Anyone else as neurotic as us?

[Happy HALer]

My wife and I always wipe everything in our cabin with antibacterial wipes. We wipe the inside of drawers, counters, tub, toilet, counters, just about everything we might touch or set something on. We skip the floor, but we usually don't walk on it barefoot either. This usually takes us about 10 minutes. It is easier for us to relax after we do this.

 

After reading recent posts regarding the soiled under garment in the closet and the dirty glass, I don't think we will do less cleaning on our upcoming cruise. Anyone else do something similar? Have any tips?

[jtl513]

We don't go to those extremes, but during NLV "season" we wipe down everything commonly touched in the area of our airplane seats ... and don't read any of their magazines.

[PennyAgain]

The more I travel, the more of this I do! I don't put my clothes into the drawers unless they are in another container. I learned that after finding a pair of shoes (not mine) in a hotel room drawer when I was looking around for storage.

 

My own doc told me that he has cut down on infections in his family by insisting on doing this!

 

A few minutes of effort really pays off as far as I'm concerned.

 

That siad, a cruise ship bedroom is usually cleaner than a typical hotel room.

[Happy HALer]

The more I travel, the more of this I do! I don't put my clothes into the drawers unless they are in another container. I learned that after finding a pair of shoes (not mine) in a hotel room drawer when I was looking around for storage.

 

My own doc told me that he has cut down on infections in his family by insisting on doing this!

 

A few minutes of effort really pays off as far as I'm concerned.

 

That siad, a cruise ship bedroom is usually cleaner than a typical hotel room.

 

Don't even get me started on the disgusting things I have seen in hotel rooms.

[osiebosie]

No, not yet.

 

But I am finding that the older I get, the more germophobic I get, which is not much. My philosophy is, "it hasn't killed me yet", and if it's fairly clean looking, I'm pretty okay with it.

 

Shay

[inai]

I wipe down the usual items that are touched frequently, like the TV remote, phone, counters, door and cabinet handles and Lysol the entire bathroom and floor.

[hammybee]

I have to say it never once dawned on me to sanitize my cabin.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I was a flight attendant for an international airline for seven years. I have developed immunities to almost every virus, germ, and bacterium known to exist on Planet Earth........;) There is nothing more disgusting than an airplane after a 15-hour flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong:eek: So no, I don't worry in the least bit about my HAL cabin. It's absolutely sterile compared to what I've seen!!!! ;-)

 

Karin

[hammybee]

I was a flight attendant for an international airline for seven years. I have developed immunities to almost every virus, germ, and bacterium known to exist on Planet Earth........;) There is nothing more disgusting than an airplane after a 15-hour flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong:eek: So no, I don't worry in the least bit about my HAL cabin. It's absolutely sterile compared to what I've seen!!!! ;-)

 

Karin

 

Karin, I immediately thought of airplanes when I first read this thread. My two bouts with the noro virus( imposed weight loss program) were acquired, during flights.

[GmaPajama]

I am definitely neurotic on airplanes and in hotel rooms. Not so on HAL, as we've never found our cabin to be less than spotless. I've mentioned here before that I caught a terrible flu on an airplane a few months back. I was sick for 3 weeks, and have now purchased disposable face masks to use the next time I'm seated in front of a sneezer. At first I wondered what people might think if I actually wear one - but now realize I don't care what anyone thinks. No 3 weeks of illness is worth trying to appear polite.

[hammybee]

I am definitely neurotic on airplanes and in hotel rooms. Not so on HAL, as we've never found our cabin to be less than spotless. I've mentioned here before that I caught a terrible flu on an airplane a few months back. I was sick for 3 weeks, and have now purchased disposable face masks to use the next time I'm seated in front of a sneezer. At first I wondered what people might think if I actually wear one - but now realize I don't care what anyone thinks. No 3 weeks of illness is worth trying to appear polite.

 

I sometimes think that in the not too distant future, we may all look back upon the days when we flew sans mask and plastic gloves.

[janmcn]

I'm assuming you carry wipes and wipe down your coins, bills, etc., too? While you're at it, make sure to wipe the bannister, the number you push on the elevator, the counter you put your hands on in the store, the arms of the chair you sit in in the theater, etc.

As a bacteriologist, I know there are places where more germs lurk than the inside of my drawers on a ship.

There are more places you'll catch things than where you're wiping. Lighten up and don't worry about it so much!

Enjoy your trips!

Jan

[bermuda triangle]

Don't forget to wear flip flops in the shower to prevent athletes foot. I have been doing that in hotels for a while, I also did on my last cruise...

 

However I don't sanitize the cabin.

