Need help from fellow Germ-o-phobes

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

When my girls were small, I always covered the changing tables and sometimes had them stand up to change them. I am guilty of cleaning the remote, doorknobs, sink and bathtub, etc. but what happens when you are actually in the parks? The bathroom at WDW are cleaned, not as often as we would like, but much more often than bathrooms in other public places. The rooms are cleaned as well, again not as often as we would like.

BUT, that bar on Winnie the Pooh has probably never been wiped down. The seat on Magic Carpets probably has fecal bacteria on it. The rail in Buzz Liteyear queue has never been cleaned. These are just things that we have to deal with, the only thing you can do is stay home. And I won't do that.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

. My kids are exposed to enough germs at school where I don't worry about their immune systems not getting exposed and learning to kill germs.

You bring up a valid point. I work in schools and have 2 girls in school. Here there is currently an outbreak of strep, which is why I am home today because my oldest has it. Schools are probably way worse that WDW for spreading illness and germs. There is no way to avoid exposing your children to that unless they are homeschooled.

 

[Tiger926]

I've watched lots of news programs as well as done lots of research on cleanliness of hotel rooms. Contrary to what most people think, toilet handles and bathrooms in general are actually usually clean - it's the linens, bedspreads, carpets, blankets, pillows, couches, pack & plays and drapes, as well as remotes & phones, that are the biggest problems in a hotel room. Marriott and Hilton have now promised that they wash blankets/bedspreads after each guest leaves - this still remains to be seen.

For us, we have special organic spray (oregano based as we are allergic to most chemicals - plus, Lysol, Febreze, etc. are very dangerous and toxic for small children) that spray on pillows (need to let it air out). We do use Lysol/Clorox wipes on: remote, phone, light switches, tv and handles. One of us enters room first and does this before we bring in our daughter. We also pull bedspreads/blankets off of bed. The biggest rule though is that we wear shoes or slippers - not allowed to sit and play on the carpet at all. We also have mold and dust allergies, so we have to watch for that as well. We only stay in Disney resorts, Disney Cruise and Marriott or Hilton hotels only, and find that they are more than happy to accommodate us if cleaning is an issue - which it has almost never been.

I wish you luck while staying at the hotel. We have brought our own pack n' play (daughter has mostly slept with us though) a few times as pack n' plays aren't cleaned very well.

Have a safe and happy vacation, Tiger

 

[Tiger926]

When my girls were small, I always covered the changing tables and sometimes had them stand up to change them. I am guilty of cleaning the remote, doorknobs, sink and bathtub, etc. but what happens when you are actually in the parks? The bathroom at WDW are cleaned, not as often as we would like, but much more often than bathrooms in other public places. The rooms are cleaned as well, again not as often as we would like.

BUT, that bar on Winnie the Pooh has probably never been wiped down. The seat on Magic Carpets probably has fecal bacteria on it. The rail in Buzz Liteyear queue has never been cleaned. These are just things that we have to deal with, the only thing you can do is stay home. And I won't do that.

You don't need to stay home at all. I wipe down handles on rides with wipes, and then we all use Purell as you are right - there are thousands of nasty & serious germs spread on handles, shopping carts (very dirty) and railings. If you take care of your kids, then you can avoid the nastiness of the people who don't. We have trained my daughter (she is only 3) to not touch railings, handles, etc. She doesn't even attempt to as she knows they are full of germs - if for some reason she grabs onto one (which is very rare), she holds up her hands for Purell right away. It's all about education and proper planning - so staying home is not the only option

Tiger

 

[tink1969]

Disney is very clean! Don't worry about changing your baby in a public restroom. Use a disnifectant wipe and lay down change pad. I'm sure every other mother is concerned about the same thing when changing their babies. The changing table is probably the cleanest thing in the washroom! As long as everyone washes their hands for at least 20-30 seconds with regular soap, the "germs" will be very, very minimal. You can't completely avoid them...even in your own home! Relax and enjoy your vacation. I have been to WDW many times and my two little girls managed to to survive every trip without so much as getting a cold, let alone hepatitis! Good grief!

 

[Tiger926]

Disney is very clean! Don't worry about changing your baby in a public restroom. Use a disnifectant wipe and lay down change pad. I'm sure every other mother is concerned about the same thing when changing their babies. The changing table is probably the cleanest thing in the washroom! As long as everyone washes their hands for at least 20-30 seconds with regular soap, the "germs" will be very, very minimal. You can't completely avoid them...even in your own home! Relax and enjoy your vacation. I have been to WDW many times and my two little girls managed to to survive every trip without so much as getting a cold, let alone hepatitis! Good grief!

