Hotel Manager Explains Why Bulk Toiletries In Your Room Aren't Safe - View from the Wing

by Gary Leff on August 2, 2023

Many hotel chains have moved from single use plastic toiletries to bulk wall-mounted toiletries. They say it’s for the environment, but it isn’t. If they just cared about reducing plastic, they’d move to single use biodegradable packaging. Instead these refillable bottles are cheaper. Bathroom Wc Toilet

There are (3) basic problems with this for the guest.

They don’t get refilled properly and when they do get refilled hotels are more likely to use counterfeit products. I’ve stayed in the same room at a hotel a week apart, where the shampoo was empty on my first stay – and still empty on my second.

They’re germ magnets. They simply aren’t sanitized by housekeeping. Here’s a National Institutes of Health study on bacterial contamination of bulk-soap-refillable dispensers.

And guests have been known to put stuff in them you wouldn’t want there. Even where there have been safeguarding locks in place I’ve had rooms where those weren’t locked. Here’s someone who replaced bathroom soap with bodily fluid. One hotel manager explains why the bulk toiletries in your room aren’t safe to use. Some hotels lock them down in tamper-proof housing. Many do not. And even where the housings exist, they aren’t always even locked. @travelinghotelmanager #travelinghotelmanager #dontusethese ♬ original sound – TravelingHotelManager The manager warns that you should always call down to the desk and ask for a fresh set of bottles, or individual mini-bottles if they have them. More From View from the Wing

One hotel manager explains why the bulk toiletries in your room aren’t safe to use. Some hotels lock them down in tamper-proof housing. Many do not. And even where the housings exist, they aren’t always even locked.

The manager warns that you should always call down to the desk and ask for a fresh set of bottles, or individual mini-bottles if they have them.

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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I take my own toiletries anyway. I never know whether I’ll be able to use what the hotel provides (fragrance sensitivities and allergies).

Hotels have to throw out the mini bottles whether you use them or not. So feel free to steal unused toiletries and use them when you wind up somewhere with that pesky thing you’re allergic to in the toiletries.

You can also donate them to a local homeless shelter. Many shelters love getting donations of hotel-sized miniatures because they’re perfect to give to people who come in just to take a shower. Toiletries Amnesty has a directory of places that accept donations. That way they don’t go to waste and somebody will appreciate them.

As for the bulk dispensers, yeah, I ain’t using those things. They strike me as way too hard to clean properly.

I don’t buy it. If you are a germaphobe, then bring your own soap. Bar soap contains bacteria but it is still safe to use because the soap removes the bacteria and viruses from your skin. I’m sure it is cheaper to have refillable soap, because it takes less energy to make the product. However, I do agree that they do not always refill them! Even when you tell them it is empty, they forget.

Germaphobe Gary is back. Please get counseling for your phobias instead of constantly raising them on here.

We have recently stayed where they switched to bulk shower products (Fairmont) and when the shampoo was almost out we just asked housekeeping for a new bottle and they handed it over and we swapped it ourselves (my husband figured out the “locking” mechanism).

Why can’t hotels switch to the soap dispensers they use in public bathrooms- the auto ones where you wave your hand under it? Saves on germs. Never understood the mini packets of bar soap, who uses bar soap to wash hands anymore?

I always check before I use the soap btw, like put some in my hand and smell it to discern if anything “extra” is in it, not fool proof but at least its something. I also always bring my own lotion and conditioner since those are things most critical to me.

Finally- re germs- I read once that Martha Stewart said she won’t stay in any hotel that doesn’t have a shower head and handheld shower sprayer since there is zero way to clean a shower properly without a movable handheld shower sprayer. I hadn’t thought about it but it makes sense. Why don’t all hotels do this too? Plus I hate rain shower heads since as a woman (and a lot of women probably agree) the rain shower head is a pain when you aren’t trying to wash your hair, and just trying to wash your body or shave legs etc.

I personally agree with Gary; I refuse to use the community soaps and shampoos. I have been buying them in bulk from the company that sells them to some Hyatt locations, Pharmacopia. They are the perfect travel size, decent quality products. If I stay at a property that still offers personal size, I take them with me and use them on a future stay that uses community products. I was unaware of the information Jennifer provided that homeless shelters could use them. Sometimes I end up with too many, which could be a good use for them.

https://pharmacopia.net/collections/hotel-collection-argan-soap?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=16820566695&utm_content=134902311989&utm_term=hyatt%20soap&gadid=592166314031&gclid=CjwKCAjw_aemBhBLEi wAT98FMrcCWCh87RVLfIP4rsCPrC2mqXZQCgBwlPTf4YzRWl_0ivFiRHj9exoCKyUQAvD_BwE

I don’t like the wall-mounted ones. Even remembering that TV show Hotel Impossible or Hotel Nightmares or whatever it was, the host Anthony hated those for the semen content of the conditioner.

