I am nearly germaphobic...

[disfanRN]

We are new to DVC and have had one stay at SSR. When we arrived, the room was not well cleaned, including lipstick and crust on the coffee mugs and food stuck in the microwave, and toothpaste "dots" on the mirrors.
ALso, the room was in need to rehab, so the carpet appeared dirty. We alerted management and they took care of it immediately and I was ok with it. Ok, because I moved on as it was my vacation. It did make me feel uncomfortable and yucky.

We are staying at OKW in a few days, and I am wondering if I should alert them to my feelings ahead of time; that I can't tolerate a dirty room and that a really worn room makes me feel like it is dirty. I am not expecting perfection, but do not want to stay in a room in need of rehab. I can remedy the housekeeping situation by cleaning it myself.

Any thoughts? Call or fax? Wait till check in?

 

[magicmommy]

We have had several DVC stays at all the resorts except OKW. I don't think one resort is "cleaner" than another. I would wait until I checked in and if the room was not cleaned to your satisfaction I would make the call at that point.
I always bring cleaning wipes and do a quick sweep of countertops, bathrooms, door handles, phones, etc. So from one germaphobic to another...just wait and see!

 

[disissue]

There are rooms at OKW that have gone through recent rehab..if you are lucky enough to get one of these upon arrival I think you will be very pleased. I would express my concern when you arrive and nicely tell them about your prior experience at SSR. Have a great time

 

[Chuck S]

To expect to get a room that is not near the end of its rehab cycle each and every visit to a timeshare that serves as many guests as DVC may be a little unrealistic. At any given DVC Resort at anytime, there are rooms that are freshly rehabbed, and those that are in need of rehab. DVC resorts operate at near capacity throughout most of the year, they simply may not be able to give a freshly rehabbed room each time.

Housekeeping, on the other hand, should provide a clean room, no matter whether there is wear and tear or not. Cups and Glasses have been removed from studio units at SSR ad OKW and replaced with styrofoam, reportedly because of the problems in sanitizing glassware. Glassware is still available upon request from housekeeping, but be sure to hand wash them before use.

OKW and SSR are looking into adding commercial glassware sanitizers to address the problem.

 

[crisi]

Also, timeshares have different housekeeping requirements than a hotel. They aren't required to run the dishes through a sanatize cycle between guests. A lot of guests will do their own dishes (most of us do) and put them away - so you are "stuck" with the housekeeping habits of the guest in the room prior to you.

Some DVCers with similar feelings to yourself bring their own cleaning supplies and do a good cleaning of the room when they get there, knowing that the room won't be up to a germophobes standards.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree with Crisi. If you want to superclean the room yourself with what you have, have at it. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider your DVC membership and staying in hotels anywhere in the world. You say you aren't expecting perfection, but something in me doesn't quite get that feeling from you.

DVC doesn't accept any faxes, so that would be a waste of time. Plus they should already know that any member, not just you, would rather have a clean villa than a dirty one.

Unless your last name is Disney and you are related, you aren't any different from any other member and shouldn't expect different service from DVC.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Also, timeshares have different housekeeping requirements than a hotel. They aren't required to run the dishes through a sanatize cycle between guests. A lot of guests will do their own dishes (most of us do) and put them away - so you are "stuck" with the housekeeping habits of the guest in the room prior to you.

Some DVCers with similar feelings to yourself bring their own cleaning supplies and do a good cleaning of the room when they get there, knowing that the room won't be up to a germophobes standards.

Now, maybe I'm wrong to do this, please share your opinions as DVC users, When I depart from a stay I put in the dirty dishes and turn on the dishwasher and I leave. In my mind it ensures housekeeping that whatever we've used is then clean and not just dirty dishes put away as people have reported. Should I do it earlier and put it away, I always leave a very nice house keeping tip for our stay?

Upon arrival, no matter the look of the room, I use dis-infect wipes for the counters, toilet seats, dining room seats, door knobs, fixtures and appliances etc. I've got it down to a science, it takes me 15 minutes, 30 in the GV. I'm not germaphobic but I feel better if I do it. There's a lot of people traffic and many different standards of cleanliness.

 

[jamstew]

Now, maybe I'm wrong to do this, please share your opinions as DVC users, When I depart from a stay I put in the dirty dishes and turn on the dishwasher and I leave.

Since I've owned a non-Disney timeshare for over 20 years, and running the dishwasher is on the printed list of things to do before you check out, I do this wherever I stay

 

[crisi]

Now, maybe I'm wrong to do this, please share your opinions as DVC users, When I depart from a stay I put in the dirty dishes and turn on the dishwasher and I leave. In my mind it ensures housekeeping that whatever we've used is then clean and not just dirty dishes put away as people have reported. Should I do it earlier and put it away, I always leave a very nice house keeping tip for our stay?

Upon arrival, no matter the look of the room, I use dis-infect wipes for the counters, toilet seats, dining room seats, door knobs, fixtures and appliances etc. I've got it down to a science, it takes me 15 minutes, 30 in the GV. I'm not germaphobic but I feel better if I do it. There's a lot of people traffic and many different standards of cleanliness.

