LifeStyle
Clean These Things Yourself When You Check Into a Hotel Room
When you check into a hotel room, there are certain surfaces and items that could benefit from some extra cleaning attention. While hotels have cleaning staff who do their best to ensure a clean and comfortable stay, there are still areas that can be missed. If you’re concerned about germs or staying in a budget-friendly hotel, you might want to do some cleaning of your own. So, which areas should you focus on?
Start by wiping down the most-touched surfaces
It’s a good idea to carry a pack of disinfectant wipes with you when you travel. Use these wipes to clean the surfaces you frequently touch in your room. Some examples include the television remote, nightstands, door handles, light switches, toilet handle, phone, and fridge handle. Take your time to identify any other high-touch items that you may come into contact with during your stay, like dresser knobs or the handle of the hair dryer, and give them a quick wipe.
Wipe the most-touched surfaces
Keep a small package of disinfectant wipes with you when you travel and use them to get the surfaces you touch often when you get to your room. One Redditor said they always wipe down these things right away:
- The television remote
- Nightstands
- Door handles
- Light switches
- The toilet handle
- The phone
- The fridge handle
This is a simple way to get some peace of mind, so take your time and look for anything that might be a high-touch item for you: the knobs on your dresser, for example, or the handle of the hair dryer could use a quick wipe.
Next, pay attention to the kitchen area. Many hotel rooms provide coffee machines and cups, but it’s a good practice to clean the coffee pot before using it, even if the cups are individually sealed and disposable. Run the coffee maker through a cleaning cycle and wash any ceramic mugs, wine glasses, kitchen utensils, or plates that you plan to use.
If possible, consider bringing your own sheets or towels from home. Surprisingly, a pre-pandemic survey revealed that one in ten people already brought their own sheets to hotels. Bringing your own bedding and towels can provide added peace of mind, especially if you’re concerned about cleanliness.
Head for the kitchen
Most hotel rooms have coffee machines and cups available and often, those cups are disposable and sealed individually, but there’s a good chance the pot itself could use a cleaning. Run the coffee maker through a cleaning cycle before you use it, and if you have ceramic mugs available, make sure to wash them out. The same goes for wine glasses, kitchen utensils, and plates.
Another tip from Reddit users is to bring a pair of flip flops specifically for walking around your hotel room, similar to how you might use them in a gym shower. This can help protect your feet from any potential floor contaminants.
Consider bringing items from home
If it’s feasible, you might want to bring your own sheets or towels. Before you instantly write that off, consider that a 2019 survey of 1,008 people by QS Supplies showed that one in 10 people already do bring their own sheets to hotels—and that was pre-pandemic, before we all became a little more germ conscious.
By taking these simple steps to clean certain areas and items in your hotel room, you can have greater peace of mind during your stay and ensure a more hygienic environment for yourself.