In my airline days, to Jennifer’s great suggestion, our inflight and pilot groups did that. They had bins in the crew lounges for the pilots and flight attendants to leave their unopened extra hotel toiletries (and one F/A made an add-on and was successful at collecting feminine hygiene products too) for donation.

Gary: that study was not from the NIH, it was funded by Gojo whose entire business model is selling sealed soap refills. So it’s not exactly an unbiased source. It also doesn’t conclude that the bacteria is harmful, just thst it exists.

I travel with my own toiletries. A few places I have stayed have the bulk dispensers. In more than one instance they were empty and in a couple more they were nasty. Also, some dispensers are made in such a way that a person with small, or arthritic hands can’t operate them.

Certainly the large size wall mounted soap, shampoo and conditioner dispensers reduce costs. No argument there. I’m on the customer advisory board for a Marriott vacation club, which uses the brand standard dispensers found in most Marriott hotels. What your article cites is incorrect for these dispensers. They are NOT refilled. When the container is empty it is discarded and replaced. They are not refillable – they cannot be opened without damaging the dispenser. So the risks described in the article are inaccurate for Marriott (and based on recent Hilton and Hyatt stays for those chains as well). Germaphobes are welcome to bring their own stuff but for those of us who don’t, I see these dispensers as good for the environment (they use much less plastic than single use bottles) and economical.

@Mike. Not the same for all properties. Certainly, a sealed non, refillable container would be preferred, I still won’t use community products outside of hand soap, ironically that is the one individual-use item I still find in locations with community products.

Here is a link to the company that provides Hyatt with individual use and clearly refillable product. Not the same for all properties.

https://pharmacopia.net/collections/gallons

I have seen some very moldy hotel room toiletry dispensers, with the mold often collected on the underside of the pump and that too around where the soap/shampoo/conditioner comes squirting out. With such collections of mold around, it would be safe to presume that it’s a wonderful host for harmful bacterial growth too.

But even if the dispensers are maintained in a hygienic way, they are too often empty or so close to empty that I wouldn’t be surprised if fecal bacteria matter is more present in the hotel room with refillable soap dispensers than in the hotel room with single-use soap bars, all other things being (just about) equal.

I’ve looked into the automatic dispensers–and from what I’ve seen they aren’t suitable for use in a private room situation. The problem comes down to frequency of use–if they’re not used often enough they dry out and don’t work very well. Perhaps there are some that don’t have this problem but in what I read reviews on it was definitely an issue.

About the only people who think these are a good idea are hotel owners. I HATE them.

So, basically everything that everyone predicted would be the problems are in fact the problems with these bulk dispensers. So now I travel with my own mini bars of soap and my own travel-sized shampoo bottle. Not a huge deal, but they take up space, add weight, and add just one more irritating detail to take care of before heading out on a trip. I predict one of the major hotel chains will eventually re-discover the concept of “hospitality” and start using the individual soaps and shampoos again, to rave reviews from harried travelers looking just looking for an easy, worry-free lodging experience.

If I check into a hotel & find these, my first stop will be CVS to buy my own stuff.

California outlawed the individual bottles in the rooms. . Cali is going to Cali.

How disappointing. Everyone, let your voices be heard! Or, bring your own products that come in travel sizes available in many drug. & supermarkets. They’re inexpensive tool

I’ve seen “resort fee” describe including wonderful bulk mounted toiletries as a celebrated feature

BURT: What hotel have You stayed at that has a communal BAR SOAP. Dummie-dumb-dumb comment right there.

We’ve taken our own products for years! Even when the individuals were in room. The lotions & shower gels were only ones we ever used if we forgot. Thanks for the info!

Well if cali outlawed them it must be ok. Rofl thanks again NEWSANCE!

@ Mike Sherman – that only proves the variety of hotels you stayed are extremely small and limited, as I had seen both not refillable (Westin) and refillable (crowne plaza Indianapolis, resort world crockford, Conrad, Hilton), just like in the video.

When we stay at Sheraton (sadly has gone severely down hill) or different Marriott chains, I really like the fragrance in the body wash and shampoo. That said, it’s a rather masculine woodsy fragrance. I can’t imagine women generally like to use them, but that’s just my opinion.

It would seem that there are always others that have to go places in their imagination, that the average person would never have thought possible. I am not an extreme over thinker and would hate to live in that fear continually. However, each person is entitled to live and think how they feel, but please do not feel the need to inflict your over active minds on others to raise doubt, panic and fright. It is exhausting.

If you think not wanting to use bulk products like this makes one a germaphobe, let’s be blunter than the article. Guys CUM in these. You are washing your hair and body with CUM. Maybe PEE too. Dispensing some and smelling it won’t help because now you’re smelling a handful of CUM.

We stayed at Knightsbridge Sheraton London that provided full size toiletry containers. However, I couldn’t understand why there wasn’t any lotion or conditioner. I asked the Concierge who assured me they are provided, but it seems they were taken by last guest and not replaced by maid.

