Don’t take a room with an eww.
Charles Puza, a board-certified dermatologist in New York who studied at Harvard and Duke universities, shares four tips for staying in hotel rooms: look for bedbugs, avoid touching TV remotes, and glasses uncovered, ignore the free toiletries and say hello to your neighbors.
“No. 1, make sure your hotel is not on the bed bug registry and always check corners and under the bed for any signs,” Puza said in his TikTok, which has racked up 29,600 views since its publication this month.
The bedbug registry has collected about 20,000 reports of bedbugs in a total of 12,000 locations since its inception in 2006 – although it appears to be inactive, with broken links. Bed Bug Reports contains more recent information.
Chicago, New York and Philadelphia recently topped Orkin’s 50 Best Cities for Bed Bugs list, a January 2024 ranking of the metros with the most bed bugs.
Orkin recommends checking mattresses, box springs, headboards, footboards, bed frames and furniture within 5 to 8 feet of the bed for “clusters of dark brown or black stains.” ‘dried droppings’ left behind by live bed bugs.
Once settled in your hotel room, Puza advises avoiding hotel-provided TV remotes and uncovered glass.
“And here’s why: The same cloth that cleans the sink and toilet is usually the cloth that wipes those surfaces,” he said of hotel cleaning services.
A 2012 study by the University of Houston found that TV remotes are among the most bacteria-laden items in a hotel room, along with bedside lamp switches.
Researchers also reported a surprising amount of bacteria on household items such as sponges and mops, which could lead to cross-contamination between rooms.
So stay away from the remote control – and the free bath collection, advises Puza.
“No. 3 is tempting, but don’t use those hotel products — they’re usually extremely drying and loaded with fragrance,” Puza said, pointing to the shampoo, conditioner, and body soap that line the hotel sink.
And no. 4 is optional, but you can always say hello to your neighbors. And this is how you will have the best vacation,” concluded Puza.
A November Hotel Indigo study determined that people are interacting less than ever with their neighbors because they are too shy, don’t want to be an inconvenience, or don’t have a rapport with their neighbor – even if they It has been shown that even the smallest human interaction can make communities happier.
In the comments section of Puza’s 30-second video, her followers offered their own hotel tips.
“After 35 years with the world’s largest airline, never leave your toothbrush in the bathroom. Keep it in a case in a drawer or in your suitcase,” suggested one TikToker.
“I started working for a hotel attendant and the shampoo and conditioners were expired but they were still refilling them. I mentioned it but no one listened,” said another.
“If you must use the remote control, cover it with the shower cap. Works wonderfully! » exclaimed a third.
New York Post
