Hotels tend to look freshly cleaned and ready for you to enjoy their home away from home vibes. But is your hotel really as clean as it looks? We usually think of staying in hotels as a luxury, a treat that comes with an exciting vacation to someplace new. Most hotels provide fresh white sheets, fluffy pillows, and ultra-soft bathroom linens. These types of lavish perks have become so associated with hotel stays that we tend to overlook other details about the room.
A study done by Clean Safety First shows that three-quarters of hotel beds fail to meet “acceptable hygiene standards.” So why do hotels look so clean when they’re actually not? Well, many things can influence how clean or dirty a hotel room is. Although it’s virtually mandatory for hotels to launder sheets and pillowcases between guests, other items like bedspreads, decorative pillows, cushions, and throw blankets don’t get the same level of treatment.
Allergens In Hotel Rooms –
Although pillows and mattresses may be covered in freshly cleaned sheets, the items themselves may be stained and dirty underneath. These nasty hidden quirks often found in hotel rooms aren’t the only culprits of ruined vacations, however. Another issue many people deal with is hotel room allergies. Dealing with seasonal or year-round allergies can be aggravating enough on its own; we don’t need to add a hellish hotel stay to that list.
Unfortunately, there are boundless opportunities for allergens to thrive in hotel rooms. Bed bugs hitch rides from airports to hotels to other guests and can wreak havoc on you, your vacation, and even your home once you return. Dust mites have the perfect environment in hotel rooms thanks to the near-constant contribution of dead skin cells by other guests. Their allergies can cause all kinds of irritating symptoms for allergy sufferers. And don’t forget about good old airborne allergies like pollen, dander, dust, and mold.
Central ACs and HVAC systems are also notorious culprits for dry air in hotel rooms. This can result in dry skin, hair, and nails. It can also put you at greater risk of catching a cold or the flu virus, which is the very last thing you’d want while on vacation. Another issue is that airborne contaminants can be put back into the air if the filters inside these ACs and HVACs haven’t been changed in a while. This alone can cause allergy triggers and asthma attacks.
Dust Mites In Hotel Rooms –
We all love a soft and cushy couch in our hotel room or a big plush chair to relax in while we are waiting to go down to dinner or to an event. But these seemingly luxurious upholstered furniture pieces tend to be the perfect breeding grounds for dust mites. If you’re unaware, dust mites are microscopic arachnid-like bugs that can’t be seen by the human eye. Most people don’t have a problem co-existing with dust mites. However, for many of us who suffer from allergies and asthma, that’s not the case.
The warm and humid environments of furniture and mattresses inside hotel rooms create an ideal environment for dust mites to thrive in. They are most often found in pillows, mattresses, couches, chairs, and other upholstered furnishes. And although they can’t bite, they can still trigger allergy symptoms. You can also suffer a reaction from their secretions and feces that results in a slew of unwanted and irritating symptoms. They include sneezing, running noses, itchy, watery eyes, and eczema and psoriasis flare-ups.
Combat the effects of dust mites in hotel rooms:
- Invest in quality dust mite proof Mattress Covers and Pillow Covers with zippered protection to prevent bed bugs from escaping and causing you unwanted allergy symptoms
- Consider investing in a set of travel Dust Mite Covers to bring with you to hotels that may not provide these services, though some hotels may take this extra step, so do your research
- If you want to take things a step further, you could also consider purchasing a Portable Ultra-Violet Dust Mite Vacuum to destroy and suck away dust mites
- For longer visits or extended stay hotels that let you wash your own sheets, you could use a Dust Mite Laundry Detergent made for cleansing dust mites from linens
Bed Bugs In Hotel Rooms –
Probably one of the most notorious nasties associated with hotel stays is dreaded bed bugs. Why do bed bugs and staying in hotels get meshed together so much? Because they tend to get deposited in hotel rooms from traveling in airports and other places where bed bugs linger. They hitch rides on suitcases and travel from place to place, and suitcases tend to be a popular item in hotel rooms. Either way, bed bugs are bad news when it comes to hotel stays.
