Hotel blankets and comforters are among the grossest things on Earth

Friends,

The next time you decide to snuggle under a blanket at a hotel, AirBnB, condo, resort, or bed and breakfast know that you are exposing yourself to all number of germs and dried bodily fluids stained into that never cleaned material. Licking a sidewalk may be more hygienic than touching a hotel's blanket or comforter.

I stay in hotels or rented rooms approximately 30 nights each year. Before arrival at every single one I give the management very simple instructions: Be sure not to place a comforter, blanket, bedspread, duvet cover, quilt, or coverlet on my bed after the freshly cleaned sheets have been made. There are many names for these soiled schleppers. I advise you to be forceful with staff ahead of time and go through the complete list of names, as the bedspread takes on many different names, depending on the region in which you will be staying.

Hotels never tell you that they do not wash these covers and blankets. Perhaps one good thing that can come from the covid19 pandemic is that hotels are now being forced to show their hands regarding these filthy fomites. I received an email from one hotel chain advising me that blankets and the such would not be available due to risk of disease spread. The natural question is why wasn't this the policy always?

I understand why hotels have used bedspreads and those sneaky decorative pillowcases. They give a room a finished and cohesive look. The awe factor of entering a room with plain white cotton sheets is not as great as that of entering a room with a bed hidden by a fancy bed set. But lazy and easily manipulated Americans are swayed by such superficial appearances. Not I.

Again, friends, it is imperative that you tell management ahead of time not to allow the spreads to enter the room after the beds are made with linens. Do not wait until you arrive because by then it's too late. The only way you remedy that state is to have them remove all the sheets and remake your bed with fresh linens -- a demand that will not win you any friends at the hotel, and we all need as many friends as we can have.

Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU