Rental Car Etiquette

[bcla]

If you tidy up and leave a good tip, sure I'm sure they love you. But I simply do not see how people somehow think you have to clean up after your self, if we all did I'm sure there would not be as many house keeping jobs.

I would rather let them do normal levels of clean up and leave a tip that is actually meaningful to them in relation to their hourly wage.

As for rental car return, I follow the agreement gas up or pay for refueling no more no less simple ..I've never seen a rental agreement where you have to clean the car out.

Yeah - I don't get the implication that one is somehow doing a disservice to service staff by leaving a little bit of waste on a table. There are going to be glasses, coffee mugs, paper cups, coffee makers, etc. Most hotel rooms don't have a bar sink, so I leave the used ones on the counter where I found them. If I had coffee I don't bother to clean the mugs or coffee pot since they're going to be taken out and placed in a dishwasher anyways. Housekeeping carts will have a trash containers and if they have anything reusable there will typically be a place for a dish pan.

I seriously doubt that despite what anyone here said, that they ended up "trashing" a hotel room. I'm certainly not throwing a party in my room, but I'm going to be using it. Yes I put whatever I can in a a trash can. I won't take trash out of the room though; that just seems excessive. A pizza box and an empty coffee cup might go next to a trash can or on a table.

And of course the one thing mentioned was sand. Beaches are very popular destinations by rental car, and as long as it's not sticky it's something that's easily going to be picked up by the shop vacs that all rental car companies use to detail their cars. I've never left more than perhaps one fast food bag, a couple of empty drink cups (with some ice left) and maybe one package that I opened in the car. I've been told as I was returning the car that they could stay if I was done with them. I've taken that to be an acceptable way to return a car because I've been told that I'm good to go.

 

[bcla]

My first job back in the early 1970's was for Holiday Inn as a "chambermaid". We had 15 rooms to clean a day. We were expected to be finished by 3:00 (starting at 8 am) It absolutely made our jobs easier if trash was in one localized area and not spread out all over. It also was appreciated if all drinks were emptied as we could not put items with liquids in our bags as it make them too heavy to lift (we had to lift them off the cart at the end of the shift). I can't tell you the horror some rooms were. Some joked up thread about used condoms being left all over and it happened, a lot!!!! I would also find bathtubs filled with ice and left over beer cans/bottles of booze, pizza face down in the carpet, curtains hanging off walls, etc. Cigarettes all over (thank goodness no more smoking in hotel rooms) More times than not extra time had to be spent on messy rooms. I guess people felt they were paying for the room so that meant they could do whatever they wanted to it. Cleaning up spilled beverages or Cheese Wiz from dressers or chairs or picking up open dirty diapers off the floor definitely took more time and I can tell you I never said to myself "thank goodness those people left that mess for me....I really appreciate the work". I loved when I entered a room and found it tidy...it saved so much time.

I guess because of that job when we stay in a hotel I do always empty any beverage containers, put the trash in or near the trash cans, pile up the towels, etc. For rental car we always take out our trash but we don't bring the car to the car wash.

MJ

Again, nobody here is really talking about actually trashing a hotel room. The disconnect seems to be over whether or not everything has to go in the trash can (or even disposed outside of the room) or not. I personally believe there's a reasonable amount of stuff that can be left on a table. If I have a bag I might place stuff in there and stick the bag next to a trash can.

I have never trashed a hotel room. I've had a lot of things happen, like my kid having a spontaneous bloody nose (probably from the high altitude) in the bathroom, and I did use the hotel towels to stop the bleeding. I rinsed them out the best I could and then tossed them in a pile in the morning. I doubt that's unusual, and aren't most hotel towels bleached? I've had broken glass and called up housekeeping asking them if they could send someone to take care of it (although we took care of the big pieces). They weren't able to handle it immediately, but we went out for dinner and it was clearly vacuumed up by the time we got back.

A lot of the personal SOP described here goes beyond even what you're suggesting. There's nothing wrong with leaving stuff to be disposed of in a room. Nobody is saying trash a room like a rock star, but a paper cup left on a table? The notepad left on the desk? I don't see that as being a problem.

 

[Planogirl]

There's a difference between leaving a few cups and bottles scattered around and leaving a room quite dirty. I guess that's the problem. It isn't clear what the degree of filth is.

 

[mmouse37]

I just shared my experiences.....a room with stuff left all around takes longer to clean than one that doesn't. That's a fact.

MJ

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I find it really suprising that people think that leaving trash behind for others to pick up would be appreciated as providing a job or that people would actually be insulted if trash were not left behind. This is absolutely not how my mind works.

t.

They're the same people who are too lazy to return supermarket carts to the corral and justify their laziness by saying it's providing jobs for others.


I remove any trash from the interior of rental cars, usually while I'm filling the gas tank, before returning them. Once I did go through a car wash, because I had parked in dusty field for an event. It started to downpour, and the car got splattered with mud while leaving.

