Whenever I enter a hotel room, I always have the feeling that something is wrong. Kind of like one of those characters in a horror movie who steps into a dangerous place yet has not realized it yet. Every time I walk around a hotel room after check-in, I have the eerie sensation that something is wrong or off.
That is because I can’t deny the reality that an untold number of people, each with their own respective definitions of, “cleanliness,” occupied the room before me. How hygienic were they when they occupied the room? Does the hotel staff clean thoroughly enough when a room becomes vacant?
This isn’t an unreasonable thing to worry about. A scientific study on the cleanliness of hotel rooms was conducted in 2012. It found that over 81% of the surfaces in a hotel room contained bacteria like fecal matter. This truth is enough cause to have some justifiable panic about hygiene standards. After all, the average cost of an elite or 5-star hotel room is $260-a-night.
As we near the end of summer chances are you will soon take a vacation and perhaps rent a hotel room. Instead of taking the cleanliness of your hotel room for granted, here are a few cleanliness checks you can do on your own.
General Cleaning Tips
When you arrive, it may be a good idea to segregate your bags in the middle of the room. Buy some antibacterial and disinfecting products and clean rags. Disinfect the door handles, cupboard and fridge handles and the telephone. Use diluted bleach and clean the toilet seat. Fill the bathtub with diluted bleach and soap, or, disinfect the shower tile.
Clean and disinfect every handle, knob, and surface that may have come in tactile contact with the countless people who occupied the room before you.
Glassware and Appliances
Many hotel rooms include complimentary fridges, microwaves, and appliances. You might want to give these surfaces a gentle, soapy wipe down. Check the glassware, utensils, cups, and plates for fingerprints, lipstick marks, and smudges. You can soak such items in the sink with hot water and disinfectant solution.
Check the coffee maker carafe, teapot, and electric water boiler and other such appliances for signs of mildew. Instead of cleaning them you should ask hotel staff to replace them with clean replacements.
Bedbugs
Its better to check for these gross things than to assume they aren’t there. They are not shy, and you can find them crawling around or burrowed into surfaces where warm human bodies usually reside. Take the bedsheet off of the bed and check the corners of the mattress and headboard. You are looking for red or brown spots or signs of the disgusting creatures burrowed into the mattress.
Also check the pillows, sofa, and any furniture. This may seem like a scary task, but it’s better to check than to chance bringing some unwanted guests back home with you. You can check online reviews before checking in, since such infestations are hard to keep quiet for a hotel.
Walk Away If Necessary
Keep in mind that these are just basic checks and general cleaning tips to make you feel comfortable in your hotel room. If you see mold, mouse or rat droppings, or signs that your room is obscenely unhygienic then request a room change and an on-the-spot cleaning of the new room.
Most hotels, depending on their policies, do not offer refunds for prepaid reservations. You may have to bite the bullet and walk away.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.