 

Laura

[Happy HALer]

I'm assuming you carry wipes and wipe down your coins, bills, etc., too? While you're at it, make sure to wipe the bannister, the number you push on the elevator, the counter you put your hands on in the store, the arms of the chair you sit in in the theater, etc.

As a bacteriologist, I know there are places where more germs lurk than the inside of my drawers on a ship.

There are more places you'll catch things than where you're wiping. Lighten up and don't worry about it so much!

Enjoy your trips!

Jan

 

So, I believe with your post, you are saying you are not as neurotic as me. That is fine. It would be much easier if I was the same. I am just more comfortable knowing some things are clean. If I can spend 10 minutes at the start of cruise to obtain a more relaxed vacation, I am fine with it.

 

Nothing anyone can say will change our behavior and I was not asking to be chastised. I was just wondering if there were others of a similar mind.

 

I guess the hand sanitizer on the ships are a waste of time?

[jtl513]

I'm assuming you carry wipes and wipe down your coins, bills, etc., too? While you're at it, make sure to wipe the bannister, the number you push on the elevator, the counter you put your hands on in the store, the arms of the chair you sit in in the theater, etc.

As a bacteriologist, I know there are places where more germs lurk than the inside of my drawers on a ship.

There are more places you'll catch things than where you're wiping. Lighten up and don't worry about it so much!

Enjoy your trips!

Jan

On our Dec Veendam cruise the Captain discouraged all hand-shaking, and encouraged using elbow-touching instead. He also encouraged elbow use other places as well. It must have helped, because the cruise before us had a dozen NLV cases and we had none.

[Happy HALer]

Don't forget to wear flip flops in the shower to prevent athletes foot. I have been doing that in hotels for a while, I also did on my last cruise...

 

However I don't sanitize the cabin.

 

Laura

 

I find it easier to sanitize the tub for 3 minutes than spend 11 days wearing flip flops in the shower. I do wear flip flops in the rain forest showers in the thermal suite.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We don't clean anything in the cabin.

 

But on airplanes we try not to touch too many things.

[bermuda triangle]

I find it easier to sanitize the tub for 3 minutes than spend 11 days wearing flip flops in the shower. I do wear flip flops in the rain forest showers in the thermal suite.

 

I'd rather wear flip flops..antibacterial wipes don't kill everything and I live in flip flops, but to each his or her own.

 

Laura

[Sundagger]

So, I believe with your post, you are saying you are not as neurotic as me. That is fine. It would be much easier if I was the same. I am just more comfortable knowing some things are clean. If I can spend 10 minutes at the start of cruise to obtain a more relaxed vacation, I am fine with it.

 

Nothing anyone can say will change our behavior and I was not asking to be chastised. I was just wondering if there were others of a similar mind.

 

I guess the hand sanitizer on the ships are a waste of time?

While there are many, many potential sources of infection, sanitizing your cabin reduces the number of possible sources. If you don't get carried away and do it every day, the time is well-spent.

 

The hand sanitizers on ships are worthwhile. They do not kill Norovirus, but do kill other possible sources of infection. Not all intestinal maladies on a ship are caused by Norovirus.

 

Regarding Norovirus, the CDC says:

How to prevent getting and spreading noroviruses

• Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food. Wash hands more often when someone in your home is sick. For hand washing tips, click on the following link: www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Handwashing/HandwashingTips.htm
  
• Avoid shaking hands during outbreaks.
  
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with handwashing

[sijid]

It's my general belief that we over-sanitize, thus making us more susceptible to stray germs (no immunity build-up), so I don't do the anti-bacterial thing on the ship. However, I've gotten sick so many times after plane trips, that I now make sure I take Airborne before every flight. It's worked so far.

[Copper10-8]

My wife and I always wipe everything in our cabin with antibacterial wipes. We wipe the inside of drawers, counters, tub, toilet, counters, just about everything we might touch or set something on. We skip the floor, but we usually don't walk on it barefoot either. This usually takes us about 10 minutes. It is easier for us to relax after we do this.

 

After reading recent posts regarding the soiled under garment in the closet and the dirty glass, I don't think we will do less cleaning on our upcoming cruise. Anyone else do something similar? Have any tips?

 

I work with a guy just like you. He will not place his feet without shoes on the locker room floor. Stands on the bench to put his trousers on and then carefully sits down to put his boots on. It's pretty interesting to watch him go through his routine. In the supervisor's office, he will wipe the phone down before using same. Always has a paper napkin handy to pick up the phone when someone's calling. All very interesting!

