Attention Germ Phobes.........

[joy13]

Well I am proud to report that on our 6 night vacation I didn't use a single lysol wipe or a drop of purel, used hotel provided linens unaltered (even the comforter!!) and guess what....not a single sniffle or unexpected trip to the toilet. Take your vitamins and get adequate rest and you'll be fine.

You sound like me!

 

[TinkPearl]

I'm starting to freak out because we will be taking our DS who will be 9 months when we go and he just started crawling everywhere. I am at a loss as to what to do to keep him off the nasty carpet?!

Any suggestions?

 

[savvy?71]

....kids & adults go potty and dont wash their hands, kids pick their noses and wipe their boogies wherever they can, people cough and sneeze without covering their mouths and when they do they still don't always clean their hands....

My friend's son coughed and my 3 yr old corrected him to 'cough in your arm, not your hand!'

She is also forever cleaning up around here, telling me ' I found a germ!'.

So I guess we have a little germaphobe!

 

[savvy?71]

A lot of people might forget that what jumpstarts a viral bug is the plane ride--before even stepping onto Disney property.

It's a good idea to be as well-rested as one can before travel, keep hydrated (especially on the plane with all the recirc'd air and close proximity to others who may or may not be sharing a variety of bugs).

Same precautions for the trip back home!

 

[joy13]

I'm starting to freak out because we will be taking our DS who will be 9 months when we go and he just started crawling everywhere. I am at a loss as to what to do to keep him off the nasty carpet?!

Any suggestions?

I personally wouldn't give one thought about it. Wash his hands frequently and enjoy your vacation

 

[HunnyPots]

I'm starting to freak out because we will be taking our DS who will be 9 months when we go and he just started crawling everywhere. I am at a loss as to what to do to keep him off the nasty carpet?!

Any suggestions?

Honestly? Nothing you wouldn't do at home. He'll surive...

 

[MHSweb79]

I'm in the "building my resistance" camp - I don't worry too much about germs, although I do wash my hands frequently, and germs don't seem too interested in me either.
About the bottled water issue - many, many bottled waters are just city TAP WATER. Some are filtered, some aren't even that. All you need to sell city water by the bottle is a fancy label. And some bottled water isn't even tested, so you are better off using tap water, which must meet stringent requirements.
Now, we don't have chlorine in our R.I. tap water, so I can really smell chlorine in the water when I travel, especially in the south, so I could see using bottled water just to get rid of that taste, even for brushing my teeth. But chlorine KILLS germs, so wouldn't that be better to a germ-o-phobe than bottled?

 

[RMulieri]

It's how all the "super bugs" developed in hospitals......

actually the abuse of antiobiotics has caused the superbug epidemic.Being hospitalized for long periods of time increases your risk of just about everything.

 

[lukenick1]

Just to clear this up......
sister uses bottled water cuz she can't stand putting her toothbrush anywhere near the faucet. She is not grossed out by the water just the sink and faucet.
BTW......if I wasn't afraid to throw up I wouldn't be as germ freaky! I'm trying to avoid the stomach bug!
We also plan to wipe everything down around us on the plane too. Trays, arm rest, seat belt, etc. Yuk!!!! If i didn't look like an idiot I may consider wearing a face mask Heck, the Japanese do when their sick.
I even plan to wash down the rental car
Please don't let this post jinx me!

 

[ms.yt]

Just to clear this up......
sister uses bottled water cuz she can't stand putting her toothbrush anywhere near the faucet. She is not grossed out by the water just the sink and faucet.

How in the world is that supposed to make it seem more reasonable?

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Just to clear this up......
sister uses bottled water cuz she can't stand putting her toothbrush anywhere near the faucet. She is not grossed out by the water just the sink and faucet.
BTW......if I wasn't afraid to throw up I wouldn't be as germ freaky! I'm trying to avoid the stomach bug!
We also plan to wipe everything down around us on the plane too. Trays, arm rest, seat belt, etc. Yuk!!!! If i didn't look like an idiot I may consider wearing a face mask Heck, the Japanese do when their sick.
I even plan to wash down the rental car
Please don't let this post jinx me!

Japanese people do it since the onset of SARS.

 

[lukenick1]

Well, first, I hope you don't avoid the bathrooms completely?

