Natalia

There was mention of your thread on the Europe board, that is why I referred to the toothbrush incident. Sorry if it insulted you, to each his/her own, if you want to take sheets that is fine.

My quirk is that I will not use washcloths from hotels, I know where people have had them before me, and it makes me want to gag.

fiona

No I don't take bed linen but I do take my own toilet seat!

rb_travelerxATyahoo

As the first one to reply to your post, the "stealing the sheets" was a tongue-in-cheek" wiseguy crack - I guess I should have used a smiley.

I don't think anything wrong, but I do consider it a bit strange. I've always found higher quality linen in higher quality hotels, and adequate bed linen in the "economy" (eg: Motel6) hotels. I don't take time to "inspect", but if a sheet were ripped, or obviously not clean, I would want that situation corrected, but other than that, I don't worry about it. I do think the comparison made about bed linens to bath linens is a valid one.

To each their own, really. As you stated, "Good nights of sleep are worth the trouble". (I get grossed at nail clippings the broom/vacuum missed)

suze

I find the things people choose to fixate on absolutely fascinating. Though somewhat inconsistent!

Willing to use towels, but not a washcloth or bedsheets provided.

Removing the bedspread, but sitting on an upholstered chair in the room.

Not willing to reuse your own toothbrush or comb that has dropped on the floor, but eating in restaurants (as a former waitress I will spare you these gory details).

Marilyn

suze, as I have said on another thread, we are very naive about the amount of bacteria we are exposed to every day in so many ways. And it doesn't kill us, or even make us sick most of the time.

Natalia

To me it is the idea of what an object has been through that turns me off, not so much what is really on it.

I know a washcloth washes more intimate places of the previous guest than a towel does, and sometimes they just don't look like they have been washed in hot enough water, and I just don't want to wash my face with it.

I wouldnt sit naked on a hotel room chair or on the bedspread, I give the sheets the benefit of the doubt, but I have seen dirty pillow cases. In one instance I turned over the pillow in a hotel room and it had splotches of blood on it.

In a nice restaurant in Mexico City I found a rat dropping on my plate so I have some idea what goes on in restaurant kitchens, but I would rather not know.

memee

What about when you visit a friend/relative and are their houseguest? Same craziness?

Marilyn

Frankly, I don't know why people bother with washcloths. I gave them up as soon as I figured out that washing myself with my hands worked just as well. What a great invention: Your Hands!! -- you can clean them yourself and never have to worry about not knowing where they've been!

Melnq8

Fussy -

I travel alot, but it's never occurred to me to take my own sheets. Different strokes....

I do, however, remove the bedspread on hotel beds the minute I check in. Every since I saw a story on some news program about the state of most hotel bedspreads, I can't stand the thought of touching one. Maybe it was Diane Sawyer who did the story(?)

suze

hey Marilyn, I'm sure some will find this strange behaviour for some reason or other ... but I too am of the washcloth-free pursuasion. Your own two hands ... what a concept! Less to pack & like you mentioned, you know where they've been ~LOL.

Marilyn

Glad you agree Suze. It's been a whole day since my post and I've been waiting to be slammed for being unhygenic, disgusting, ewwww, how could you, etc. I have a feeling there are plenty of people out there who consider washcloths superfluous.

suze

well Marilyn, Since *my* reputation is already ruined as a person who would in fact pick up their toothbrush off the floor (which I would never need to do because I always pack a spare BTW!) I figured I have nothing to lose~ haha. Talk about gross, is washing yourself with a soggy ole rag!!

FainaAgain

Don't you girls bring your own sponges? I seem always to have them too many, getting them in all bath sets. I just use them and toss before going home so I don't have to bother to dry. If I move from hotel to hotel I just leave them for a while on the counter with a hairdryer on. For me to use a hotel-provided cloth is the same as to use somebody's toothbrush. And no, I don't bring my own sheets

Marilyn

Nope. Don't use a sponge or a washcloth. Don't use one at home, don't use one when traveling. Haven't used anything like that since I was probably about 16. As a considerate hostess, I do have some in my linen closet for house guests -- that's it.

sandi

Thankfully we're off the subject of sheets, but I do use washcloths and love them. I use plenty of plush, soft cloths at home and they air dry with no odors.

For traveling I use inexpensive cloths from Bed Bath & Beyond (seconds of the same hi-quality above, that might have a thread pull) and simply toss them when leaving one hotel onto the next. Half-dozen cloths certainly take up less room than sheets and don't weigh anything.

There is nothing wrong with hands, and I use them often, but for my bath or shower I go with washcloths.

If the issue is bacteria, there are way too many things that can "get us" - and we all seem to still be here and healthy. I'd sooner worry about the air out there?

lucky03

Dear fussy traveler: I'm all for cleanliness but I don't understand the rationale of travelling with bedsheets...what next? inflatable furniture because upholstered furniture has been tainted...do you spray everything in your hotel with Lysol? Do you not handle door knobs unless gloved? And restaurants...God only knows how the food was hqandled or mishandled! Perhaps you should travel with a bubble type encasement. Sorry, I'm not making fun, but what's the worse that can happen if the sheets are a little tattered?

ll

One good thing about hands: They are always with you, no running back into the house in the last minute, searching and frantically asking yourself: "Where did I put those darn thngs? When did I last see them?" etc.

igemini48

Dear Fussy..would you like it or not but you do have a phobia(my professional opinion as a hypnotherapist) If you would like to get rid of it find NLP therapist in your ares and in a half an hour-yes, that's how long it takes) you will be free and concentrate on more beautiful things in life.
My best wishes,,,
btw don't even try to tell me that you have had any problems in any hotels in any parts of Germany...no, I live in NYC.;-)

ethannadine

I've worked at a hotel, and a lot of people bring their own pillows. I can't blame you for bringing your own sheets because sheets in hotels are washed in bulk and fast-dried-pressed while wet. And imagine how many other people have drooled over them pillows hehehe... and the stuff people do on top of sheets!!!

Marie

NYCFoodSnob

Marilyn, I can't believe you didn't tell me about this fun thread. Beats dealing with the two, dull D's and now the "little" one over in Europe.

Fussy..congratulations, dear! You made me chuckle. I'm sorry to hear you've had such bad luck with pricey hosts. I haven't but, I love my sheets so much, I do think about taking them. Unfortunately, some piece of camera equipment takes priority. I do take my pillows, though. Not only are they great padding in my luggage they help the quality of my sleep and prevent neck aches.

I could tell you lots of luggage ingredient secrets of celebrities but then they wouldn't travel with me. Sorry, I'm not about to end that fun.