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question for those who are germ-a-phobes like me...


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Ususally when we travel anywhere, but especially when our travels include a hotel, we bring our own pillows (I cant stand the thought of putting my face so close all night long to something that was close to someone else's face) and I bring a can of Lysol spray to spray everything down before we touch anything.

 

Well, in October we will be FLYING to Disney....we can't bring our own pillows and I doubt I will be able to bring an aresol can of Lysol on the plane. (we aren't checking any bags) What do you do (or what would you do) in this situation??

 

thanks.

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Hello - another germaphobe here - when we travel locally I take our own pillows. When we travel by aircraft, I ring ahead to the hotel and ask that they purchase new pillows left fully sealed in bags for our arrival. I think they think its an odd request but I cant stand the smell of hotel pillows nor the thought of all the faces having slept on them before us. Some hotels have charged the cost to our room, others have requested payment beforehand - either way I dont mind so long as we have new pillows.

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Yes, Lysol spray kills more cooties than the wipes. You can get those tiny spray cans but they don't last long. I think you can fly with a tiny can.

 

I never heard of requesting new pillows, but hmm... For some reason, as long as that pillow case is on, I'm not that bothered.

 

One thing I've done is bring a newspaper sleeve (thin plastic bag) to put the TV remote in.

 

These days, the first thing I do, even in nice hotels, is check for bedbugs!

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We just did this on a Disney Cruise last week.

 

We bought 6 travel sized pillows at Walmart for 3.00 each and just crushed them down and sucked the air out of their plastic bags and they shrank down very well to fit in our suitcases. We put each travel sized pillow into a one gallon sized ziploc bag. Each person had their own travel sized pillow and pillow cover ( an extra 2.00 each) in their bag.

 

It worked out very well, the pillows puffed right back up when we took them out of their plastic bag and were comfortable to use each of our 5 nights there. At the end of the cruise when we were packing up to go home our room steward was happy to throw the pillows away for us so we didn't have to travel back home with them.

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maybe I am too frugal, but I can't imagine throwing new pillows away after only sleeping on them for a few nights. I guess we could each just pack our own pillow cases, huh....that would help some. Would regular pillow cases fit over most hotel pillows?

 

Where can I find the tiny cans of Lysol spray? If we each packed one (there are 5 of us) in each suitcase, that should almost be enough spray, right??

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maybe I am too frugal, but I can't imagine throwing new pillows away after only sleeping on them for a few nights. I guess we could each just pack our own pillow cases, huh....that would help some. Would regular pillow cases fit over most hotel pillows?

 

Where can I find the tiny cans of Lysol spray? If we each packed one (there are 5 of us) in each suitcase, that should almost be enough spray, right??

 

you cannot take an aerosol can on a plane, at least, you are not supposed to. I do not think security will let that through in carry-on luggage (though I've managed it in checked luggage before).

 

A regular pillow case should fit on hotel pillows, and that's what I'd suggest if you are worried about the hotel pillows. You could take 2 per person if possible just to make an extra barrier, if it really concerns you. I've found that helps kids sleep better, anyway, to have their own pillow/pillowcase that feels/smells like home.

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Well, Disney is not Siberia! Buy your Lysol at the 7-11, mini-mart or grocery store nearest your hotel on your way to the hotel from the airport.

 

I think the disposable, 3 dollar pillow thing is a good idea! I would at least bring my own pillowcases if you're not wanting to bring pillows. But the Space Bag idea is good.

 

Have fun on your trip!

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Ususally when we travel anywhere, but especially when our travels include a hotel, we bring our own pillows (I cant stand the thought of putting my face so close all night long to something that was close to someone else's face) and I bring a can of Lysol spray to spray everything down before we touch anything.

 

Well, in October we will be FLYING to Disney....we can't bring our own pillows and I doubt I will be able to bring an aresol can of Lysol on the plane. (we aren't checking any bags) What do you do (or what would you do) in this situation??