 

[bcla]

I just shared my experiences.....a room with stuff left all around takes longer to clean than one that doesn't. That's a fact.

MJ

A room that's strewn with trash isn't what anyone here is actually suggesting is acceptable; that's an extreme case even though I know it happens. But then disposing of trash in the hallway seems to be at another extreme.

I'm not going out of my way to make sure that housekeeping is busy, but I'm also not going to feel bad that I left a pizza box on the cocktail table. Seems like a happy medium to me. I'm not going out of my way either. I've heard of certain cultures where there's an economic disparity and servants are common among the middle class. Now there have been discussions that an employer must make sure that a servant doesn't get "spoiled" by making things too easy.

 

[mmouse37]

A room that's strewn with trash isn't what anyone here is actually suggesting is acceptable; that's an extreme case even though I know it happens. But then disposing of trash in the hallway seems to be at another extreme.

I'm not going out of my way to make sure that housekeeping is busy, but I'm also not going to feel bad that I left a pizza box on the cocktail table. Seems like a happy medium to me. I'm not going out of my way either. I've heard of certain cultures where there's an economic disparity and servants are common among the middle class. Now there have been discussions that an employer must make sure that a servant doesn't get "spoiled" by making things too easy.

I understand and not arguing with you....you made your thoughts on hotel trash very clear. All I said in my follow up post was a room with stuff left all around takes longer to clean. It does. Almost sounds like you are trying to justify your point to yourself.

MJ

 

[LYSE]

They're the same people who are too lazy to return supermarket carts to the corral and justify their laziness by saying it's providing jobs for others.


I remove any trash from the interior of rental cars, usually while I'm filling the gas tank, before returning them. Once I did go through a car wash, because I had parked in dusty field for an event. It started to downpour, and the car got splattered with mud while leaving.

This is ridiculous. I always return the cart. I don't litter at the parks or anywhere else.

It's a paid for service. Leaving a dirty room or some trash in a rental car isn't littering. They do not provide a full size garbage can and I'm not walking all the way to the elevator to throw out a water bottle. At nicer hotels they don't have garbage cans in the hallway because it looks tacky and it smells.

 

[bcla]

This is ridiculous. I always return the cart. I don't litter at the parks or anywhere else.

It's a paid for service. Leaving a dirty room or some trash in a rental car isn't littering. They do not provide a full size garbage can and I'm not walking all the way to the elevator to throw out a water bottle. At nicer hotels they don't have garbage cans in the hallway because it looks tacky and it smells.

Placing a shopping cart in a corral isn't even really about making it easier on the cart wranglers. Many aren't even pushed together. They don't seem to have an issue tracking them down. The biggest issue is damage to vehicles and/or blocking the path. I definitely can't stand it if I find an empty parking spot, but a cart rolled into the space and I need to get out of my car and move the cart.

 

[LYSE]

Placing a shopping cart in a corral isn't even really about making it easier on the cart wranglers. Many aren't even pushed together. They don't seem to have an issue tracking them down. The biggest issue is damage to vehicles and/or blocking the path. I definitely can't stand it if I find an empty parking spot, but a cart rolled into the space and I need to get out of my car and move the cart.

Right?! It's completely rude because of the damage you can accidentally inflict on someone else's car. Also I live in AZ where it can be up to 115 during the summer. So I just put it back because I PERSONALLY feel bad for the baggers.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

Reading back through this thread has me . I just don't get it.

 

[ols386]

I don't wash a rental car before returning it, but I pick up any trash in the car and throw it away.

 

[LYSE]

A room that's strewn with trash isn't what anyone here is actually suggesting is acceptable; that's an extreme case even though I know it happens. But then disposing of trash in the hallway seems to be at another extreme.

I'm not going out of my way to make sure that housekeeping is busy, but I'm also not going to feel bad that I left a pizza box on the cocktail table. Seems like a happy medium to me. I'm not going out of my way either. I've heard of certain cultures where there's an economic disparity and servants are common among the middle class. Now there have been discussions that an employer must make sure that a servant doesn't get "spoiled" by making things too easy.

This is also something that personally bothers the heck out of me at a hotel. People that seem to think complete strangers want to smell their stinky left over garbage in the hallways when we are leaving to go to the park in the morning. Often they leave it sticking out into the hallway too so you have a hard time getting strollers or luggage through....mind boggling to me.

 

[ols386]

I'm sure the ratio of scattered trash filled rooms and semi tidied rooms are proportional, so I will keep on the tidy side. No jobs lost due to me.

Dirty towels are always left in a pile in tub or beside it, depending upon space. Empty containers and loose trash is put in trash cans. Any dirty dishes (club level, WDW) is stacked neatly by coffee pot. Comforters are folded down to bottom half of the bed.

The few things I do takes literally a minute and a half at most. I can't stand mess and clutter so to me, it's not a big deal.

