In the age of reviews, spotless hotel rooms are critical. A perfectly clean room is as important as the location, the name and the amenities of the property.
While the big corporate chains and well run hotels and motels have strict cleaning protocols, there’s always the human element of a bad day, an inexperienced employee or a step done out of order.
Here are a few steps that take less than two minutes to give you more peace of mind. They are an insurance policy that you’ll be slumbering in sanitized surroundings.
When entering your room, invest a couple minutes checking off the following list to insure a clean and relaxing stay.
- Open any drapes or window coverings to let natural light in. The brighter light will showcase any issues. If it’s dark, turn on every light. It’s easiest to now make an immediate decision to report any issues, request a new room or cut your losses if necessary.
- Open the window and let the fresh air in. This will help dissipate any stale air or chemical cleaning smells.
- Collect a handful of tissues or (better) sacrifice a small hand towel and spritz with rubbing alcohol. An antibacterial wipe or two also works well. Wipe down every surface you’ll touch: night stands, desks, bathroom vanities… basically any flat surface.
- Run the the nearly dry (white) towel over any upholstered surfaces to make sure they are not dirty. It’s important to respect the property and furnishings so this step is only necessary if the upholstery can stand up to a swipe or looks like it could be dingy. Obviously, common sense is necessary. An upscale hotel decorated with beautiful fabrics is a different situation than a heavily “used” mid or lower level hotel/motel.
When “living” in your hotel room, it’s a good idea to take some dedicated socks or slippers to walk around carpets since the majority of people will wear their shoes in the rooms. Leave these by the side of the bed for nocturnal trips and make sure you don’t forget to take them off before slipping into your pristine sheets. (Think of shoes that have walked through parking lots with grease and oil or landscaping with pesticides, etc.)
Another easy tip is to get a tiny table top air purifier to put on your nightstand. There are many highly rated varieties online with the main criteria being the size ~ many are surprisingly small and easily tuck into the corner of your suitcase. While they are not designed to purify the air in large spaces, they’ll keep your immediate sleeping area free of pesky particles and smells. They also provide a bit of soothing white noise that many people enjoy.