Room/Airplane cleaning tips. Do you sanitize?

[lauralana9]

However...I almost always get sick when I travel to the east (I live in the west). Really, I think this is a result of different types of allergens out east, and I've heard that around Philly where the company I work for is based, is especially notorius for bad allergies. I think this is mostly due (for me) to different molds out east that we don't have out in Montana cause it's too dry.

I agree with this on the allergens, I grew up in philly. The worst is Aug when the ragweed comes out. I moved to AZ for 3 years, the only time I had to take allergy meds was when the Hotel I worked in decorated with evergreen for x-mas. Now that I'm back on the east coast I take meds nearly year round, otherwise I can't breath.

Back on topic, I too think the use of antibacterial stuff has gotten out of control. I don't wipe down a darn thing, I get sick once a year maybe. Even then it's only a 24hr stomach bug. Now DH when I met him would wipe anything and everything. Loved his pocket hand sanitizer. He seems to get sick 3-4 times a year, almost every year comes down with a mild case of the flu. Since we have been together he as lightened up a bit on the sanitizing, still gets sick but does not have to deal with all the eye rolling from me :

 

[twoeeyy]

we take immunity supplements ( basically just vitamins ) for the entire week before we go and while on vacation. We also make sure the week before that we get plenty of sleep and try our best to stay away from sick people. We also lysol down the trays, armrests, seatbelt buckles, window shade on plane. But the most important thing is we are all old enough to know to keep our hands out of our mouths and off our faces.

While at Disney we use hand sanitizer frequently.

 

[drew64]

We just shrink wrap each family member in plastic before leaving the house so each can stay in thier own little plastic bubble and stay fully protected from everything.
Also helps to stay dry in the rain and on water rides.

 

[tlens]

I am seriously not making this up.

I know a guy who tried to change TV channels with the remote between his butt cheeks in a hotel. No. I wasn't with him thank god.


I don't think people are overreacting at all.

 

[ntsammy5]

Is it on youtube?

 

[tlens]

Is it on youtube?

LOL. No. Pre-YouTube era.

 

[tlens]

Scary thing is I have to hear about it on a fairly frequent basis. It's a good reminder to me though. I've never looked at a hotel remote without a visual since.

 

[Terry36]

I travel with a can of Lysol, a can of Dow Bathroom Cleaner, wipes for hands and surfaces, and hand sanitizer.

Upon checking into the room, I spray the tub and sink with the bathroom cleaner... I don't scrub it out, but I do spray it with the cleaner, give it a few minutes and rinse. Then, I spray everything with the lysol... door knobs, the remote, the flusher handle, etc., and because I've used about half a can,

I do the same things. My husband thinks I am crazy but it works. DD helps me clean too.

I know a guy who tried to change TV channels with the remote between his butt cheeks in a hotel. No. I wasn't with him thank god.
.

This proves my point! JUST NASTY!

 

[TDISFAMILY]

I just bring a can of spray lysol with me and spray everything in the hotel room even the carpet. Then I fold down the bedspread ( this is the thing that grosses me out) My uncle use to work at a hotel in Georgia and he said they only wash the bedspreads a couple times a yearnot after every hotel guest leaves. I don't know the policy for all hotels but I don't want to touch that bedspread.

 

[Terry36]

Yes I forgot - I also remove the bedspreads off of the beds...I do not like touching them. I also do not walk bare foot on the floors.

This truly grosses me out.

 

[tlens]

Do they wash the blankets?

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

Ok, this is one of my favorite threads. It is so nice to see that there are others who are like me in this respect.

On the airplane, I do not touch any of the magazines and I typically do not use the tray table. I buckle my seatbelt with my shirt covering my hand. I also carry hand santizer on the plane, however, I use it when I get off the plane.

In hotels, I wipe down the remote control, the door handles, the alarm clock, phone, and chair handles. I also immediately remove all towels/washcloths from the bathroom and ask for new ones. That ensures that my towels are not left over from the previous guest. And I use flip-flops when I walk around the room. I also remove the blanket/bedspread. I bring my own sheet and pillow and really warm pajamas, so I do not have to use either of those blankets.

At home, I don't use antibacterial soap except for in the kitchen before I cook. However, when I am on vacation, I am a complete GERMAPHOBE. I do not like being sick unless I am in my own bed. It would be a tragedy to get sick at Disney World.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Just recently our local TV station did a hidden camera review of how hotel rooms are cleaned... Well lets just say I am glad I disinfect everything. Don't drink from hotel glasses ... especially after seeing the TV story showing a maid wiping down glasses with the same rag she just cleaned the bathroom with. YUK. I once went to use a hotel glass in the bathroom and it had lip stick on it and it was not my lip stick!
So ever since that experience I take disposable glasses.
As for ice buckets I use a zip lock bag to hold my ice.
So you never know what germs are hiding is a hotel room.
Why be sick if it only takes a few minutes to clean. After all you are on vacation!