Unforutanelty, I have to disagree with you. We are DVC members who have been many times, and see the quality of the restrooms at Disney (resorts, restaurants, Downtown Disney [worst!] and parks) deteriorating hugely! The problem is that people are not clean, and so the mousekeepers are constantly having to keep up with thousands upon thousands of visitors each hour into one restroom. Since they have trouble just keeping up with (I've spoken to maintenance people) regular maintenance such as: filling soaps, towels, washing floors (which they wash by and large with dirty mops) etc., things such as toilets and change tables greatly suffer. As with all things in life too, their crews get cut a bit each year, so you have less mousekeeping employees keeping things clean. Change tables really are neglected as they are used so often - as I mentioned, the pediatric specialists who took care of my daughter told us that change tables are huge health issues.

I am happy for you that your children have been safe and healthy while at Disney, unfortunately, for many of us, that is not the case. Disney may be cleaner than most places you visit (although the restrooms are really suffering), but the people who use them are not and this is the big problem.

It's important that all of us remain vigilant at handwashing, wiping down areas before and after we use them, and teaching our children about the importance of keeping clean, for both their sakes, as well as all of the people who they will come into contact with during the day.

Tiger

 

[boysmom5150]

Thanks to everyone who so kindly volunteered some great ideas on keeping ds clean and germ-free during diaper changes

I am going to pose yet another germ-o-phobe freak question and please don't laugh or criticize I know I'm crazy but I need to know how other germ freaks handle staying in the hotels. It sounds insane but I desperately want to bring my ds own PNP, but what's more is the fact that I can't seem to imagine bathing him in a hotel tub Would it be too bizare for me to scrub down the tub before bathing ds or should I bring a inflatable infant tub that I can pack?
I know, I'm insane - but seriously, how do all of you vetran travel germies handle bathing DC on the run?

These are completely valid questions and I am so glad that other parents out there are concerned with this. I would always bring my own PNP (DS1 almost 2 and we just let him sleep in bed with one of us-extra bonus being on vacation and such) anyway I still buy an inflatable tub at BRU before each trip and bath him in that, then just throw it away when trip is over(more room to bring home Disney stuff we DONT need).They are only about $10 in BRU. DS4 always takes showers(even at home) so I just spray the shower/bath down good with lysol spray and then but a towel on the floor of the bath. ALWAYS wear shoes in hotel room that is our rule. When we come out of bath we go right into our flip flops(the ones we use for the pool)

I've always done that too! It just gives me the heebie jebbies to think of sleeping under unwashed blankets and bedspreads. Yuck!

We do the same thing, no bedspread or blankets.Not just for the germs but my kids have major allergies too

You don't need to stay home at all. I wipe down handles on rides with wipes, and then we all use Purell as you are right - there are thousands of nasty & serious germs spread on handles, shopping carts (very dirty) and railings. If you take care of your kids, then you can avoid the nastiness of the people who don't. We have trained my daughter (she is only 3) to not touch railings, handles, etc. She doesn't even attempt to as she knows they are full of germs - if for some reason she grabs onto one (which is very rare), she holds up her hands for Purell right away. It's all about education and proper planning - so staying home is not the only option
Tiger

We always have purell with us and we use it after each ride. I wipe down everything and anything I can in our room(remote,entire bathroom,all counter surfaces,doorknobs and so on) as well as in restaurants. My DS4 is CONTACT allergic to peanuts/treenuts and shellfish so I also have some other concerns besides all the germs. He is anaphylactic to that stuff and has may other food and various types of allergies so we must be very very careful. Who knows what the last person in the room,on the ride,at the restaurant was eating and touching, thats all it takes for DS4. As tiger926 says its all about education-you dont have to hibernate. My kids(even the 1yo) knows not to touch alot of stuff and if they happen to touch something they just ask for the purell.Lets try to keep this thread going as everyones advice and tips are great.thanks

 

[boysmom5150]

we used the baby care centers. they were awesome! (except the one in mgm, which was very disappointing after visiting the MK and AK ones). it was very funny, the first time the twins needed changing was at our MK visit. Dh took them, along with my friends dh who took their little one. they headed over to the baby care center while my friend and I put our name in for the plaza restaurant. they came out raving about the place.

during lunch, one of my twins needed another change so I trotted over with her. it really was a great place, my favorite part (other that the wonderful facility itself) was the fact that they had the thick disposable paper that covered the pad on the changing table. I got back to the table and was babbling on about it when our dh's looked at me like I was insane...they had no idea what I was talking about. apparently they hadn't even noticed the stacks and stacks and stacks of paper on the changing table shelves.

