We like to think that staying in a hotel is a luxurious experience.
Whacking the heating on full and not having to worry about the bill - and high thread count sheets you can melt into.
Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it turns out things aren’t quite as it seems when it comes to being able to totally switch off and relax during your next hotel stay.
In fact, one doctor has gone so far as to label hotels as hotbeds for bad hygiene - and revealed why he’d never even use the complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
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Dr. Charles MD has taken to TikTok to share four hotel rules ‘everybody should know’.
Here they are…
Bedbug check
Skin crawling stuff, I know, but Dr. Charles MD says: “Check your hotel isn’t on the bedbug registry. And always check the corners of your bed for any signs”.
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The NHS website states that signs to look out for when checking for bed bugs include:
- Checking for bites – often on skin exposed while sleeping, like the face, neck and arms.
- Spots of blood on your bedding – from the bites or from squashing a bedbug.
- Small brown spots on bedding or furniture.
Don’t touch everything
Dr. Charles MD specifically says: “Don’t touch the dirty things in the bedroom.”
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This actually refers to way more things than you probably realise.
He further clarifies that he’s referring to “the remote and uncovered glasses”, as well as other things.
“That same rag that cleans the sink and the toilet is usually the rag that wipes down those surfaces.”
Eurgh...
Stay away from certain hotel products
Some hotel products can be tempting to use but actually do more harm than good.
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This includes shampoo, conditioner and body soap that is available to you on arrival.
He explains: “They are usually loaded with fragrance and have extremely drying properties.”
Be a friendly neighbour
Slightly more tongue in cheek than the above, but Dr Charles MD says that by always saying hi to your neighbours, this is the best way to have the best possible holiday.
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People in the comments offered their own pearls of wisdom, too.
One person wrote: “Leave your bags in the hall for a couple of minutes while you check your bed for bed bugs.”
Another said: “Put the remote in a large ziplock bag.”
And a third added: “I carry a full size Lysol on every trip and spray everything including the bathroom floor. I check the bed & use my own sheet set while at the hotel. Doesn’t matter how nice the hotel.”
Suddenly our next holiday doesn’t seem so relaxing…
Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@drcharlesmd1 / HowardOates/Getty ImagesTopics: Travel, Life Hacks, TikTok