 

thanks.

Bring your own bedbug resistant pillow covers (plastic on inside, but terry on outside...not crinkly).

 

I got the whole shebang for my daughter's dorm room (mattress pad etc).

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Walmart and just about any store with a linen section carry the cases.

 

Google how to detect them.

 

speaking of bed bugs....how do you know if your hotel room has them? Can you see them...or is there a way to detect them? Also, where do you buy the bedbug resistant pillow covers??
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speaking of bed bugs....how do you know if your hotel room has them? Can you see them...or is there a way to detect them? Also, where do you buy the bedbug resistant pillow covers??

 

There is a website...bedbugregistry.com, I think, and another as well that is very popular. Just check your hotel in there. If there are any reports, you will see them.

 

I bought mine at an outlet furniture store when buying a mattress, but I've also seen them at Target.

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Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation? I just have never ever not once tied an illness to a hotel visit although it is possible. I am not a germaphobe but I am married to one but even he has never worried about some of the things mentioned on this thread. The thing is as I understand it, it is important for our immune systems to regularly be exposed to germs and such and the current obsession with hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps and such is causing more problems than it is solving. Especially with regards to super bugs that are becoming resistant.

 

I guess I am just really curious what the motivation is and if you see any significant difference from being so careful. The few people who I know in real life who are so concerned are sick all the time but it's a small sample.

 

And I am not talking about bed bugs. I am terrified about those too :( yuck!

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Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation? I just have never ever not once tied an illness to a hotel visit although it is possible. I am not a germaphobe but I am married to one but even he has never worried about some of the things mentioned on this thread. The thing is as I understand it, it is important for our immune systems to regularly be exposed to germs and such and the current obsession with hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps and such is causing more problems than it is solving. Especially with regards to super bugs that are becoming resistant.

 

I guess I am just really curious what the motivation is and if you see any significant difference from being so careful. The few people who I know in real life who are so concerned are sick all the time but it's a small sample.

 

And I am not talking about bed bugs. I am terrified about those too :( yuck!

I was wondering the same thing.

My DS and I have germ issues. We both wash our hands too much, avoid handrails and elevator buttons, etc.

But we travel a lot and I have had to get over hotel and restaurant issues to enjoy traveling.

We went to Europe last year w/just carry-on luggage. I just packed extra vitamins and we washed our hands quite a bit. I was pleased that we didn't have so much as a sniffle, though we rode crammed public transportation for eight days.

I did joke every time we got on the subway that if one person sneezed, the entire city would come down with a cold as so many people were crammed in such a tight space. :lol:

Now I will say, I was freaked out in Europe that the cook would go outside for a smoke, pet a few dogs, walk back in and start cooking. All visible to the patrons - and never wash his hand. Those were extra-vitamin days. :tongue_smilie:

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Well you do know you all are silly, right? I am a person who is much more likely than you to get sick because of one of my chronic illnesses, and then I compound that fact by taking anywhere between 3 and 5 immune suppressant drugs. So if anyone is getting sick, it is me (the only people more likely than me to get sick are transplant patients, since they take similar drugs but at much, much higher doses). Anyway, I travel a lot and I only very rarely get sick. In the last 7 years, when I have been taking more of the immune suppressants, I can only think of getting sick twice. One was a case of food poisoning, which has nothing to do with pillows, and the second was a very bad case of bronchitis, which happened because I was traveling from a place with a red day smog alert to other places which were also in the red stage smog alert, and then yes, someone's sneezing or coughing in Toronto gave it to me. Bronchitis is not passed by pillows, particularly not when you have clean pillow cases on them.

 

DO sensible things like not order hamburgers less than well done, avoid salad bars, wash your hands, and get your flu shot. With regards to the last one, even though I am at triple risk for getting the flu, so I always get the flu shot and insist that everyone in the family get one, those are supposedly only 75% effective. I have been on at least one immunosuppressant for 15 years and on 3 -5 in the last 8 years, and I have never gotten the flu since I started getting flu shots in college, over 30 years ago.