I try not to think about the fact that my kids were changed without the pads. I like to pretend everyone else that had been there that day had used them, and in fact, the tables used hadn't been used yet. lol. I'm not a germaphobe, but ewwwww.

Thanks for this info on the BCC,I have never been to them as I just changed the baby in stroller. I will have to check them out. Do they have toilets in there, as maybe I will take my DS4 there(will still wipe and spray all down) but maybe if they are just a little cleaner as they are not used by as many people. Are they more than 1 thru-out the parks?Thanks

 

[jakoky]

I am definately a 'germaphobic" but realized after reading some of these posts that i have relaxed a lot more...changetables in publics restrooms-YUCK...hardly ever used them and really avoid these bathrooms if i can ..i was watching my youngest daughter one day in a public bathroom and i realized i taught her well-she is 11....after she washed her hands she used her paper towel to open the door and then threw it in the trash I was so proud...as for sanitizing the bars on rides(thx to those that do for me tho) NO i dont do it, and we dont sanitize coming off...we wash or purell before any kind of snack of food though...we were lucky, after DL and WDW we came home just as healthy as we left...
As for motel rooms, Yuck to the bedspreads and carpet...my kids showered with us when they were babies if we were away, no need for them to touch the sinks or the tubs but i would have bathed them if i had to...really, i can wash our hands and feet, but i worry about food more than this stuff i think...what did that chicken u are putting in your mouth at DL touch before u got it...hmmmmmmmmmmmm I am also trying to relax here a bit
In truth, one of the reasons i have tried to not be so paranoid, this not a trait i want my kids to get...yes, i want them to be safe and clean and cautious but not borderline crazy like me ...
I do know what it is like to have a preemie and be overly worried..my youngest daughter was not only 7 weeks early but she endured 3 major bowel surgeries in her first 4 weeks(my little 5 pounder)...so she spent quite of bit of time on a ventilator...she also got rsv twice, hospitalized both times, the first for 8 days, and it was scary..this was long before we heard and read about rsv as kyana is 11 now...the rsv, her prematurity and how sick she was all helped to cause her small calibre airway causing her to wheeze and cough with every sniffle she got BUT at 11, she rarely gets anything now..i do believe all her battles have completely toughened her immune system..actually, all my kids rarely get sick and i cant control what happens at school so i must have taught them well, and again i do believe they have gotten tougher due to being around stuff BUT i do try to avoid them being around stomach flus, strep throat, etc...but all these things are more contagious before the symptoms usually so it is too late once you know usually anyway ...anways, to all of us, good luck and i actully am trying to consider myself a "recovering germaphobic"...
sharon

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks for this info on the BCC,I have never been to them as I just changed the baby in stroller. I will have to check them out. Do they have toilets in there, as maybe I will take my DS4 there(will still wipe and spray all down) but maybe if they are just a little cleaner as they are not used by as many people. Are they more than 1 thru-out the parks?Thanks

There is only 1 Baby Care Center in each park - MK is by far the best! They are very clean, continuously staffed by CMs, potty toilets and sinks (good for small kids), adult washhrooms, TVs with movies playing, Culligan machines, change tables, store to buy baby food, wipes, medicines, etc.

Like I said, we absolutely love the Baby Care Centers and take full advantage of them all of the time. As frequent Disney World visitors, we are very grateful that they are there for us to use!

Hope this helps, Tiger

 

[boysmom5150]

There is only 1 Baby Care Center in each park - MK is by far the best! They are very clean, continuously staffed by CMs, potty toilets and sinks (good for small kids), adult washhrooms, TVs with movies playing, Culligan machines, change tables, store to buy baby food, wipes, medicines, etc.

Like I said, we absolutely love the Baby Care Centers and take full advantage of them all of the time. As frequent Disney World visitors, we are very grateful that they are there for us to use!

Hope this helps, Tiger

Thanks for the info, I will do some research on them.Also, congrats on the upcoming new addition.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks for your well wishes! You will find good discussions here on DISboards about the Baby Care Centers, but Disney's website as well as park maps, don't mention much.

They really are wonderful places - especially in stifling July heat as they are air-conditioned!

Tiger

 

[boysmom5150]

Thanks for your well wishes! You will find good discussions here on DISboards about the Baby Care Centers, but Disney's website as well as park maps, don't mention much.

They really are wonderful places - especially in stifling July heat as they are air-conditioned!

