1. The ice bucket. This innocuous looking container is oh so handy for a cheeky gin and tonic in your room of a happy hour, but make sure you always use the plastic bag that should be inside. Why? What is the first thing a guest grabs for when they need to throw up?
2. The bedspread. I hate bedspreads and those cutesy little throw rugs that are often draped over the foot of the bed. Why? Because they are hardly ever washed. I read once that most hotels only launder their quilts and covers about every six months. Think of all the bare bottoms that have sat on there before you! I whip those things off quick smart. The double-sheeted duvet is your only assurance that all is crispy clean.
3. The TV remote. Let's face it, if you're a hotel cleaner how thorough are you possibly able to be in the time frame you have. Exactly. TV remotes and telephones are not likely to get more than a cursory wipe or even a look in, so pick them up at your peril. Or take your own disinfectant wipes and give them a good going over.
4. The drinking glass. I always assumed that water or wine glasses in hotel rooms were replaced if the cleaner finds them used. But someone told me once that if you don't see fresh glasses on the cleaning trolly parked in the hallway, then they aren't. The most likely scenario is they are wiped with a cloth (goodness knows what else that has wiped) and put back in place.
5. The carpet. If you're fastidious about cleanliness then you won't want to do the white sock test. That is, put on a pair of white socks and slide your feet all over your hotel room - and bathroom - and check the results. There's nothing more revolting than hair that doesn't belong to you stuck to your feet.
