Don't Lick The Pillow: How to Make Sure Your Hotel Room is Clean No Matter What

Recently, Universal Studios Resort has found itself in hot water this October for the less-than-sanitary conditions in one of its RMB 2800 hotel rooms after being exposed by a hotel blogger.

This isn’t the first time a luxury hotel in Beijing has been caught for not cleaning its rooms properly. A piece of advice I generally go by when searching for a hotel is “don’t lick the pillow”, as even though it might be clean, it’s the one thing you’ll most likely avoid be it in a fancy hotel or run down motel.

But for those who prefer a little bit more sound advice than “don’t lick the pillow”, I consulted a colleague of mine who used to work in the hotel industry for advice. They provided me with some tips and tricks to keep your hotel free of bacteria, odors, and other odds-and-ins, like the previous occupant’s bodily fluids, whether you're on a vacation or staycation – although the latter could be more likely given the current epidemic situation.

Sanitize

Before taking anything out of your bags, get out your disinfectant wipes, and give everything a wipe down; paying special attention to often touched items that housekeeping might not be touching at all. My colleague also advised bringing some disinfectant spray, if you plan to use things like throw pillows and other items that pretty much can’t even be washed.

Towels

Hotel towels might get the job done for drying your body until you get back home, but you might want to bring your own face towel if you're wondering where the thing your drying off with has been. It's not the best thing if you're looking to pack less, but it'll at least keep your face clean of questionable substances.

The Kettle

You might think that boiled water is enough to kill germs; but after hearing about people cooking in these water kettles, cleaning socks, and disinfecting their underwear in it, you might want to wait on the hot water, or think about an alternative. You can fill up your own bottle somewhere else in the hotel, or find a convenient travel kettle of your own.

Bedding

Sometimes the only way to ensure cleanliness is bring it yourself, and my colleague told me the best method is bringing along a sleeping bag. This will keep your body completely separate from the bed, pillow, and sheets. The best part? You can just slip on in, and keep whatever else has slipped onto the bed, off of you.

A few more from other sources:

BYOB

You’re in a hotel, so of course you can bring your own booze; but don’t forget to bring your own bottle and/or cup to keep from using cups that haven't been properly sanitized.

Bag it

Some of these things can be wiped off, but some things you can take to the next level and “Bag it.” For example, the remote control. Put it in a clear Ziplock bag to lock in germs you might've missed.

Footwear

Oftentimes hotels have slippers and shower sandals, but bringing your own all-around sandals or slippers might be best. That way you know that they've not been used by hundreds of other people, and you can dry them off and wear them inside too. You can also stay environmentally friendly by not wasting those disposable slippers, which are often sub par at best.

Ventilate

Hotels try to ventilate rooms, but if they are booked back to back, your room might benefit from some fresh air. Open a window, door, or patio for a while if possible.

The Key Thing

When you're disinfecting everything else, don’t forget your key card. Sometimes those keys are passed from person to person, and there is no need to share whatever the previous user had on their hands. Also, don’t forget your own stuff; luggage, phone, passport, etc. although it’s your stuff, a lot of people may have touched it along your journey to the hotel.

Hands Off

Remember you're not at home, even though you've cleaned some things off, you are basically still in a public space, so give your hands a scrub from time to time when necessary.

READ: A True Hermit Lives Right Downtown: Boutique Hotels for Your Next Beijing Staycation

Images: BoardingArea, startsat60.com, DHGate, Business Traveller