Say Goodbye to Hotel Room Glass Cups
The Hysterical and Hygienic Reason Why I Avoid Them
Staying in a hotel can be a luxurious and enjoyable experience, but have you ever thought about the cleanliness of the glass cups in your room? I know I never did, until I had an experience that made me rethink my approach to using glassware in hotels.
The Traffic Light Code
High season is a real challenge for hotel workers, especially the housekeeping staff who are often underpaid, underqualified, and struggle with the language barrier in their foreign work environment. At one of the hotels I worked at, there was a “Traffic Light Code” in place for the housekeeping staff. This meant that they were given 3 different colored sponges – green for washable glassware like glasses and tea sets, yellow for the lavatories and bathtubs, and red for the toilets. You can probably guess what happened next…
I was a Duty Manager and got called up to one room to check on something by one of the Floor Managers. While we were speaking about the reason that took us there (I can’t even remember what it was), one of the cleaning ladies was rushing to get the room ready. Usually, housekeepers get 15 minutes to clean each room, but during high season? That’s a complete other story, don’t let any fancy hotel manager tell you otherwise.
And that’s when my jaw hit the floor. The housekeeper pulled out the red sponge, the one reserved for toilets, and went straight to wiping down the glass cup where you probably left your tooth brush this morning. Talk about a wake-up call! My colleague and I had to quickly step in and remind her of the hotel’s “Traffic Light Code” – green sponges for glassware, yellow for the lavatory, and red for the toilet. Once she got the hang of it, she redid the cleaning, but it was a moment I’ll never forget.
This experience was a wake-up call for me, and I decided to make a change to protect my health during future hotel stays. Now, I am not saying this happens everywhere, but it happened once and I saw it. It made an impression on me. From that day forward, I refuse to drink from any glassware in a hotel room and instead I just bring along my own trusty reusable water bottle. I also opt for paper cups for drinking or brushing my teeth.
This small change has given me peace of mind, knowing that my health is not being compromised during my stays.
So, next time you’re packing for a hotel stay, don’t forget to bring along your reusable water bottle, disposable cups, and toothbrush and toothpaste. Say goodbye to the risk of drinking from a potentially germy glass.
Yours Truly,
Nola
