For many, the holiday season means traveling over the meadow and through the woods to visit friends and family. According to HotWire.com, more Americans are expected to travel throughout the 2013 Holiday season, paying 3 percent more for Thanksgiving hotel stays and 4 percent more for Christmas hotel stays, when compared to 2012 costs. But whether you choose the Four Seasons or Super 8, every traveler has the right to ask for a new room, especially if they find signs that the hotel might not have been cleaned properly. Here are some tips for holiday travelers from Aftermath Inc. Crime Scene Cleanup.
Andrew Whitmarsh, Operations Safety & Compliance Manager at Aftermath, has found more often than not that hotels do not perform a full remediation of a room after a biohazard event, such as unattended death, suicide or even severe injury. Although the EPA recommends the removal of any porous materials, such as carpet, following contamination of blood or bodily fluid, some hotels attempt to clean the blood or bodily fluids in order to avoid remodeling costs.
In order to stay safe during a hotel stay, Andrew shared 5 warning signs of a potential biohazard and reasons to ask for a new room:
Stained carpeting, sheets or towels – Porous materials that have come in contact with blood/body fluids should be discarded and replaced. Even if sheets or towels smell clean, stains are red flags that the hotel does not hold high cleaning standards. Many hotels will use a carpet shampooer to remove blood. This process does not disinfect the area; in fact, infectious diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV or MRSA can be spread throughout the room and pose grave health hazards.
Damp carpeting – Carpets are not shampooed between each guests’ stay, so you should question why it was cleaned.
Discoloration of the bathroom tile and/or grout – Often, a hotel’s maintenance or cleaning crew is not properly trained or equipped to handle blood or bodily fluids. Bloods seeps in between tiles, so discoloration can be a sign that bodily fluids that have pooled underneath and were not properly cleaned.
Strong deodorizing scent – A strong odor (or deodorizing scent) in your room signals that the staff or previous guest made an effort to cover up another odor. The question is, what caused the original smell, and is the origin of the smell a potential health hazard? If you notice a strong bleach smell, don’t assume that the room has been thoroughly sanitized. Bleach must be diluted properly with water (1:9 ratio). Many people overestimate the amount of bleach that needs to be used, leaving it ineffective in fighting viruses and bacteria.
Stains around the toilet – If you notice discoloration on or around the toilet, this is a clear warning that the area, and potentially the rest of the room, has not been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
If you encounter any of these warning signs, contact the hotel’s front desk and request a new room. Everyone is entitled to safety against biohazards, and has the right to stay in a clean and safe environment.
"Zach was compassionate, professional, caring and easy to work with, yet clear with what he needed to do and conscious of safety. His crew were equally caring and professional."
Peggy H. -
Chicago, IL
"Aftermath was very professional and completed the work in a timely and efficient manner. I would recommend them to future clients because of my experience with the professional work done during this stressful time. Good job, Jennifer. "
Michael G. -
Boulder, CO
"Aftermath team made a very hard event much easier. Without them, I do not know how I would have made it through this. Corry went above and beyond my expectations. She was much more than the lead and for that I am more than thankful."
Christopher R. -
Tallahassee, FL
"My father passed away and was left unattended for a few days with His two dogs in the house. We called aftermath on a recommendation from the local police department. John and his team were so helpful, thoughtful and professional throughout this difficult process. They even helped us load my father’s Harley into our trailer because we didn’t have a ramp. John stood with us while his team worked and let us reminisce about our father with him. The team went through everything in the house and saved everything that they could for us. During this incredibly difficult time for us, they put our minds at ease knowing that they would take care of cleaning the house completely and thoroughly. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, john and team.
"
Jessica S. -
Tennessee
"Jason and Ryan went above and beyond any expectations in my time of grief. They are professional, courteous and experts in their field of work. They performed all work quickly and professionally. I would highly recommend this company and these men to anyone. "
Erin R. -
Ashville, NC
"Aftermath was very professional and was able to accommodate the urgency in the situation. They explained the services and was able to relieve my worries as they dealt with the insurance company. Other companies were unable to take the job or handle the job with efficiency to get the ball moving. Since I was needing the job done in a small window of time."
Latoya G. -
Sacramento, CA
"The service, communication, and level of professionalism from Alex and Greg was amazing. They made an extremely difficult time bearable and easy to navigate. They took on having to figure out all the logistics and allowed me to focus on other priorities without having to worry about what they were doing. "
