Bedding Report is simply GROSS!

[Mr.MouseFan]

Everyone always laughs at me when I travel because the first thing I do is tear off the bedspread. Not because they might be dirty....I get hot too easily. Now I have ammo for all the snickers..lol

 

[Cindie-rella]

I do think that maybe the best thing to do is to wash the comforter and blankets yourself if you can't be sure that housekeeping will give you clean replacements. I'm not so afraid about getting sick from the germs in the room, it's just the gross thoughts of what might have gone on that disgusts me. I at least try to use the disinfecting wipes everywhere that would allow, sinks & faucets, tubs, toilets, door knobs, tv remotes clock radio's and anything else that germy hands and God knows what else might have touched. It takes 5 minutes for peace of mind. It's common sense outside of the room to use some simple precautions, like washing hands before eating anything (bring hand cleansing wipes in your pockets they take up very little space). But as far as the hotel room goes, you have to live in there the length of your stay, and so has someone else before you, and before them etc.

I really think it should be a manditory law that after any stay they should have to provide you with all clean linens. From sheets to blankets & comforters. After all, with the price of hotel rooms I think we buy that right to have sanitary bedding!

 

[hyzdufan]

Life is too short to worry about germs everywhere. Can't anyone just have a good time without disinfecting their entire surroundings? Do you guys carry those toilet seat covers around, and put them down everywhere you sit, even on rides? I mean, someone else's pants have been there, and that's just gross, right? Do you wear latex gloves and breathing masks in the park? I mean, someone else may have exhaled, or touched a door knob. All the time you spend sanitizing, and wiping, and cleaning, could be spent doing what your supposed to do on your vacation, having a good time.

Did I actually see someone suggest that you take your hotel room linens to the laundry room and wash them yourself? Wow...I just have nothing to say.

If you live your whole life in sterility, you're immune system is going to become weak and untempered. When you finally do come into contact with germs, which inevitably is going to happen when Wal-Mart runs out of disinfectant (but Wal-Mart's got germs too, I'd better order it on the internet, oh, but someone else might have touched my computer, I'd better stay in bed, unless these sheets aren't clean), your body will not be prepared.

 

[Cindie-rella]

Originally posted by hyzdufan
Life is too short to worry about germs everywhere. Can't anyone just have a good time without disinfecting their entire surroundings?
Did I actually see someone suggest that you take your hotel room linens to the laundry room and wash them yourself? Wow...I just have nothing to say.


That would be me that "suggested" to wash the bedding yourself if you feel housekeeping might not give you clean one's. I'm really not that overly precautious, however, bedding is intimate. I do not feel comfortable lying on someone else's used bedding.
Your right, you cannot worry about germs everywhere b/c you will drive yourself crazy! However, some common sense for cleanliness should be taken. And by the way, Yes I do cover the toilet seat before I use it in public rest rooms. And I will "NOT" ever touch a public restroom doorknob. Maybe you haven't noticed people's "filthy" habits, but I have. Some people can be down right gross!!! UGH! And I also bring disinfec. wipes, they take up little space and it only takes 5 min of my time to feel better about my temporary home.

I think everyone on here that is concerned about clean linen's has a right to be. It's not that everyone is a total "germophobic Freak"!
I personally am not a total "freak" about germs. My immune system is fine. I just feel better going the extra mile to feel like my hotel room is a little cleaner than not having disinfected all the obvious germ area's. And after a long day at the parks I will rest a little more comfortably on my clean bedding!

 

[DianeV]

It ISNT anything to do with germs and immune systems. Its just gross. People "fool around" on top of the bedspread or blankets, they change their kids diapers, their kids may pee a little..who knows but that is the problem. Its just gross

 

[Threehearts]

DianeV- I think you're right on the money!! It is exactly what you describe that probably causes me the biggest "ick!!" factor! Threehearts

 

[valdan2]

I didn't think any hotels change the comforters that often. I take the comforters off also. If you think about , what about the chairs?
the upholstry doesn't get cleaned. Think about all
the people that seat on the chairs and spill stuff on them.
I can't worry about germs while on vacation. As long as the sheets and bathroom are clean, that's fine with me.
If I thought about ll the germs, we'd never go anywhere!