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You could bring two cases and put them one over the other from opposite sides so no side of the pillow is exposed. My son has an immune disorder and I do bring a pillow case (regular cotton one) for him but I know he's much more likely to get sick touching his face when we're at Disney than he is sleeping on the pillow! I personally wouldn't buy a pillow, spray lysol in my sleeping space, or even buy a special bed bug pillow case for this.

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Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation? I just have never ever not once tied an illness to a hotel visit although it is possible. I am not a germaphobe but I am married to one but even he has never worried about some of the things mentioned on this thread. The thing is as I understand it, it is important for our immune systems to regularly be exposed to germs and such and the current obsession with hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps and such is causing more problems than it is solving. Especially with regards to super bugs that are becoming resistant.

 

I guess I am just really curious what the motivation is and if you see any significant difference from being so careful. The few people who I know in real life who are so concerned are sick all the time but it's a small sample.

 

And I am not talking about bed bugs. I am terrified about those too :( yuck!

 

There are a couple of germophobes in my extended family and they're always the sick ones! But regardless, I think this is a matter of being able to relax and enjoy your vacation to the max.

 

I think we need to review Bedbug Protocol! (being on the Bedbug Registry doesn't mean bedbugs are a problem today -- a good hotel will stay on top of the problem. NOT being on the registry isn't an assurance of anything either. The bedbugs could arrive tomorrow!)

 

You lift up the sheets along the edge of the mattress, and look in the seams near the top. Look for these little bitty black things. Also check in the drawers. (some people check behind picture frames but I've never done that) Do this BEFORE bringing any of your luggage into the room. To me, bedbug-proofing your pillows wouldn't mean much to me if they can still hop in your luggage or what-all.

 

With all the antibiotic resistant infections that I keep reading about, I certainly don't blame anyone for wanting some peace of mind!

 

One place you might want to check for the Clorox stuff -- there are a few convenience type kiosks in the Orlando Airport. Might want to check that out. Good luck!

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Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

 

Well you do know you all are silly, right? ... Bronchitis is not passed by pillows, particularly not when you have clean pillow cases on them.

 

 

Are you guys mostly questioning the use of Lysol or the pillow thing? I wouldn't use Lysol or Clorox wipes because they bring on asthma attacks. I'm not really worried about germs, and I'm anti-hand sanitizer. LOL. I use dust covers on pillows though because I have severe dust allergies. We usually stay in nicer hotels, and the pillows don't bother my allergies. But I have been stuck in other hotels where the pillow *was* an issue. :tongue_smilie: It is easy enough to travel with an allergy pillow case.

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For me it has nothing to do with getting sick. It has to do with body fluids, dust mites, lice, bed bugs, drool.:ack2: We are also going to Disney in a few months and I was trying to decide how to approach the hotels.

 

For the record, it's not just the pillows. The beds and blankets are just as gross to me, but I can't exactly pack my own sheets and blankets. If I could, I would.

 

We have dust mite/bed bug covers on all our pillows due to allergies which I will be bringing with us to cover the pillows at the hotel.

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For me it has nothing to do with getting sick. It has to do with body fluids, dust mites, lice, bed bugs, drool.:ack2: We are also going to Disney in a few months and I was trying to decide how to approach the hotels.

 

For the record, it's not just the pillows. The beds and blankets are just as gross to me, but I can't exactly pack my own sheets and blankets. If I could, I would.

 

We have dust mite/bed bug covers on all our pillows due to allergies which I will be bringing with us to cover the pillows at the hotel.

 

I think Bed, Bath & Beyond carries this "sleep sack" thing that you can use in the bed. My recollection of hearing about it was that it's lightweight but keeps you away from things like comforters etc.

