Hotel Cleanliness??!!!???

[annie1995]

How do you know he got lice from the hotel? How do you know it wasn't from brushing up against another kid in the parks? Just because somebody gets sick after staying in a hotel does not automatically mean it was the hotel's fault. Not to say that people never get sick from staying in a hotel room, but it isn't as easy as sayin they stayed in the hotel, got sick, therefore the hotel is the cause of the sickness.

I know since I have a 2 year old who is into everything. I am going to do everything in my power to make the room as clean as possible. I don't want to worry that he touched the remote or the door knob. I'm just going to wipe down what I can, and even probably spray some lysol on the bathroom floor just in case and hope for the best

 

[Ohio Disney Girl]

Honestly, you can get lice from the headrest on a ride if the person before you has them! Not to be gross, but you could get lice in a million places, not just the hotel room. I'm more concerned that the family who got it was sleeping in the AKL room AFTER getting them! I HATE bugs, but when I worked as a camp counselor, we sent kids to the nurses' station often with lice.....

I'll clean everything, but won't freak. I'm not willing to live in a bubble and if it's not bed bugs, it's lice, or spiders, or EColi.......I worry more about the parks! 'Course you could lose a leg on a ride, too......

 

[delmar411]

A family at my son's daycare just came back from staying at AKL were he said the kids got lice! Yuck

DD got lice at WDW too back in April. It wasn't from the room because I didn't get it and we spent very little time in the room. It must have been from her playing with the hats in the stores.

I'd guess that's where that family's kids got lice from too.

 

[yankeechick]

my friend got lice from the movies at the local mall

 

[KayLuvsMickey]

Now I'm really freaked out. Note to self: Don't try on hats or go to movies!

Hey, does anyone know if lysol will kill lice eggs on surfaces

 

[KayLuvsMickey]

Now I'm really freaked out. Note to self: Don't try on hats or go to movies!

Hey, does anyone know if lysol will kill lice eggs on surfaces

 

[delmar411]

Now I'm really freaked out. Note to self: Don't try on hats or go to movies!

Hey, does anyone know if lysol will kill lice eggs on surfaces

They get vacuumed up during the room switch outs if there is lice in the room. If you are really concerned just ask for the vacuum and take the hose over the couches and chairs. They wouldn't be on the pillows since the sheets were changed.

You can buy a lice spray for non-washable items (furniture) and it will kill adult lice. Buy you have to spray it and leave the room for a few hours and then air out the room for another 30+mins. It's not something I'd do in a hotel room. Keep the kids from laying on the floors and put away the comforters as soon as you get into the room. You should be pretty safe then.

Lice need a human host to survive. The eggs will die off if they come off the hair and adult lice only live a day or two w/o any food (blood).

Just don't try on hats at the stores and don't let your kids do it either. If you really want one, ask a CM to bring you one from the back.

Also bring tea tree oil with you to put into your shampoos. It is a natural pesticide and repels insects including lice.

 

[VVFF]

The Inside Edition was done at Holiday Inns, not at Disney. I've never heard of a similar hidden camera study being done at Disney hotels.

Yes, there are horror stories, but in all my travels I have never gotten sick after staying in a hotel room. I use the comforter if I get cold, I touch the remote, I don't wipe down the doors. Now, if something is obviously dirty I will ask them to clean it, but otherwise I don't worry.

It is actually healthy for your immune system to be exposed to various bugs. My mom is a microbiologist so I frequently get treated to lectures on how antibacterial soaps and wipes are leading toa great increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria, she sees it every day at her work. Unless your immune system is compromised, you don't need it. Proper handwashing with regular soap and hot water for 20 secs will get rid of the germs. The scrubbing motion and running water is actually what kills the germs, antibacterial soaps just make you feel safer and allow them to charge you extra. They are no more effective than proper handwashing technique.

Check with your hotel about what they do. For instance: Holiday Inn (I believe) and several others have started using special covers on their comforters so they can wash them between every guest. It was Holiday Inn that Inside Edition caught wiping out glasses with dirty rags, and they have now switched to individual wrapped plastic cups. If you are truly concerned about the remote, wipe it down with a clorox wipe. No need to bag it. That sounds like it would get on my nerves.

If you want to keep yourself healthy, do your best to get a good night's sleep, don't overdo it, and try not to stress out. Stressing about the cleanliness will probably compromise your immune system more than your hotel room will.

Bingo, as far as I'm concerned you are doing your son/daughter no good by wiping down everything with lysol. Exposing yourself to germs is critical when you are young in order to build up there immune systems.