I never thought about the remotes, there are probably other things that we touch everyday without thinking about all the germs on them.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Originally posted by DianeV
It ISNT anything to do with germs and immune systems. Its just gross. People "fool around" on top of the bedspread or blankets, they change their kids diapers, their kids may pee a little..who knows but that is the problem. Its just gross

I totally agree.
We are NOT germaphobic here and my children rarely EVER get sick because of it! They haven't missed one day of school for being sick yet! (the few times they have gotten sick they manage to do so on Friday nights- and are well by Monday.. go figure LOL) They've never gotten sick at WDW either.

But the quote above is what I'm thinking about and I'm not even thinking about it because of the possibility of getting sick- it's just NASTY to think about what all could have gone on -on that bedspread- that's still there.
And quite honestly with my children- the bedspread could still be used, laid on, sat on, touched, played with like tents, you name it- unless it was completely removed from the room. So tossing it in a corner when we first get in the room is not keeping them away from whatever might be on that bedspread.

Last time I checked no one changed diapers on doorknobs and remote controls... nor had intercourse on those things. Yes they are germy but lets think about it... you touch those things usually with your HANDS and wash your hands before eating and whatnot. You aren't touching those things with your private parts and/or naked -a bed can be intimate and not everyone wears pajamas- yanno? Think about this... someone the night before has intercourse on a bedspread then checks out the next morning- bedspread isn't changed... you check in and your child sits bare butt on the bedspread as they get their swimsuits on.
ICK! The thought makes me want to hurl... what about bugs like crabs? Can they survive the few hours it takes between checkout and check in if someone had a little quicky before they checked out? Just saying..... and what about STD's? CAn any survive like that on bedspreads?

 

[jsmla]

I have the perfect solution to the whole germ problem. Plan ahead. Become an awesomely bad housekeeper. A couple of months before your trip stop cleaning altogether. Not only does this provide the harrassed homemaker with a pleasant pre-vacation vacation, but makes almost any hotel room seem positively hygenic by comparison. I have used this method practically my entire married life. Works like a charm!

Jennifer

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Cindie-rella]

Bibbidy...
The idea with using a chlorox wipe on a tv remote is not so unsensible. Also on bathroom doors and knobs, esp. in rooms where the sinks are outside of the toilet area. Maybe someone before you had gotten the fecies on their hand and then touched the side of the door or the knob and got some on there. This is how e-coli is spread! YUCK!You stated about what might go on on top of that bedspread and then your kids sit on it. (crabs, fecies,semen etc.) and that grosses you out. Well, before that person picked up the tv remote where were there hands? What did they just touch prior to the remote? Did they pick their butt? Their nose? Then you check in, your children handle the remote, and lets face it, kids do not wash their hands before they rub their eyes or put them in their mouth. Right from the remote to their mouth...UGH! Alot more dirty things go on in private behind closed doors than it does right out in public. So your more likely to have these things in a confined hotel room. Use your chlorox wipes, it's peace of mind.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Nah, we are doing fine without the chlorox wipes. I know from experience that we're doing better without them- my kids hardly ever ever get sick.. while my germaphobic sister's kids get sick all the time- especially now that they are starting to go to school.

It's not the same though... my kids when they were babies and couldn't be expected to wash their hands before touching their mouths were MY responsibility- and I made sure they didn't touch totally disgusting things and then put hands in their mouths (floors, toilets, and the like). But now they are older and they do wash their hands. But it's still not the same... it's not bodily fluids probably on a surface that my children's bare private areas might then touch. I'm not afraid of colds.. or other contagious common illnesses- my children have built up a pretty strong immune system and I think that's evident by the fact that they never get sick... but they haven't built up any immunity to THAT type of thing. We'll either ask for clean bedding or just ask that it be removed (ie: not in the room anymore at all). Surely GF concierge can handle those requests?

(ps. my children also don't cuddle up to sleep next to a doorknob/etc. all night long either...)

 

[Cinderella37]

I'm not in the medical field, but I can't imagine that you could catch something from linens on a bed. Do you go to the movies? What about those seats? How often are they cleaned?

Heck, if you go to a friend's house and sit their couch, do you know what went on prior to your visit? It's the same thing to me. I have a spotless house and insist that my hotel rooms are the same, but I won't let myself get paranoid.

