysol as well.

Yep, I can't stand that either! I always try to wear shoes in the room (or flip flops).

I have never stepped on a hotel floor without my shoes on, now I am thinking, how in Gods name do I go to the water parks and the beach. I am obsessed with germs

 

[Jacksmom99]

Just a thought....are we sanitizing ourselves into surpressed immune systems and resilient germs? I take normal handwashing precauitons, but try not to stress about other things. I'm on vacation and don't want to spend time cleaning. One thing I will do however, is clean the whirlpool tub (in the DVC villas) and jets before I use it.

 

[sr6888]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I have to agree with Jacksmom99. My sister-in-law is an doctor specializing in infectious diseases. She says that we over sanitize and take too make anitbiotics. Kids that aren't exposed to other children or germs, tend to become "sickly" when they get to school. They catch everything and get sicker for longer.

I know, I know. We imagine all kinds of things at the hotels where we live and sleep, but did you think about all the doors and handles, and ropes and bars your kids are touching at WDW. You have a few people staying in your hotel room before you, but thousands of people touching all the things your kids touch at the parks. If you are staying at a WDW hotel, it is probably cleaner than almost anywhere else but your house.

Now to confess, I cannot walk barefoot on a hotel room floor!

 

[WIDisneyFan]

I guess I am on the other side of the fence from most in this thread. I travel regularly for business (40-60 nights a year in hotels) and other than looking for obvious issues I never worry about it and have never had a problem. I will agree that there can be some issues that need to be fixed but to me the hotel seems no worse than anywhere else on the trip (taxis, buses, airports, planes, and so on)

(hopefully I don't scare anyone out of the taxis, buses and planes !)

 

[kimberlyp02]

Thank God I'm not the only one! LOL.... My dh and I are both pretty germ contious. I will tell you though that the majority of my fears came from Food Handlers courses when I was younger and my family owned a restaurant and when I was older and waited tables. I don't like germs.

BUT...I've come to realize lately that the things I'm stressing out about the most aren't the nastiest. I just read a few months ago that you would be better off sitting directly on any public toilet seat than touching a keyboard?!! Like 10x's more germs on keyboards and mice. And also that it would be ALOT healthier to eat a carrot that had fallen in your toilet as opposed to your kitchen sink. YIKES!

So, my conclusion has been that I need to chill out some. I've also learned this since I have a child now. They will touch everything. The first trip or two to a hotel room was enough to give me anxiety attacks. I've decided that if I am going to enjoy this week at Disney, I need to still take precautions, but chill out some.

These are some things that I usually do though and am still planning on giving everything a once over this time too.

Take the bed spreads off or cover them with my own blanket(the extra sheet is a GREAT idea!

I always bring lysol or disinfectant wipes and wipe down everything.

I will usually scrub the tub out really good since my dd is so young, but she wears a swimsuit.

I HATE to walk on the floors without socks or shoes on. ESPECIALLY bathroom floors.

I clean the phone, remote, nightstands, toilet door knobs, etc with lysol

The bedspread, floor, phone and remote give me the most worry. And also those NASTY mattress pads some have on them. You can feel them under the sheets and I have to wonder what in the world is in those or the pillows! Usually if we're close to home I take my own pillow....but....oh well

 

[stonecreekboys]

Oh my goodness, it is so funny other people are germ freaks like me. I have been this way since high school and most people laugh at me. I don't let anyone near the bathroom until I spray it down with Lysol, I mean faucettes, bathtub, toilet, floor, door handles, you name it. I tell them "You don't want to get the stomach virus do you?" That usually quiets them. I also am a freak about the ice buckets. Who can imagine what else has been in them other than ice. Also, comfortors come off the bed immediately and we even roll back the blankets. Purell and wet one's go to the parks with us. I cannot fathom reusing towels in a hotel. I know Disney pushes water conservation, but I line the bathroom floor with towels so we don't have to touch the floor. We also keep slippers or shoes on. Most of the time Disney rooms are clean, but who needs to risk communicating a contagious illness while on vacation? My husband usually grabs the remote pronto. The Lysol wipes are a great idea! Happy traveling!

 

[graygables]

After travelling in Turkey and using the "facilities"... as long as there's not 2 footpads with a hole for a potty, and a shower head above for (WHAT?!? you do *both* in there?!?) I'm OK with hotel cleanliness! I've never covered a remote, removed a bedspread, sprayed anything, and always walk around barefoot and I've never, ever gotten anything from a hotel room. My DDs are equally germ-friendly and DH is learning to be, thanks to WDW resorts!

 

[blowinbubbles]

Gray, I travelled to Turkey two years ago, and although I heard about the hole-in-the-floor potties, I didn't get to see one! Probably because we stayed in the city of Istanbul. Hehe, I was actually disappointed that I didn't get to use one of those! LOL!

I have to agree with those who say that one can get *too* germ conscious. I think to constantly sanitize and de-germ can be detrimental to our immune systems, by not giving it the chance to build up immunities.

That being said, though, I think it's a wise idea to at least wipe off the door knobs. . I can't imagine that the housekeepers actually do clean them, and heaven knows what kind of bacteria lives on the bathroom doorknobs!

Ann