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For me it has nothing to do with getting sick. It has to do with body fluids, dust mites, lice, bed bugs, drool.:ack2: We are also going to Disney in a few months and I was trying to decide how to approach the hotels.

 

For the record, it's not just the pillows. The beds and blankets are just as gross to me, but I can't exactly pack my own sheets and blankets. If I could, I would.

 

We have dust mite/bed bug covers on all our pillows due to allergies which I will be bringing with us to cover the pillows at the hotel.

My FIL was exactly like this post.

 

MIL solved the problem by buying an RV. ;) FIL will happily drive (rather than fly) anywhere for vacation as a result. It makes MORE WORK for MIL with cooking, cleaning, & laundry on the road. But it solved his germ-a-phobe issues.

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Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation? I just have never ever not once tied an illness to a hotel visit although it is possible. I am not a germaphobe but I am married to one but even he has never worried about some of the things mentioned on this thread. The thing is as I understand it, it is important for our immune systems to regularly be exposed to germs and such and the current obsession with hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps and such is causing more problems than it is solving. Especially with regards to super bugs that are becoming resistant.

 

I guess I am just really curious what the motivation is and if you see any significant difference from being so careful. The few people who I know in real life who are so concerned are sick all the time but it's a small sample.

 

And I am not talking about bed bugs. I am terrified about those too :( yuck!

:iagree:

 

I am amazed at the number of posts her that are encouraging this. Requiring a hotel to provide new pillows still in their packaging? Bringing pillows in suitcases? I really, really don't think this is normal behavior. I understand we all have our own issues, but some of the germaphobes here in this thread are encouraging their entire family to take part in protecting themselves from something most people don't think twice about.

 

I think if someone has issues about using a hotel's pillows, for example, maybe she should just figure a way she can get comfortable with it. Maybe just mom brings her own pillow. I don't understand spreading this concern to the whole family and encouraging them to be fussy travelers. I just see this as causing a bunch of kids to be high-maintenance travelers.

 

I do get the bed bug concerns. I think that is a common concern and cause for vigilance. Spraying Lyson? Putting TV remotes in a plastic bag? Your kids are watching. Do you really want them to copy this one day? :confused:

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:iagree:

 

I am amazed at the number of posts her that are encouraging this. Requiring a hotel to provide new pillows still in their packaging? Bringing pillows in suitcases? I really, really don't think this is normal behavior. I understand we all have our own issues, but some of the germaphobes here in this thread are encouraging their entire family to take part in protecting themselves from something most people don't think twice about.

 

I think if someone has issues about using a hotel's pillows, for example, maybe she should just figure a way she can get comfortable with it. Maybe just mom brings her own pillow. I don't understand spreading this concern to the whole family and encouraging them to be fussy travelers. I just see this as causing a bunch of kids to be high-maintenance travelers.

 

I do get the bed bug concerns. I think that is a common concern and cause for vigilance. Spraying Lyson? Putting TV remotes in a plastic bag? Your kids are watching. Do you really want them to copy this one day? :confused:

 

 

Whether or not the content of this thread rises to the level of "not normal" depends on the presence of this behavior in other areas, and if it effects their daily life and functioning. Being sensitive about the residuals of former guests in a hotel could be a funny quirk - or it could be another symptom of a larger, more pervasive issue.

 

I do agree with the concern of essentially making the same decision for others in the family. Insisting that others make similar concessions and changes could be inappropriate.

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Whether or not the content of this thread rises to the level of "not normal" depends on the presence of this behavior in other areas, and if it effects their daily life and functioning. Being sensitive about the residuals of former guests in a hotel could be a funny quirk - or it could be another symptom of a larger, more pervasive issue.

 

I do agree with the concern of essentially making the same decision for others in the family. Insisting that others make similar concessions and changes could be inappropriate.

 

Yes, Joanne. I see what you're saying here. Well stated.

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I guess in a situation like this I try to realize that there are MILLIONS OF PEOPLE who stay in hotels every day without special pillows and DON'T GET SICK.