I may have been naive, but prior to a thread on here a few months ago, I didn't know that the comforters and blankets weren't changed. Yes, we sit on the comforters and put our clothes on them when we unpack and we've never caught anything. It is a little disconcerting, but I'm not going to let it bother me.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Not to be argumentative- but I still don't see the comparison with sitting at the movies or sitting on someone's couch... you don't sit on those things BARE BUTT do you? Do your children?

I would think not. Therefore I don't think they are the same thing. Naked bodies (others AND my childrens/our own- or atleast barely clothed for bedtime) touch bedding-where as naked private parts do not usually touch movie seats and couches... except maybe the owners of the couch. I don't know what they do in private but we don't then go there and put our naked butts on their couch.

It's not the same as bedding.

This is how I'm going to handle the bedding:
Either
A) have the comforter/blankets removed and only use sheets
or
B) have a strict rule no one sits on bedding when changing into swimsuits -or something of that nature. LOL

 

[tinkerbeth]

Originally posted by jsmla
I have the perfect solution to the whole germ problem. Plan ahead. Become an awesomely bad housekeeper. A couple of months before your trip stop cleaning altogether. Not only does this provide the harrassed homemaker with a pleasant pre-vacation vacation, but makes almost any hotel room seem positively hygenic by comparison. I have used this method practically my entire married life. Works like a charm!

 

[Cinderella37]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Not to be argumentative- but I still don't see the comparison with sitting at the movies or sitting on someone's couch... you don't sit on those things BARE BUTT do you? Do your children?

Uh, I don't have kids and I don't sit anywhere naked, especially beds in hotel rooms. I do sit places with skirts or shorts on, with my bare legs touching the fabric of the chair (movies, etc.) This is what I was referring to regarding the comforters, not lounging on them naked. I prefer to have clothes on at all times.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Well, I'd have to say you're not the norm, especially when you factor in children, when it comes to always being clothed- especially in a bedroom that is the only room you have (when staying at a hotel/resort unless in a suite) so you have to change there/etc. People usually have intercourse on beds also- and most are not fully clothed when doing so. LOL

I am not at all concerned where me or my children's skin (legs, arms, hands, etc.) are touching places where other's bare skin might have touched (ie: movies, theme park rides, benches, etc.). Bedding is different.. it's on top of the beds which is usually where everyone sits to change clothes/etc- when it's the only place to sit in most hotel rooms. It's also where most people are MORE likely to have naked body parts there- when changing and engaging in other naked activities... as well as sleeping either naked or in less clothing.

 

[Figaro]

The risk of disease is almost non-existent with dry bedding. And it would never cross my mind to sit down on a bed in a hotel room naked unless I had put a towel underneath first, which is what I taught the kids.

And research is now showing that the kids who develop asthma are the ones who grow up in a too clean environment. Our immune systems need certain things to trigger them so that they work correctly, and all of the worry about bacteria and viruses are actually causing more problems.

I think the best way to handle this kind of stuff is not to think about it (smile), and to just not worry overmuch. Wash your hands frequently and most off all, train yourself not to rub your eyes and mouth with your fingers and everyone will be just fine.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm going to say this for the last time- just to clarify for myself (I cannot speak for the others that also think this is gross about the bedding) we are NOT germaphobics and the fact that I think it's NASTY to not change beddings in between complete strangers staying in a room in a hotel does not mean that I think we should raise our children in "too clean enviroments". Far from it, thank you. Still that doesn't change my mind on the nastiness factor of bedding not being cleaned in between guests.

I can teach my kids to not sit bare butt without a towel down.. but that doesn't mean they always will when not in my presence- especially the young ones. Would be a lot easier to just have clean bedding.

 

[SpeechGuy]

.......she and my brother have been to Disney many times, always by car. They have two kids. They always take along with them the following:

two full sized blankets
two sets of full-sized sheets
their pillows
hand wipes for knobs, remotes and bathroom.

They remake the beds using their own bedding. They ask housekeeping to remove old sheets, blankets and spreads until the end of their stay. They then wipe down downs, remotes and bathroom fixtures with disinfectant wet wipes. They claim it takes only 30 minutes to get the room ready the way they like it. We have not done this, yet because we always fly to WDW. This December we are driving and may consider doing this. Just thought I would share this with you.

 

[twotoohappy]

ok, I almost wish I didn't find this thread.... ick! Things that I've never thought of...
Now on my list,,,, throw bedspreads in washing machine when we check in (thank goodness and DVC for having a washer/dryer in the room)