Tiger

Ill do a search here-thanks

 

[1rockinmamato2]

Disney is very clean! Don't worry about changing your baby in a public restroom. Use a disnifectant wipe and lay down change pad. I'm sure every other mother is concerned about the same thing when changing their babies. The changing table is probably the cleanest thing in the washroom! As long as everyone washes their hands for at least 20-30 seconds with regular soap, the "germs" will be very, very minimal. You can't completely avoid them...even in your own home! Relax and enjoy your vacation. I have been to WDW many times and my two little girls managed to to survive every trip without so much as getting a cold, let alone hepatitis! Good grief!

Not every mother is concerned about the same thing and many people aren't even aware of how germs are spread. Not too long ago, there was an E.coli outbreak at a preschool because one of the teachers used the same sponge to wipe down the lunch table AFTER wiping down the changing table. And some say ignorance is bliss!

And if you think the changing table is the cleanest thing in the washroom, then I'm sure you wouldn't hesitate to touch it with your hand then but your hand in your mouth? Because, that's what my toddler and my infant would do and neither one of them are capable of washing their hands with soap and water for 30 seconds after a diaper change.

I'm not completely avoiding germs. We're not living in a bubble, but I know where to be safe and public changing tables are definitely at the top of my list. Shopping cart handles come in second because I can't trust that the person who last used the cart washed their hands after using the restroom and I'd prefer my baby be contaminated with the public's fecal matter. Thank goodness for the shopping cart cover!

 

[amarberry]

It sounds insane but I desperately want to bring my ds own PNP, but what's more is the fact that I can't seem to imagine bathing him in a hotel tub

I love these threads because it makes me feel less alone with my germ obsession.

We always travel with our own PNP. If you are flying and using Magical Express, there is no reason not to. I have a big duffel bag that I put our PNP in. I slap a ME ticket on it, check in with skycab at the airport, and the next time I see it is in our hotel room. It couldn't be easier and it gives me a lot of peace of mind.

As for room cleanliness, I bring a tub of disinfecting wipes and a small bottle of the Clorox anywhere spray. Light switches, phone, bathroom fixtures, TV, door handles and locks, and drawer handles are wiped down. I "scrub" out the tub with several wipes and spray it down with the Clorox spray. The remote control is placed in a plastic Ziploc bag. Bedspreads and blankets are pulled off and mousekeeping is left a note every morning (with the tip) asking not to put them back on the beds. I also bring a bottle of antibacterial pump foam soap for the room.

At the parks, I keep my pockets stocked with individual antibacterial Wet Ones. DD's paws are frequently wiped down and we stop to wash hands with soap every couple of hours. I use the Baby Care Centers for probably 95% of our diaper changes. I find the BCC at MK, MGM, and AK to be pretty conveniently located so it is an odd situation (like when we were at Tom Sawyer's Island a couple of weeks ago) for us not to do diaper changes there. Epcot's can be a bit of a haul though. If I'm not at the BCC, I wipe the table down, use the disposable changing pads, and we wash hands afterwards.

The other thing that I'm fanatical about is using antibacterial wipes/Purell at buffets. DH is not totally germ crazy like me and gets so frustrated when I flip out if he doesn't "disinfect" after returning from the buffet line. In some ways, I'm the craziest about that because I can't stop thinking about how many people don't wash their hands before eating and touch the buffet utensils!

 

[amarberry]

Oh...I just want to point out that I haven't always been like this, but my DD was hospitalized when she was 5 months old for rotavirus and it really impacted me. She was in daycare at the time and several babies in her class spread it around. Watching your tiny, tiny baby get IV fluids and have numerous tests run her will turn you into a nut case like me.

 

[Tiger926]

Oh...I just want to point out that I haven't always been like this, but my DD was hospitalized when she was 5 months old for rotavirus and it really impacted me. She was in daycare at the time and several babies in her class spread it around. Watching your tiny, tiny baby get IV fluids and have numerous tests run her will turn you into a nut case like me.

I totally understand - Our baby (she was 21 months old) was hospitalized for 2 days at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando with severe Strep (very uncommon for babies to get it) and Rotavirus. We are beyond vigilant and beat ourselves up about it as we must have missed a railing or handle somewhere. She was very, and I mean very ill. The docs told us that if we hadn't have come in when we did (the Centra Care Clinic that Disney sent us to 4 days prior, missed it - we will never go back there again!), she more than likely would have gone to sleep and not woken up as her dehydration was that severe. We were put in isolation and taken very good care of. We had all just passed our physicals a few days prior to arriving at WDW, so she caught it while there, of this the specialists were totally positive. I totally understand what it's like when your baby is sick in hospital - we were 22 hours away from home in Canada with very anxious and worried family/friends on standby to fly out to us if need be.