 

Yes, I do consider myself a germaphobe.

 

It's not always fear of getting sick. In this case, for example, it is sharing intimate space with the residuals of strangers. I don't share the OP's issue or those who posted with empathy, but I "get it".

 

Scientifically, the getting sick arguement is hard to support in terms of hotel rooms - although the remote is going to be the most germ-laden item. :)

 

We have mixed strong feelings at one of my job settings, ranging from sanitizer advocates who use it regularly and routinely and who wipe doornobs and lightswitches with clorox wipes to those who believe this is not only unnecessary but harmful. Makes for interesting work.

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Being too clean can cause problems too. Tue chemicals in Lysol and Clorox wipes are not great for you. You need exposure to germs as was already stated. Just take a pillow case for you amd let the rest of the family decide for themselves.

 

[/b]

Ok I am really not trying to be snarky. But those of you who are this worried about touching anything anyone else has ever touched, do you find you are rarely sick? Is that the motivation? I just have never ever not once tied an illness to a hotel visit although it is possible. I am not a germaphobe but I am married to one but even he has never worried about some of the things mentioned on this thread. The thing is as I understand it, it is important for our immune systems to regularly be exposed to germs and such and the current obsession with hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps and such is causing more problems than it is solving. Especially with regards to super bugs that are becoming resistant.

 

I guess I am just really curious what the motivation is and if you see any significant difference from being so careful. The few people who I know in real life who are so concerned are sick all the time but it's a small sample.

 

And I am not talking about bed bugs. I am terrified about those too :( yuck!

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Are you guys mostly questioning the use of Lysol or the pillow thing?
Both.

Any amusement park that caters to young children is going to be full of body fluids and germs. I would more want to Lysol down every ride before we sat down, wipe down the tables and chairs at restaurants, wash every time we touched a handrail, etc.

Knowing I couldn't do all this, I would just say a prayer, take some extra vitamins, drink lots of water, make sure we wash our hands often - and certainly before eating anything - and hope for the best.

A hotel remote really isn't going to have many more germs than, say, the seat belt buckle on a ride at Disney where thousands of people a day are fastening and unfastening it.

My child is severely allergic to peanuts. I can't put him in a bubble and protect him from all peanut residue. I look at germs the same way. We wash our hands often. We keep our hands away from our face. That has prevented DS from having any major reactions to peanuts.

Like I said earlier, I am really paranoid of germs. But I love to travel and I don't want my germ phobia to get in the way. I look where the biggest risks are and avoid those - handrails, doorknobs, buttons, etc.

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I guess in a situation like this I try to realize that there are MILLIONS OF PEOPLE who stay in hotels every day without special pillows and DON'T GET SICK.

 

Yes, I do consider myself a germaphobe.

 

It's not always fear of getting sick. In this case, for example, it is sharing intimate space with the residuals of strangers. I don't share the OP's issue or those who posted with empathy, but I "get it".

 

It's not the germs. It's the fact that MANY people have gotten busy on that bed. Their potty training kids have peed on that bed. I'm sure they've been puked on. God knows what else on them. Blah. As a kid, we stayed in motels while on vacation and came home with lice. Twice. I have been forever scarred by that.

 

And no, I am absolutely not like that at home. I am not a germaphobe at all. I don't even own lysol. I just really really hate sleeping in beds that thousands of complete strangers have slept in. It's disgusting.

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I haven't read the whole thread but I know how to get lysol. You can walk to a Goodings grocery store from Downtown Disney. So a disney bus to downtown disney. You leave downtown Disney by the giant toy store and cross to the road that goes between all the off site hotels. The Hilton should be on your right. At the end of this road there are a lot of restaurants and a shopping center. Goodings which is owned by Winn Dixie is there.

 

A taxi to Goodings will work too.;) I am a real germophobe too. We travel a lot. I do my best but can not do everything. Make your best start then sit back and enjoy the trip.

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