They tend to live in mattresses, headboards, box springs, bed frames, and other upholstered furniture that people like to frequent. Not only do bed bugs deliver severely itchy bites, but they are also prone to following you home from your vacation to infest your own furniture and belongings. Because of this, many people who have become infested with them while traveling have had to completely get rid of all their belongings, which can be quite costly. Added to that horrendous thought is the fact that they are ridiculously hard to eradicate once they are present.
Keep bed bugs from infecting you and your things:
- Do your due diligence. Research and read reviews of the hotel, air B&B, or hostel you’re staying at beforehand to see if they have had any instances of bed bugs before
- Before even setting your luggage onto the floor of your hotel room, perform a bed bug sweep of the entire room. There are numerous videos online for the best way to go about this
- Once you’ve determined the coast is clear, only then should you allow your luggage and belongings inside the room
- Go an extra step and bring your own Bed Bug Proof Mattress & Pillow Protectors to keep any stragglers off you and your belongings
Airborne Allergens In Hotel Rooms –
During allergy season, it’s practically inevitable that allergies will get tracked into hotel rooms via the guests who stay there and the staff that clean them. However, there are other causes of airborne allergens in hotel rooms. With pets being so popular and some 67% of the population owning either a dog or a cat, some hotels have begun offering pet-friendly rooms. These rooms have gained popularity thanks to owners wanting to bring their furry friends on their journeys with them. But for others who are allergic, these types of rooms can be a huge source of allergies and even ruin their stay.
Another cause of airborne allergens in hotel rooms is mold and mildew in damp bathrooms or around leaky window seals. These areas can harbor mold and mildew, and depending on the weather outside and the climate inside the room, they can continue to cause spores to form and permeate the air. Mold spores can cause a wide range of irritating and potentially dangerous allergy symptoms for those who suffer from mold allergies. Mold allergy symptoms include headaches, dizziness, sinus congestion, runny noses, and itchy and watery eyes, just to name a few.
Lastly, overused and overworked HVAC and central AC systems are a huge source of airborne allergens. You may think that it’s a benefit to allergy sufferers to have fresh air pumped through vents. But that may not always be the case. If a filter isn’t regularly changed, it can lead to allergens being dispersed back into the air, causing all kinds of symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. In addition, they can dry out the air, making you more susceptible to colds and the flu. Something that no vacationer would want to deal with when they are just trying to relax or have fun.
For these reasons, it’s vital to prioritize your health and well-being before you even enter the hotel room. Do research on the hotel you’re staying at to gain information on cleaning practices, guest services, and more. This will help determine if the hotel is up to snuff for your allergy requirements or if you should keep looking. Lastly, some hotels take allergies very seriously and offer specific hypoallergenic and allergy-friendly rooms. It’s worth looking into if you or a loved one suffers from severe allergies or asthma.
Remember these tips before you stay:
- Remove bedspreads, blankets, and cushions as these can harbor dirt, dust mites, dander, and other debris since they are not laundered as frequently as the linens
- Request a pet-free, non-smoking room ahead of time so you don’t end up exposing yourself to second-hand smoke fumes and pet dander that could aggravate asthma, respiratory issues, and allergies
- Bring a Portable Air Purifier to remove any other airborne contaminates that could be lurking in the air. Hotels are notorious for being poorly ventilated, and furnishes and fixtures can leave lingering VOCs in the air from off-gassing
- If you suffer from multiple chemical sensitivities, then we recommend bringing a Quality Face Mask with you in case you start to feel symptoms. Chemical cleaning products could have been used prior to your stay
- Bring your own Allergy-Friendly Toiletries if you have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis; products provided by the hotel will usually have fragrances and additives that could aggravate your condition
- Always perform a check before bringing your luggage into the room. Check for moldy smells, damp spots, and bed bugs. Be sure to ask for a new room if you find anything out of place
- Consider finding an allergy-friendly hotel that offers dedicated hypoallergenic or allergy-friendly rooms. They often come with an air purifier and use only allergy-safe cleaning products
- Bring a Portable Humidifier to combat dry and stagnant hotel air. Hotels are known for having recycled air that can dry out your skin, hair, and nails
- Use an All-Natural Allergy Spray to fight bugs and airborne allergens, and anything lurking on the surface of upholstered furniture and bedding
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