I personally love the larger bottles of soap because I typically through one of the individual sized bottles each day, and having plenty of soap makes my stay feel more like I’m at home. I tend to stay at hotels like Thompson and Proper where they use name brand soaps like Aesop etc. Those aren’t cheap!

If you brought a black light into a hotel room your probably wouldn’t stay there at all. A little bacteria shouldn’t worry anyone except for the most immune compromised.

As a former high end catering head (both on & off property for the *redacted* hotel resorts, or the various automobile or aerospace museums, opera houses, etc) the very last things to worry about are the toiletries.

The most vile source of contaminants are *almost* always the ice machines & the coffee urns/dispensers. 98/100 times urns are rinsed by staff AT BEST & left til next event and hotel ice machines, even in Michelin rated hotel restaurants not to mention machines on each floor have a flap (typically stainless) that the ice bounces off to separate the cubes (it’s the constant clink you hear while they churn into the main bin) from each other. Pretend you didn’t read this but in my 20+ yrs in biz, I never met an existing machine **brand new ice machines obviously excluded here**(hundreds & hundreds) that didn’t have algae growing on said stainless steel flap. Don’t believe me? Stick your arm up there and swipe your finger or a terry towel across it and report back your findings. So like I said, pretend you never read this

You people concerned with this aren’t staying in the right types of hotels

The key is to contribute to a healthy immune system. There are germs everywhere and the least of my concerns are bulk soap containers..

I’m not an enviro nut, but I see the sense in replacing single use shampoo bottles with multiple use dispensers. I think they’re pretty safe — as I suspect most Americans think they’re pretty safe — but if you don’t feel that way, pack a 4 oz shampoo bottle with you and solve your problem.

I will say the real world problem with these bottles is that busy housekeeping staff often neglect to make sure the dispensers still have product in them. Now THAT needs a solution.

Hotels are germ magnets. Anything you touch, anything you lie on and even the air you breath will expose you to germs, bacteria, viruses. But it all starts when you board the airplane!

I’d say if it’s so bad then maybe us as humans everyone walking this earth take accountability about not being the cleanest and put the blame on other to clean up after ourselves really towels on the floor trash on the floor not taking a shower before u go to bed and if it’s that because I’ve seem some places that should be shut down but dnt because pplnstill rent there infill cancel if infeel grossed out sobsad us as ppl judge but not take any effort or care to looknat ourselves

Soap? So We’ve been traveling a bit, now that those days of working for a buck are mostly past. I’ve found something that she, my wife and fellow adventurer, gives no thought to though.

I first noticed this when I traveled to visit my daughter in London, who I love dearly. But somehow I seem to antagonize her, don’t know why (???).

Okay…so I took a shower, at her place, couldn’t find a bar of soap, just some bathing stuff in bottles you’d squeeze or pump.

And, yeah, it took a half bottle to wash my old joints and appendages. I was clean. And, my skin smelled nicer than before. I actually felt my calloused feet and hands were much more “supple”.

“Dad, what happened to my (whatever)?

Well, I couldn’t find a bar of soap, this looked like something called body wash. “Oh, Dad, that was $45 per drop!” (Oh, oh!)

Am I the only guy in the world who doesn’t like body wash? A few years ago (decades?) the TV guy said this: “Hey Mister, the only way to get them hands clean is ‘LAVA’”.

@ Mike – I’ve stayed at plenty of Marriott properties across the spectrum, and including VC properties. I’ve been surprised by the variety of products and arrangements offered. They were definitely not all unfillable bottles. Many were refillable. I can’t swear the VC ones were all refillable, but I do know that they varied asto product across VC properties. DL

Single use plastics are on the way out. A larger single use bulk bottle isn’t much better. An old fashioned bar of soap (wrapped in paper) is fine, at least for me. Shampoo and conditioner, if not brought from home, could be in tamper proof metal containers. Regarding bacteria: its everywhere. Already on your skin, and everything anyone else has touched before you did. The more important question is, are pathogens being spread in quantities capable of increasing the incidence of human disease by hotel shampoo bottles. Maybe someone could get some funding to study that question. For me, I’d guess that the risk isn’t much different from touching anything else in a public location.

If you are worried about germs, what about that bedspread that isn’t washed between guests? The carpet that is shampooed once a year, the drapes that are changed every 5 years, Then there’s light switches, furniture, toilet handles, etc. Bedbugs, fleas, lions, tigers, and bears – oh my.

I manage a small motel and am sticking with single use amenities made from biodegradable materials. We use to have the bulk amenities and removed them during covid. The above article is spot on. I can assure you that if I was travelling I would never use them.

This is great discussion but as an infectious disease epidemiologist there are certainly way more things I would be worried about then shampoo and soap dispensers. What concerns me is anti-vaxxers. We should be much more worried about rises in serious infectious diseases that kill people including children.

Gary, what is a single use disposable, biodegradable work with liquid? Is it like those usedlly f’n paper straws you nerds demanded?

I like them. I stayed at the JW Marriott and each bottle had a seal to ensure that they were not tampered with and the products themselves were very nice quality.

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Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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