It's titled: 10 Hotel Health Traps You Should Really Be Aware Of
I can personally attest that very item listed in the article is spot on. While most reputable hotels take precautions to ensure the health of their guests, you should always be aware that these health traps exist at the least some of the time in virtually every hotel.
Here is the article, republished from RN Central.com
Getting away from it all, having someone else clean up after you, and not having to worry about the daily grind all seem like awesome reasons to spend a few nights in a hotel. Or maybe you travel for business and are a regular visitor to hotels. No matter the reason you are staying in a hotel, there are important health traps you should know about in order to protect yourself. From ice buckets to swimming pools to filthy carpet, there arehealth dangers lurking in places you might not have expected. Read on to find about these hidden health hazards.
- Ice buckets. These little gems are often overlooked for cleaning. Apparently, it is common for hotel guests to use the empty ice buckets for a vomit container, then they are simply rinsed with water and put back on the counter top. Housekeeping staff may glance at the bucket and think it is clean, but in reality, it is not. These containers with remnants of vomit can spread norovirus, among other diseases.
- Bed bugs. The prevalence of bed bugs at hotels of all caliber has become a recent concern. Bed bugs live in mattresses, carpet, and wooden furniture and are easily introduced into the room via guests' luggage and clothing. They feed on human blood and leave itchy welts. While these bugs don't necessarily transmit disease, they are extremely difficult to eliminate and are easily brought home. Check your room for tale-tell signs of bed bugs such as dark spots on the sheets or on furniture and pay a visit to sites such as the The Bedbug Registry, which tracks bed bug infestations.
- Hot tubs. The warm, moist environment of a hot tub acts as a perfect breeding ground for a number of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. While most hotels do keep the water clean and chlorinated, the problem comes in when the pipes themselves are not regularly cleaned, leaving a perfect place for these infection-causing agents to thrive. Skin problems, and sometimes, lung infections can result from spending time in an infected hot tub.
- Buffet. Buffets provide a convenient way to serve lots of hotel guests with fewer servers than in a typical restaurant setting. Despite the convenience, there are some risks inherent in leaving food sitting out. If cold food is kept properly chilled and hot food properly warmed, the risk of food-borne illness is reduced. However, the recommended times for leaving warm food out include 15 minutes for vegetables and 30 minutes for meat, poultry, fish, and casserole foods. Chances are good, especially if you are visiting the buffet during an off time, that the food on the buffet has been sitting out longer than those recommendations. Another risk with buffet foods is when guests who may be ill sneeze or cough on food, leaving behind germs that can easily infect the next person who comes in contact with that food.
To read the remaining 6 Hotel Health Traps, click here..
