Can you guess which things housekeepers DON’T recommend using in hotels?
Staying at a hotel is always exciting, especially when you’re on a much-needed vacation. Everything is at your fingertips, and there’s no cooking and cleaning you have to worry about.
Your biggest concern will be whether you should hit the gym, swim in the indoor pool, or check out the exclusive beach club. But a fundamental aspect of a comfortable stay is, obviously, your hotel room.
We’re lucky enough to have hotel housekeepers there to ensure everything is neat and tidy. But these employees also know a hotel’s dirty secrets… literally!
We talked to a handful of former hotel housekeepers who are spilling the beans, and here’s what we found out: Housekeepers are expected to clean about 15 to 20 rooms during a regular shift.
If we were to break that down, that gives them about 20–30 minutes to make a room look spotless. Within that time, they’re making the beds, taking out the trash, replacing towels and linens, restocking comforts, organizing, and probably much more.
So the cold hard fact is that with so much to do and so little time, a lot can be swept under the rug, literally! On that note, let’s find out which 8 things your hotel’s housekeeper says you should avoid using.
Blankets
For most of us, the first thing we want to do after traveling all day is relax. Don’t be so quick to jump on your hotel bed, though. According to a former hotel housekeeper, the SHEETS are changed daily, not the blankets. The blankets only get changed if they’re stained or wet.
And FYI: it was likely on the floor before you used it too. The housekeeper also said that the best way to avoid a dirty blanket is by calling downstairs and requesting an extra blanket. Those are the ones that are more likely to have been cleaned.
Oh, and that bedspread that’s lying on top of the bed? It should be removed as soon as you walk in, and don’t put it back on for the rest of your stay. They are entirely filthy, the former employee said.
Apparently, they only get washed about once a year, if that, unless there’s a visible stain on them.
Coffee Makers
Coffee makers are only superficially cleaned in general. This means a quick spray, and they’re wiped down because most hotels care more about appearance and speed than actual cleanliness.
Coffee makers are seldom deep-cleaned. So this means that there are lots of bacteria and occasionally even mold growing inside because of all the stagnant water and filthy cleaning.
Spa Baths
Taking a bath while you’re on vacation might sound extremely luxurious. But it may turn out to be just the opposite, according to a former housekeeper in Queensland, Australia. Many of the rooms and suites at hotels she cleaned had spa baths in the bathroom.
Every few weeks, housekeepers run a special cleaner through the spa to remove all the gunk that builds up over time. What comes out? Trust us…you don’t want to know! There’s usually a significant build-up of oils and fats from the skin, among other disgusting things.
This housekeeper notes that this information is obviously hidden from guests. And sometimes, ignorance really is bliss. But even if you’re not a germaphobe, this can gross you out.
Think about it: Leading up to that thorough cleaning, all those elements are just circulating each time someone uses the bath. Nasty, right?
Ice Buckets
You might think that those ice buckets are perfectly fine with a plastic liner. Well, according to a hotel housekeeper, just because you’re using the liner, it doesn’t mean everyone else will too.
In fact, they’ve seen ice buckets used as puke buckets, dog dishes, and many other unsanitary things. And generally, the buckets are only cleaned superficially, she adds.
The ice or leftover water gets dumped, and then it’s just wiped down with a rag or left to dry, and maybe a spray with any old all-purpose cleaner the hotel provides housekeeping staff with.
Glasses And Cups
If you’re in the habit of using the glassware or cups left in your hotel room, STOP immediately! A former housekeeper who says she has worked in various upscale hotels says these dishes aren’t cleaned as thoroughly as you would think.
In fact, she continues to say that the dishes are usually just washed in the sink with any old soap. Another housekeeper told us that sometimes the dishes don’t even get washed with soap and might just be rinsed out.
They are then generally dried with that same old grimy rag they use to clean the rest of the room with. This increases the likelihood that they’re coated with germs. So requesting a fresh set from the front desk when you get to the room certainly doesn’t hurt.
Towels And Robes
Apparently, housekeepers are always told to only replace towels or robes if they look clean to prevent them from being overwashed. This is so the laundry doesn’t get overwhelmed.
Knowing what we do now, we recommend always finding the housekeeper on your floor and asking for a fresh set of towels and robes off of the cart as soon as you get to the room. This ensures you always get a clean set.
Throw Pillows
This time it was a hotel MANAGER that filled us in and told us that dirty throw pillows could be a housecleaning nightmare. They’re not exactly easy to wash.
Anytime anyone slobbers or gets their makeup smeared on those pillows, they need to be specially washed or, in the worst cases, thrown out.
TV Remote
You may have already guessed that TV remotes in hotel rooms have most likely been handled by many guests who’ve stayed in the room before you got there.
That’s why these gadgets play host to many colonies of germs. So, even though this may sound annoying, you should wash your hands after using the remote.
Or, a better idea would be to disinfect it when you first walk in. The same logic applies to phones, doorknobs, and light switches in your room.
…Now that we’ve covered a few items you should stay away from in hotel rooms continue reading for some important tips from housekeepers to make your next stay more pleasurable!
Tips From Hotel Housekeepers
Do Not Disturb signs are a MUST: Putting a Do Not Disturb sign on your door helps maintain your privacy, but it also saves some time for the housekeeper. They love when guests use DNDs to skip full cleaning services. It means that they don’t have to go in there.
One housekeeper even said that it’s always weird going into people’s rooms when they have stuff out. It feels like she’s breaking and entering. And it’s strange trying to clean around people’s stuff since they’re not allowed to touch anything of theirs.
Please DON’T help yourself to their cleaning carts: Running out of shampoo or toilet paper is an annoyance. And if you happen to spot a cleaning cart in the hotel hallway that’s unattended, you’ll probably want to just grab whatever you need.
But housekeepers would rather you didn’t do that. They usually stock enough supplies for the whole day, and if you take all the toilet paper on the cart, they have to go back to the stock room and get more.
It’s a real hassle for them. So if you need extra towels, shampoo, or anything else, just ask. They’ll be more than happy to accommodate you.
It’s really not helpful if you strip your bed each morning: When in doubt, just leave your sheets and everything else alone.
Even though it seems like you’re being helpful in theory, stripping your pillowcases, covers, and sheets every day can actually give housekeepers even more work. On hectic days, they’ll just plump pillows and reuse your sheets.
They only change the linens every three to four days unless they’re dirty. Completely stripping your bed every morning adds unnecessary minutes to the time-sensitive duties they have. But don’t worry.
If you positively need your sheets changed, simply leave a note for the housecleaning staff, or call the front desk, and they’ll take care of it.
Be sure to leave your thoughts on the matter in the comment section below. And if you found this article interesting, we think you’ll also enjoy: Top 7 Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Seniors on a Budget