I can't stand for my hotel room to be messy, so I'm always tidying up in the room. When my dd is there too, I'm constantly picking up after her. Lol

Same on departure day. Pick up trash and place in trash cans in the room, and place dirty/wet towels in bath tub.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I would not feel right about turning in a car that was cleaned out on the inside, that is just rude (in my opinion). The outside, they can wash it themselves.

 

[aprilgail]

They're not my personal servants, so why make a difficult job harder for them? I have no problem spending 10 extra minutes before I leave putting all the dirty towels in the bathtub, picking up any wrappers/garbage, maybe taking the trash out to the main hall trashcan, etc so they don't have to. The same would go for rental cars.

I also feel like it's a reflection on myself on how I leave the room (or car). Sure, housekeeping probably won't know who I am, but I would feel guilty leaving a room trashed. I don't want them to come in the room and think "Geez...what a slob!"

Why would you put them all in the bathtub???? Usually the card tells you to hang them up if you want to use them again or leave them on the floor- so that is where they go- on the floor....but I am not going to gather up all the towels we didn't use and pile them there too, nor will I strip the bed because honestly I don't want to see what may be under those sheets!

My first job back in the early 1970's was for Holiday Inn as a "chambermaid". I can't tell you the horror some rooms were. Some joked up thread about used condoms being left all over and it happened.... a lot....along with used feminine products!!!! I would also often find bathtubs filled with ice and left over beer cans/bottles of booze, pizza face down in the carpet, curtains hanging off the windows, etc. Cigarettes all over (thank goodness no more smoking in hotel rooms) More times than not extra time had to be spent on messy rooms. I guess people felt they were paying for the room so that meant they could do whatever they wanted to it. Cleaning up spilled beverages or Cheese Wiz from dressers.



MJ

Reminds me of my teens LOL- well not the condoms all over but the beer and pizza etc- we used to rent a hotel room at a local place- they never checked ages...we would use it on a Saturday night for partying with a group of us- hanging out drinking, smoking pot just having fun (NOT sex!)- sometimes we would all just crash there for the night after we were done partying. I always say at looked at my daughter when she was younger and thought "oh my god, she is a baby and at that age we were doing ......."- I am SO glad she did not take after me as a teen!

 

[Vicki926]

Why would you put them all in the bathtub???? Usually the card tells you to hang them up if you want to use them again or leave them on the floor- so that is where they go- on the floor....but I am not going to gather up all the towels we didn't use and pile them there too, nor will I strip the bed because honestly I don't want to see what may be under those sheets!
!

I stay in Disney hotels more than any other ones, and the card at the resorts I've stayed in states to throw them in the tub, or at least they used to.
So that's what I do with any used towels that I want replaced.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

Why would you put them all in the bathtub???? Usually the card tells you to hang them up if you want to use them again or leave them on the floor- so that is where they go- on the floor....but I am not going to gather up all the towels we didn't use and pile them there too, nor will I strip the bed because honestly I don't want to see what may be under those sheets!

What?? Key word that I put in my post is "dirty". We place dirty towels in the bathtub.

When we don't have housekeeping service come in each day, we gather up all the dirty towels before we leave and place them in the bathtub. Since we're checking out, we're not using them again, so I fail to see the problem here??

 

[bcla]

Why would you put them all in the bathtub???? Usually the card tells you to hang them up if you want to use them again or leave them on the floor- so that is where they go- on the floor....but I am not going to gather up all the towels we didn't use and pile them there too, nor will I strip the bed because honestly I don't want to see what may be under those sheets!

I suppose the premise is that the tub can be cleaned easier than the floor. However, all the instructions I see say that if you want fresh towels just leave them on the floor and they'll be replaced. I'm not sure what the legal requirement is for towels when a guest leaves. Some hotels say that they always place fresh towels after a guest checks out, while others say they keep any towel that looks unused on the rack. And I guess the worry is that there might be a guest who uses a towel but insists on putting it back and folding it the way it was found, which is why many replace all the towels as a matter of policy.

Since this is a Disney board, I found this photo taken at the Disneyland Hotel:

Of course there are some things that make a maid's job difficult such as blood or other things on sheets/towels. However, it all has that faint smell of bleach, so I'm pretty sure they're sanitized in the wash before being reused.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

To the people who feel that housekeeping appreciates a trashed room - have you really talked to them and asked them? Some say they feel insulted if you tidy up the room before they enter. How would you know unless you stayed behind and waited while they're cleaning and asked them specifically when you tidy up the room?

I rarely see housekeeping so I wouldn't know how they feel about my tidying up. I can only guess as to how I would feel cleaning up a trashed room. I know I wouldn't feel very good thinking someone left trash everywhere because they feel entitled to and that it's beneath them to pick it up...

You've never had maid tell ya, "Hey would you mind spilling a pizza in the corner of the room so I could spend an extra 30 minutes on my hands and knees scrubbing. My boss loves to see us break our backs."