That's what we generally do as well. But I'll be the first to admit that my own mad housekeeping skilz are not up to a germophobes clean requirements - for instance, during our trip we might handwash some dishes rather than running the dishwasher - and in handwashing those dishes, they may be rinsed in less than scalding water or I may have missed a little speck of egg. And I'm sure I'm not the worst housekeeper to stay in a DVC unit.

 

[dcamdad]

Now, maybe I'm wrong to do this, please share your opinions as DVC users, When I depart from a stay I put in the dirty dishes and turn on the dishwasher and I leave. In my mind it ensures housekeeping that whatever we've used is then clean and not just dirty dishes put away as people have reported. Should I do it earlier and put it away, I always leave a very nice house keeping tip for our stay?

Upon arrival, no matter the look of the room, I use dis-infect wipes for the counters, toilet seats, dining room seats, door knobs, fixtures and appliances etc. I've got it down to a science, it takes me 15 minutes, 30 in the GV. I'm not germaphobic but I feel better if I do it. There's a lot of people traffic and many different standards of cleanliness.

Our routine also with one exception. As soon as we enter the villa we take all the glassware, plates and bowls from the cabinets and run them thru the dishwasher. It only takes finding you have just downed your drink from an unwashed glass of a stranger to force this habit.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Well I do the same, in truth since we drive I also bring my own sheets too.

 

[Newcastle]

I'm going to show this thread to my husband because he thinks that I'm absolutely nuts for carrying out the very cleaning routine that some of you have mentioned!

 

[starbox]

Ever since I read Nickel and Dimed, I've packed my own cleaning supplies and gone over hotel rooms (not just DVC) upon arrival. If you're even slightly germaphobic, it's going to be impossible to find a hotel that cleans up to your standards.

 

[rheffelf]

I hope all of you germophobes clean the TV remote. There is at least half of all of the germs in your room...

I can understand the cleanliness issues. I always wear socks. I am leary about the bedspread, and after reading/seeing all the stories about bed bugs, I check under the mattress and behind the bedboards.

Can't let it run your life though.

 

[StayFLA]

I agree with Crisi. If you want to superclean the room yourself with what you have, have at it. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider your DVC membership and staying in hotels anywhere in the world. You say you aren't expecting perfection, but something in me doesn't quite get that feeling from you.

DVC doesn't accept any faxes, so that would be a waste of time. Plus they should already know that any member, not just you, would rather have a clean villa than a dirty one.

Unless your last name is Disney and you are related, you aren't any different from any other member and shouldn't expect different service from DVC.

This IS why I recommended a search on your user name weeks ago on the glassware issue. Your posts are based on the past history and knowledge of DVC.

YES, bingo, TV remotes are number#1 germ source, but do I wipe it off,? NO

Ralph

 

[JMcDisney]

I would run the dishes through the dishwasher when I first arrived. I saw a 20/20 special about using hotel glasses that has me convinced that this is the safest thing to do!

 

[JimMIA]

I'm not Howard Hughes, but I wouldn't tolerate filth with a smile and my normal sweet disposition.

I have to say that in about three dozen DVC stays, my family has never had issues as described here. Not once. If I ever do, I will call the appropriate people, make them fix it to my exacting standards, and then go on with my vacation.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I would run the dishes through the dishwasher when I first arrived. I saw a 20/20 special about using hotel glasses that has me convinced that this is the safest thing to do!

Ditto!

 

[disissue]

To expect to get a room that is not near the end of its rehab cycle each and every visit to a timeshare that serves as many guests as DVC may be a little unrealistic. At any given DVC Resort at anytime, there are rooms that are freshly rehabbed, and those that are in need of rehab. DVC resorts operate at near capacity throughout most of the year, they simply may not be able to give a freshly rehabbed room each time.

Housekeeping, on the other hand, should provide a clean room, no matter whether there is wear and tear or not. Cups and Glasses have been removed from studio units at SSR ad OKW and replaced with styrofoam, reportedly because of the problems in sanitizing glassware. Glassware is still available upon request from housekeeping, but be sure to hand wash them before use.

OKW and SSR are looking into adding commercial glassware sanitizers to address the problem.

I absolutley agree with you, this is why when I responded originally I said "if you are lucky enough to get one of these upon arrival I think you will be very pleased". I have to be honest though I do realize it is not possible to get a rehabbed room the 3 times a year I am there, however though when you do receive a villa with holes in the carpet, mildew on bathroom walls, cabinets with water damage and paint missing, stains on furniture, I do get a bit upset that the room down the hall looks great... I always run the dishes in the dishwasher when we arrive I don't however expect to do basic housekeeping upon arrival and clean my villa. I love DVC so when I do get that rehabbed room I am so happy to see all our maintaince money going to good use. I really just wish before the villas get to a point where they are tired Disney would maybe not book to capacity and take care of the villas properly.

 

[tekoa]

I think I read this tip on another thread regarding the TV remote. Place the remote in a zip lock bag. Germ problem begone.