But to answer your question, no, we don't do that in our cabin and/or in a hotel room!;)

[Happy HALer]

I work with a guy just like you. He will not place his feet without shoes on the locker room floor. Stands on the bench to put his trousers on and then carefully sits down to put his boots on. It's pretty interesting to watch him go through his routine. In the supervisor's office, he will wipe the phone down before using same. Always has a paper napkin handy to pick up the phone when someone's calling. All very interesting!

 

But to answer your question, no, we don't do that in our cabin and/or in a hotel room!;)

 

Hey Copper,

 

I may be neurotic, but not as neurotic as your coworker. Not knowing who was just in the cabin, whether they were sick or not, etc... I just like to take some extra care to not get sick while cruising. I also wash my hands more frequently than at home and I use the hand sanitizer before dining. This is all helpful in reducing the risk of a ruined vacation for me and possibly others.

 

And, don't be sneaking your hands into the ice machine in the steward's pantry. I don't know where your hands have been, but I have some suspicians.:) :D :) I know sometimes you like to fill up that inflatable ice bucket.

[Happy HALer]

It's my general belief that we over-sanitize, thus making us more susceptible to stray germs (no immunity build-up), so I don't do the anti-bacterial thing on the ship. However, I've gotten sick so many times after plane trips, that I now make sure I take Airborne before every flight. It's worked so far.

 

I am a believer in the Airborne also. I believe there is some validity in your point of over sanitizing. Just as there is in the over use of antibiotics.

 

We do not live our daily lives this way. We actually live a pretty organic life. Sanitation on a cruise ship is a much greater concern. Without increased sanitation measures, a ship could become a floating viral paradise filled with hundreds of fish chummers every cruise.:eek:

[Copper10-8]

Hey Copper,

 

I may be neurotic, but not as neurotic as your coworker. Not knowing who was just in the cabin, whether they were sick or not, etc... I just like to take some extra care to not get sick while cruising. I also wash my hands more frequently than at home and I use the hand sanitizer before dining. This is all helpful in reducing the risk of a ruined vacation for me and possibly others.

 

And, don't be sneaking your hands into the ice machine in the steward's pantry. I don't know where your hands have been, but I have some suspicians.:) :D :) I know sometimes you like to fill up that inflatable ice bucket.

 

Ain't nothing wrong with what you're doing, bud! The biggie on the ships is washing your hands after using the head. Never amazes me of the amount of folks who don't. Don't know what it is: lazyness? "I won't get sick". It only takes one bout of NLV:eek: - No day at the beach!

Oh, and I'll promise to stay out of the pantry for the ice!;)

[Sundagger]

It's my general belief that we over-sanitize, thus making us more susceptible to stray germs (no immunity build-up), so I don't do the anti-bacterial thing on the ship. However, I've gotten sick so many times after plane trips, that I now make sure I take Airborne before every flight. It's worked so far.

You are certainly free to believe whatever you'd like, but that doesn't make it a fact. There are many "germs" that exposure to/infection by does not grant long-term immunity. Sometimes due to strain variability, a person can have the same illness over and over, such as Norovirus, colds, herpes.

 

I posted my belief, based on facts, in an earlier thread concerning Airborne:

 

First, I make my decisions based on the scientific principle - basically that a theory (in this case a product) has to be shown effective in a reproducible study. Most "health supplements" don't meet that criteria. Airborne is a combination of vitamins (shown to be necessary for maintaining health) and herbs (most studies show that they are ineffective and some demonstrate that some herbs are detrimental to health).

 

As a "dietary supplement", Airborne does not need to be shown to do anything at all - there is essentially no regulation of supplements. If there were, Airborne would be shown to be hazardous to your health for at least a couple of ingredients. Vitamin A in the recommended dosage is toxic to your liver - the results may not be shown in a short period, but prolonged use, particularly for those people who believe that if a little Airborne is good for you, a lot is better, may have liver damage.

 

Airborne did have a "clinical trial" once upon a time. They have removed it from their website once it was shown to be absolutely ludicrous. There are no studies showing Airborne to be effective.

 

There is an article in Scientific American about Airborne:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?art...E657CAD1649375

 

Another article is in WebMD:

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/fe...-cold----maybe

 

It does quote a naturopathic "doctor" as saying Airborne might be effective. If you believe in naturopathy, you wouldn't believe anything I say anyway, so take that into consideration.

 

Finally, (although there are many, many articles about Airborne), the Wikipedia does give some basic history:( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_%28dietary_supplement%29 )

 

I personally take a multivitamin daily, stay hydrated, try to stay rested, wash frequently, and to whatever extent is feasible I avoid persons who are sneezing and coughing.