When checking into a hotel, most of us instinctively inspect how spotless the room appears, scrutinising everything from the loo to the bed and whatever might be lurking beneath. Nevertheless, what appears pristine on the surface and what’s genuinely hygienic can be vastly different matters, reports the Mirror.
Taking to TikTok, @ellianamadridssss, who works as a housekeeper, revealed five items she’s “never been told to clean”. This encompasses everyday objects we sip from as well as the very bed you sleep on. She reveals that the items are:
- The coffee maker
- Mattress pad
- The comforter, aka the duvet
- The bed runner
- Pillows
Elliana’s revelation triggered a flood of horrified responses from TikTok users. The reactions in the video’s comments were shocked.
Responses such as “Are you kidding me?” and “I’m terrified” have been echoed numerous times.
Meanwhile, other users have disclosed their own gross encounters, with one clarifying: “When I worked at a hotel, we always cleaned the duvet sheets and pillow cases but only ever cleaned the actual pillows/comforters when they were stained.”
Another said: “I’ve cleaned 5 star hotels and can confirm this is true. Also don’t ever EVER use the glass cups.”
Some revealed their personal tactics, such as deliberately spilling a drink on the bed before departing the room to guarantee they receive a fresh duvet upon their return. Whilst this doesn’t suggest these items are never cleaned – as practices differ between hotels and individual housekeepers – it has nonetheless left numerous guests worried about what they’re sleeping on and drinking from.
Allergy expert Doctor Tania Elliott exacerbated these worries, saying that comparable items are frequently neglected during cleaning routines. Posting on TikTok as @drtaniaelliott, she declared that these are the “things they don’t clean in a hotel room”.
Also cataloguing five items, she begins by disclosing that they “don’t change the sheets every time if they don’t look dirty”.
What other items does she claim never receive proper cleaning?
She reveals: “Same thing goes for pillowcases. So always bring your own.”
For coffee lovers, it’s disappointing news as “these things are filled with bacteria”. In a more alarming disclosure, she revealed that “cleaners do not wash the glasses in between guests. They just wipe it off”.
She also pointed out that “there’s a reason hotel rooms use coloured carpets”, explaining that it’s “to hide the stains. So always choose a hotel room that has hardwood or tile flooring”.