That is why I like staying at the DVC resorts because you only get maid service on Weds. So I know that I only have to redisinfect my room once.

 

[Cinbride]

OMG now i'm OCD about it. I usually take my own pillow and blanket. heres my ? what do I do with my 7 month old? She is going to want to crawl around???yikes

 

[ekball]

I completely agree with those who have said that all this antibacterial stuff is helping the superbugs become resistant and so forth. At home, I won't even buy antibacterial handsoap (which is getting more difficult to find these days). There have been so many studies that have said the antibacterial stuff is just as or less effective than regular soap and water. I don't even use chemicals at home (other than in the bathroom). All my cleaning is done with "natural" cleansers.

HOWEVER, last year BOTH my kids came down with Pneumonia during our disney trip! (DS was 3 and dd was 15 months!) So I am bringing the chlorox wipes and wiping down the remote, telephone, light switches and door handles. After that, I'll be putting them away until next trip.

Like I said, at home, we just wash our hands. But we're going away for 16 days this time (woo hoo!) and I'd rather be safe than sorry!

~Tami

Great post Tami! I TOTALLY agree!! There is a time and a place to be.... obsessive about germs and I think that a hard-earned trip to WDW is as perfect as any!!! We, too, do not use any antibac cleaners/soaps/etc. at home - unless we need to wash hands and are not near a bathroom, then it's a little purell. I do think that the overuse of antibacterial products and overuse of antibiotics are whats causing the drug resistant superbugs that we are seeing more of these days. So we try our best not to contribute to the problem by using all natural cleaners, minimal antibac products, and antibiotics only when necessary.

That said, I have NO problem breaking out the purell, clorox wipes and lysol spray when I get in my hotel room at WDW. I would hate to have my family sick on our vacation, so I'll do everything I can to try and keep the germs away (and yes, especially regular handwashing)!!! I will never be the type to whip out the purell or clorox wipes after touching any public surface, but heck yeah I'll do it on our week+ long vacation to WDW!!! (Or any other vacation for that matter) There's a time and a place...and, IMHO, doing so on vacation fits that bill!

 

[disfan07]

My parents and I always dissinfect the remote, and the sink and faucet and the door knobs as well as remove the blanket and bedspread form the bed. we also dissinfect the arm rests and seat bets on the plane...bu tonly at my seat......we never used to do this and no one would get sick but we learned last yr that i have an immunodeficiency AND im on immune compromising medication so its more important now since my immune system cant fight off illnesses properly......but i am also given preventative antibiotics before i leave on vacations so that is probably also why i dont get sick as much on vacation..I also have severe asthma, eczema adn allergies so its all precaustion when im not at home....but at home we dont disinfect our house and i dont get sick very often


I am also allergic to most soaps so i wash my hands and use a anti-bacterial spray instead adn if you want a very good hand sanitizaing spray buy burts bees brand...it has almost no chemicals (if any at all) but it is very expensive

 

[ameraumi]

I recently bought a travel size can of Lysol to put in my 3-1-1 bag. I plan on spraying a few items with it but it will mostly be used for the men after their bathroom trips. I also plan to take some wipes with me, mostly to clean the tables with before we eat.

I try not to go OCD with cleaning, but I have a home daycare so I know just how quickly a bug can spread.

 

[Chipmunk89]

Yes I forgot - I also remove the bedspreads off of the beds...I do not like touching them. I also do not walk bare foot on the floors.

This truly grosses me out.

Completely agree! Nor do we go barefoot in the shower. Always sandals!

 

[Beehn]

How do you sleep without blankets or a bedspread? I would freeze to death. I always try to keep a sheet between me and the possible germ infested things, but it doesn't always stay that way all night. We fly, so I can't pack extra blankets for the family. I sleep with a heavy down comforter almost all year long, I don't think I could sleep with just a sheet.

 

[rebe1968]

If you are never exposed to germs your body will never know how to fight them off..I am well over 30 years old and I rarely get sick because I am not a germ freak either was my mother I was what you call a all weather babie and so are my children I seldom if ever let them have anitbiotics and any kind of medicine...I do however wash my hands at least 5 times a day or more and I dont pick my nose or lick my fingers until I wash my hands...But thats just me .lol...