Hotel cleanliness
 

Inside Edition investigated hotel cleaning procedures during COVID. It wasn't good -- bed linens were not changed between guests, remote controls weren't cleaned, handprints not wiped, etc.

The IE team used substances only visible under UV light to mark items in the rooms, then went back the next day under a different name to see if the marks were still there.

Jeez. Even when there's not a pandemic, the danged sheets are supposed to be changed between guests! The towels were new because, yeah. Hanging up new towels is a lot less work than changing the bed.

Those travelers who take their own sheets and cleaning supplies or who skip hotels altogether, you may feel validated.

Not going to trust my life to a hotel staff that may or may not do what should be done.

I agree that the bed linens should be changed, and I think that has always been standard procedure in most, if not all, hotels. But, how is not cleaning the remote control any different from the grocery store checkout where you type in your phone number or pin on the keypad?

Have heard that at some hotels the remotes are sanitized and left in plastic envelopes

Remember the report and video of a hotel, can't remember the name but one of the more well known, showing cleaning staff using the same cleaning cloth used to clean the toilet used in the shower, sink and the glass drinking glasses. COVID 19 would be the least of your worries in one of those rooms.

That would really make me feel safe. I also like it when they fold the end of the toilet paper into a point and wrap a piece of paper around the toilet seat. Although, it makes it a little difficult to pee without hitting the paper.

Fake News

Something sounds fishy With that report. If you’re traveling go to the top name hotels, not a pay by hour. The one we stopped in for one night completely sanitized the room and all rooms sit three days before it’s opened up to the next traveler

Hand washing alone won’t do the job.......

Shocking! Thanks for posting this. However, to be fair to the cleaning staff, changing and washing and drying and ironing a full set of sheets isn’t cheap, and I suspect that staff are used to recognizing when sheets haven’t been slept in. Those sheets And pillowcases may have been sprayed with invisible ink, but it was clear that no one had slept on them. Why change them if they haven’t been touched, even now? There wouldn’t be any active virus on them. Even in the instance where the bed wasn’t remade, it looked like no one had slept there. I’ve often slept in a room with two queen beds, but I only use one. Sometimes I’ve laid a suitcase or clothes on the other bed. I certainly wouldn’t expect the cleaning staff to change sheets on that bed. In expensive hotels, it’s not unheard of for people to rent a room but end up sleeping in someone else’s room.

The handprint and the fingerprints on the remote control concern me, but if the staff thinks the room hasn’t been used, why would they clean the remote control or the thermostat? They would assume it hadn’t been touched.

It would be interesting to run the same tests on rooms that have clearly been used—where the remote control is on an unmade bed and the air conditioning temp has been changed and there are wet towels. I suspect that the cleaning would be much more thorough.

I’d also like to see that the cleaning staff are wearing masks properly and gloves. Also, what is the quality of the air filtration? Is there a HEPA filter? Probably not. When did someone last use the room? Has it been aired out?

Yes it showed Trumps $600 a night rooms in NY. Chamber maids are under managements direction. If you believe all businesses are doing super cleaning after you vacate a room or table your kidding yourself.

Are you sure?

Sounds gross but I have a routine I go through before I even unpack. Clorox cleanup absolutely everything in the room. Sleep on my own sheets. I always feel pretty good after I do that and I have always done that. I do worry more about the air quality though.

Inside Edition's goal is to shock the viewers for higher ratings. Gotta take their stories with a grain of salt.

There have been "investigative" stories about hotel room (un)cleanliness for many years, but all these chains now have heartfelt articles on their websites about how much they care about staff and guests in these difficult times and all the extra steps they're taking to sanitize, blah blah. Yeah maybe, maybe not.

Housekeeping staff often have more to do than time allows.

The problem is we have no way of knowing and going by trust in someone we do not know.

Therefore no hotels for us at this time.

Very true but when your life is at stake ______.

Which hotel brand was that?

It was demonstrated in Trump's hotel, the sheets were changed, towels changed but the pillow cases were not changed. Again....did anyone really sleep in the bed?

Stay home or Take a RV
 

Bottom line, I will stay home or take my RV and pass on a hotel room for now.

Thank you for the note. We are driving to Wisconsin end of July, or hope to. Sounds like sleeping bags may be in order. Again, many thanks.

The air conditioning is my biggest concern.

I am curious to know what hotel let’s the room sit vacant for three days

Probably not on purpose but lack of demand