It may be nice to not have to deal with the occasionally sick child because of it, but later in life they will naturally get sick more often because they have not built up a resistance to bacteria. Whereas the child who maybe did get sick a little more will likely be better off later in life.

I have never once gotten sick during a hotel stay or just after it. I've never concerned myself with cleaning everything in the hotel or taking off the comforter. I am confident that my immune system can handle any germs left over.

Now, I will agree that if a glass looks dirty, I won't probably use it. Or I will clean it before I do. But beyond that, anything else is just too much worry and effort to me on my vacation.

 

[princesscate]

Just wanted to comment on the lice . . . lice are attracted to nice clean healthy hair . . . therefore children are more likely to get lice than adults. When my school has had an outbreak we keep hair pulled up and keep their bags separate from each other . . . I would hope the lice came from the hats not the hotel room . . .

 

[GAnative]

I do the usual things that have been listed already. But one thing I do while at Disney is leave the Do Not Disturb sign out the entire time. I straighten our room daily and take our own trash out to the trash cans. Housekeeping leaves you a bag full of towels and supplies hanging on your door each day. That is about the only thing you need changed. This way you don't have to worry about nasty towels being used to clean your room.

I started doing this not so much because of worry about cleanliness, but because when they are cleaning your room, they usually leave the door open or cracked. I have come into my room when they would be cleaning and they don't check to see if this is actually your room. They don't have a way to check since room numbers are not on your KTTW cards. Anyone could walk in, act like they are just looking for something and rob you blind right under housekeepings nose. Then when you returned and found things missing, you would automatically assume the housekeeper took it. To protect them and my stuff, I would just rather not let them in.

 

[PEANUT1]

I am so freaked by lice...but you can get it anywhere.

I always bring antibacterial wipes for the remote and bathroom and kitchen. I also spray the pack and play with lysol and bring my own pack and play sheets. I spray lysol on the sinks and toilets too.

I always check the mattress, take off the comforter and put it in the closet or the corner. I don't want my kids playing on it. I remember reading somewhere that someone said you can request a freshly landered comforter due to allergies. I might do that next time. We did request a new comforter and sheets at BCV in May because when I pulled the comforter down it had black spots on it that looked like mildew....ick. I am really allergic to mold. I had the sheets changed too bc the comforter was lying on it.

We do DVC so there is very minimal cleaning during our stay which is just fine with me.

 

[Missy1961]

I don't do any of these things & I have never gotten sick. I sometimes use the comforters too!

 

[dmslush]

I don't do any of these things & I have never gotten sick. I sometimes use the comforters too!

Me too. I've always used the comforter, towels, pillows. I sit on toilets and I rarely use anything antibacterial.

 

[Missin'Disney]

It's interesting to see the diversity amongst us in our habits and rituals. I know that whole argument that all the fear of germs and anti-microbial products are doing more harm than good, b/c of the rise of resistant strains of bacteria that have the potential to do more harm b/c they don't respond to anti-biotics. That's scary. But at the same time, I don't want to get sick ON vacation and have it ruin my trip, so I will probably engage in a lot of these precautions, like cloroxing the door handles, remote, toilet surfaces and not using the mugs or glasses or ice bucket. I usually bring my own pillow, b/c it's more comfortable than the stnd. hotel pillow, but have never brought ones for anybody else cause they never asked! But I really like the idea of asking for a freshly laundered comforter and plan to do this now on our next stay. I saw a special once about the prevalance of, umm, let's say, "bodily fluids" being on most hotel comforters. Plus DH and DD have horrible allergies to dust, so it's not such a stretch to use that reason to get new comforters. Anyway, previous poster mentioned being robbed during mousekeeping visits, but I would be more inclined to just keep the valuables well-stashed/out of sight. I mean, is somebody going to ransack the room while they are right there? Seems like paranoia to me. But who knows, it's never happened to me but I guess that doesn't mean it's impossible. I thought the idea of asking for the vacuum was interesting. I would consider doing this and giving everything (like the couch and fabric on chairs) a once-over, but I might feel a little silly asking for it...i could see the CM's at the front desk havin' a good laugh over that one!

Well, thanks for the tips guys!

 

[siestakey]

I do the same thing! I don't like strangers in my room. It takes just a couple of minutes to clean up, especially with travel Lysol wipes.

 

[annie1995]

I remember reading somewhere that someone said you can request a freshly landered comforter due to allergies. I might do that next time.