Okay, really, it's not necessary to "bring your own" soap, and water(!). If you are concerned about germs on the faucets/dispensers, simply use a paper towel between your hand and the faucet to turn on/off the water, and on the soap dispenser to, well, get soap.

Your kids wearing their gloves everywhere is only effective if they don't touch their faces/mouths with their gloved hands, or put any food in their mouths that they've picked up with the gloves on.

The sink water vs. bottled water thing again, but this time for your sister's teeth? WHAT do the two of you think is in the water supply at Disney that is so dangerous???

As for sleeping on the couch? Ugh. Not without clean bedding on in, and then what's the point of being scrunched up on an uncomfortable couch when you can be sprawled comfortably in bed (unless, of course, the bed is too high to get into and you're short enough and THAT'S the only reason for sleeping on the couch).

Bring your own sheets? Okay, but really, the linens on your bed when you check in ARE clean. You'd do better to worry about the blanket, the bedspread, and the pillows.

Yes, you're both a bit overboard. You can't develop antibodies to something if you're never exposed to it. Were you healthy as children? Are you both healthy now? Were your parents this germophopic when you were growing up? I'm betting they weren't, and you grew up just fine; in fact, that's WHY you grew up just fine.

Yes bring my own sheets. This is due to an incident at a Crown Plaza hotel a few years back. I pulled the comforter back to get in bed and found a dried fresh blood stain! Now if that's not disgusting then I don't know what is! My guess is that the guest before me had an "aunt Flo"(for lack of a better term) issue and the maid never changed the sheets. You could tell that the stain was fresh dried blood!!!!!! Yuk!!!

I don't want to step foot into the bathrooms at all. Of course I may have to sucomb to it a few times a day, but less is better.

 

[CinderelliCinderelli]

Lets see who is the worst germ phobe ever!!! My and my sister were just talking and when I told her that I wanted to bring some foam soap to the parks with me so I could wash my kids hands with foam soap and bottled water to avoid the public bathrooms, she wanted me to be commited!!! With all this talk of the "ultimate stomach bug" down there I'm freaking out! I also make my kids wear their winter gloves here at home anywhere we go to keep their hands clean. Now let me tell you a little secret about her.....she refuses to brush her teeth and use the sink water, she uses bottled water instead. She also refuses to sleep in the bed and will choose the couch instead at the hotel.
We both bring our own sheets too...... There is a reason behind that one. Let me know if you want to hear it!
Who is the bigger germ phobe????? Looking forward to hearing better germ phobe actions!!!!
Thanks

i don't think you're nuts! that stomach virus can be transmitted through contaminated tap water (which includes the ice they put in sodas) since it can survive freezing temps and the thought of throwing up makes me cry before it happens. a month ago i ended up with an inner ear inflamation that caused the room to spin in circles ... talk about throwing up! i was NOT a happy camper! i had to stay on the couch for 2 weeks! so i am a germ a phobe too! i'd rather not touch someones gross snots on a ride or touch what they left behind after they didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom but there is only so much you can do unfortunately... as for hotel room sheets... bring your own and worse... the comforter!!! they don't wash those and well people leave stuff behind if you know what i mean.... GROSS!!!! ick ick ick...

 

[CinderelliCinderelli]

I bring lysol for my room, hand sanitizer, a travel pack of anti-bac wipes and anything else I feel I need to safeguard myself and my daughter against the germs at Disney.

Okay, let's be realistic (and somewhat gross) - kids & adults go potty and dont wash their hands, kids pick their noses and wipe their boogies wherever they can, people cough and sneeze without covering their mouths and when they do they still don't always clean their hands, etc. I don't want to pick up any of that stuff and when I touch the hand rails, I like to know I have something near I can clean them off with.

ugh thinking about the fact that some people let little kids put their fingers in parents mouth makes me want to blah.... i can't believe people do that!!! the germs they carry on their hands after crawling on the floor or who knows... having their hand in their dirty diaper!! oh my!!! ahhhh this is one of the many reasons that i don't want children... i'd be sick non stop!! no thanks!! ick!