Germs are serious and for some of us, the risks associated with them are very difficult to get over - especially young babies and children. A 2yr old baby just died last week here in my city - he fell asleep and didn't wake up while on the way to hospital. The only thing the autopsy has been able to determine is that he had Rotavirus (his heart stopped).

Tiger

 

[2poohbears]

I love these threads because it makes me feel less alone with my germ obsession.

The other thing that I'm fanatical about is using antibacterial wipes/Purell at buffets. DH is not totally germ crazy like me and gets so frustrated when I flip out if he doesn't "disinfect" after returning from the buffet line. In some ways, I'm the craziest about that because I can't stop thinking about how many people don't wash their hands before eating and touch the buffet utensils!

I dislike eating at buffets normally, but at WDW the kids love the characters so much that I just can't skip it. But, at a Golden Coral I once saw someone serve themselves some gravy, LICK THEIR FINGER, then grab another serving spoon to put something else on their plate. Needless to say, I lost my appetite.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just FYI for those of you who fly to vacation destinations and like to clean hotel rooms: canned Lysol and other flammable cleaning sprays are actually not allowed in checked baggage because of the fire hazard. If they are found they will be confiscated.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We had cleaning supplies delivered to the room from Garden Grocer so we don't have to carry them on the plane. We have a special needs son who puts everything in his mouth so we like to just give everything a once over in the room. I had clorox wipes. Lysol spray, soft scrub and bleach etc. delivered with our order of snacks. They were great.
We also got our pack and play from A Baby's Best Friend and it was so, so CLEAN!!! The linens were all washed and packed. in bags and she even included an extra set so I could change them while we were there. It was nice. I would suggest you look into renting from them if you need a pack and play. My SIL had one from the hotel and it was so gross....mold on it...
We use the Baby Changing Stations in the parks for our 16 year old (special needs still in diapers) . We use a changing mat and blue picnic sheet (I can't remember the brand name you use them for picnics..."Neat Sheet" maybe???? They roll up very very small and can fit in the babybag) and we change him on the floor in one of the quiet rooms. We bring the mat and the sheet and lay him down and change him. The changing tables are very clean but he is to big for us to use them.
As for the tub...I hate tubs in hotels but we had to use them for when our DD was little. I brought a pool ring (A very cheap one not blown up) and put a towel down had her sit on it in the tub. I just felt better that her little tush was not sitting on the tub. I threw it away when we were done.I know it really makes no sense at all but it made me feel better. I know DH says I over react but the tub just grosses me out!!! I usually bring flip flops for walking to the pool anyway so I use them in the tub and shower.
We did use hand sanitizer and wipes after some of the rides and always before eating. We did bring table toppers and the toliet covers for DD.
I dont' worry about the sheets and the floor. I don't sit on the bedspread though. I turn it down and just leave it there.
We have been to the parks 8 times and only on the last visit did anyone get sick...it was me on Christmas day with the stomach bug. My whole school had it the week we left so I think I brought it with me instead of picking it up there. No one else got sick. We have visited the Celebration E.R. on many, many occasions but for seizures and other things that DS has problems with.
A few years ago we had a terrible experience with antibiotic resistant Staph here at home not in WDW. I had it, DD who was a newborn had it and DH had it. We think perhaps I brought it home from the hospital when I delivered DD. Anyway DH had it so bad he had to be hospitalized for 7 days and have a pic line and iv antibiotics for 4 weeks. It is not fun and it is getting harder and harder to get rid of. We were told by infection control that you CAN get it from objects. It is becoming easier to catch and harder to get rid of. Sports equipment seems to be a way kids and athletes are passing it on. I know that sometimes I even find myself saying I am going a bit overboard with hand sanitizer etc. but I never, ever want to go through something like that again. It was horrible.
I am not a neat freak at all at home....as a matter of fact my house looks like a hurricane went through it. I am a teacher and I am sneezed on and hugged etc all day long. Does not bother me at all...no hand sanitizer, no clorox wipes no mask or gloves (only kidding) It seems when we go to WDW or any other place I have to stay in a hotel my" Felix Unger" personality seems to come out. I know it makes no sense as to get to WDW we travel in a plane and share air with 100's of people from all corners of the world sharing germs that I have never been exposed to and don't worry a bit but yet...I need to bring a ring for my little ones tush in the tub..no sense at all. Oh well It gives me a nice false sense of security.
I guess whatever makes you feel safe and helps you enjoy your trip is what you should do.