I wondered if its actually freshly laundered, or just been collecting dust in storage though

 

[delmar411]

It's interesting to see the diversity amongst us in our habits and rituals. I know that whole argument that all the fear of germs and anti-microbial products are doing more harm than good, b/c of the rise of resistant strains of bacteria that have the potential to do more harm b/c they don't respond to anti-biotics. That's scary. But at the same time, I don't want to get sick ON vacation and have it ruin my trip, so I will probably engage in a lot of these precautions, like cloroxing the door handles, remote, toilet surfaces and not using the mugs or glasses or ice bucket. I usually bring my own pillow, b/c it's more comfortable than the stnd. hotel pillow, but have never brought ones for anybody else cause they never asked! But I really like the idea of asking for a freshly laundered comforter and plan to do this now on our next stay. I saw a special once about the prevalance of, umm, let's say, "bodily fluids" being on most hotel comforters. Plus DH and DD have horrible allergies to dust, so it's not such a stretch to use that reason to get new comforters. Anyway, previous poster mentioned being robbed during mousekeeping visits, but I would be more inclined to just keep the valuables well-stashed/out of sight. I mean, is somebody going to ransack the room while they are right there? Seems like paranoia to me. But who knows, it's never happened to me but I guess that doesn't mean it's impossible. I thought the idea of asking for the vacuum was interesting. I would consider doing this and giving everything (like the couch and fabric on chairs) a once-over, but I might feel a little silly asking for it...i could see the CM's at the front desk havin' a good laugh over that one!

Well, thanks for the tips guys!

I forgot when I mentioned the vacuum that standard rooms would have to ask for it! In the DVC rooms there is a vacuum in there already for use because there isn't daily housekeeping service.

I bet that would be something for the CM's to chuckle over if you asked for the vacuum, new sheets and freshly laundered comforters.

 

[BriBri1984]

I am not a Germ Freak, but like to be clean, I never do anything in the rooms.

But here is one for you, Id be wiping these, instead of the hotel...

You Airplane Armrest , ( the seats get cleaned often, and replaced ) but think about what people may pick, or touch and use the arm rests.. I always wpe them down.. On JB we have TV's in Everyseat, so you know those mini remotes get touched.

I am sure ppl are like * WOW*

For JB we have to help clean the Airplane, from floating trash. I wish we could contract with Lysol for wipes.. But that be really expensive.

But I do think it is mental. I like to shower and be clean, so i shower often. Smelling good is nice. too ( especially when i am trying to find a DisMate ..

Bri~

 

[Disney8704]

perfectly said! I to have stayed in MANY hotels in Disney and outside Disney and never once gotten sick either there or when I got back home. To much cleaning will destroy your immune system. Not build it.

The Inside Edition was done at Holiday Inns, not at Disney. I've never heard of a similar hidden camera study being done at Disney hotels.

Yes, there are horror stories, but in all my travels I have never gotten sick after staying in a hotel room. I use the comforter if I get cold, I touch the remote, I don't wipe down the doors. Now, if something is obviously dirty I will ask them to clean it, but otherwise I don't worry.

It is actually healthy for your immune system to be exposed to various bugs. My mom is a microbiologist so I frequently get treated to lectures on how antibacterial soaps and wipes are leading toa great increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria, she sees it every day at her work. Unless your immune system is compromised, you don't need it. Proper handwashing with regular soap and hot water for 20 secs will get rid of the germs. The scrubbing motion and running water is actually what kills the germs, antibacterial soaps just make you feel safer and allow them to charge you extra. They are no more effective than proper handwashing technique.

Check with your hotel about what they do. For instance: Holiday Inn (I believe) and several others have started using special covers on their comforters so they can wash them between every guest. It was Holiday Inn that Inside Edition caught wiping out glasses with dirty rags, and they have now switched to individual wrapped plastic cups. If you are truly concerned about the remote, wipe it down with a clorox wipe. No need to bag it. That sounds like it would get on my nerves.

If you want to keep yourself healthy, do your best to get a good night's sleep, don't overdo it, and try not to stress out. Stressing about the cleanliness will probably compromise your immune system more than your hotel room will.

 

[toocherie]

perfectly said! I to have stayed in MANY hotels in Disney and outside Disney and never once gotten sick either there or when I got back home. To much cleaning will destroy your immune system. Not build it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't disinfect my room . . . .I do wash out glasses and mugs with soap and water before using unless they are plastic and wrapped. And I use the comforter sometimes too--but most times it's too heavy and hot to use anyway.