 

[lukenick1]

i don't think you're nuts! that stomach virus can be transmitted through contaminated tap water (which includes the ice they put in sodas) since it can survive freezing temps and the thought of throwing up makes me cry before it happens. a month ago i ended up with an inner ear inflamation that caused the room to spin in circles ... talk about throwing up! i was NOT a happy camper! i had to stay on the couch for 2 weeks! so i am a germ a phobe too! i'd rather not touch someones gross snots on a ride or touch what they left behind after they didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom but there is only so much you can do unfortunately... as for hotel room sheets... bring your own and worse... the comforter!!! they don't wash those and well people leave stuff behind if you know what i mean.... GROSS!!!! ick ick ick...

Ohhh no, the dreaded Vertigo, yes i've had that too but mine was a positional vertigo, certain head positions would send me spinning.

 

[RichmondTiggerFan]

I'll actually hold on to the handles when I ride Splash Mountain

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I've never bought hand sanitizer! I never take any kind of sanitizer or bacterial wipes on vacation at all. We lay on comforters, lay in the floor, use public toilets and my kids are all over the hand rails! None of us have ever been sick on vacation. We're all pretty healthy, so I guess germs are our friends!

You and I could be twins!

Interestingly several of the non-germaphobes are nurses - as am I! Whilst I follow precautions at work, due to coming in contact with immuno-suppressed people, I also know that 'normal' people don't need to bathe in purell to prevent illness. What they need to do is expose their bodies to germs in order to build up anti-bodies.

We were at WDW for 17 nights back in December and did all the things the poster above mentioned - including *shock* SITTING on toilet seats - and none of us had or have had since returning, any illness whatsoever.

 

[maxiesmom]

To all the germaphobes: I really don't understand how all of your precautions make any kind of sense to you. Do you not shop? Do you know how many people have touched all the stuff for sale in the stores? Do you not eat? Do you realize how many people touch your food when they prepare it? And what about the rides themselves? I'm sure they are all covered in germs, the seatbelts, the handles, everything!

I'm so glad I am not a germaphobe. Sounds like way to much work!

 

[momtotwoteens]

To all the germaphobes: I really don't understand how all of your precautions make any kind of sense to you. Do you not shop? Do you know how many people have touched all the stuff for sale in the stores? Do you not eat? Do you realize how many people touch your food when they prepare it? And what about the rides themselves? I'm sure they are all covered in germs, the seatbelts, the handles, everything!

I'm so glad I am not a germaphobe. Sounds like way to much work!

Believe me, I'm not a germaphobe by choice. It's not much fun!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'll be sure to lick a doorknob for all you germ-phobes! (Just kidding.... eewwwww!)

Nah, you spit on a napkin (like your mom did when she wanted to clean dirt off your face) and rub THAT on the doorknob

We also plan to wipe everything down around us on the plane too. Trays, arm rest, seat belt, etc. Yuk!!!! If i didn't look like an idiot I may consider wearing a face mask
Heck, the Japanese do when they're sick.

Key words there. You're not sick.
You are SERIOUSLY overobsessing about this, and overdoing. Again, how much of this did your parents do when you were children, and how sick or healthy were you as a result?

Yes bring my own sheets. This is due to an incident at a Crown Plaza hotel a few years back. I pulled the comforter back to get in bed and found a dried fresh blood stain! Now if that's not disgusting then I don't know what is! My guess is that the guest before me had an "aunt Flo"(for lack of a better term) issue and the maid never changed the sheets. You could tell that the stain was fresh dried blood!!!!!!

The PROPER reaction to this is, "Hello, Housekeeping? We just checked in and it appears the bedding was not changed from the previous guest. Please send someone up NOW to resolve this issue" or "Hello, Front Desk? This room is not satisfactory. Please move us to a room you are sure is completely ready for occupancy, and please do it NOW".

ugh thinking about the fact that some people let little kids put their fingers in parents mouth makes me want to blah.... i can't believe people do that!!! the germs they carry on their hands after crawling on the floor

Oh, the pain! The pain! And how many of those parents are still alive?

I also know that 'normal' people don't need to bathe in purell to prevent illness. What they need to do is expose their bodies to germs in order to build up anti-bodies.

Thank you! I'm NOT a nurse, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I read (books, magazines, newspapers, the computer). I keep myself educated. Even I, not in the medical field in any way, know this!