People have been boiling their underwear in hotel kettles and it's super gross

[HendryTan]

This above topic was uncovered by Gizmodo and re-reported by theindependent.co.uk and AsiaOne locally.

 

a. https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/08/experts-say-boiling-underwear-in-a-hotel-kettle-is-super-super-super-super-gross-so-maybe-dont-do-it-k-thnx/

b. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/underwear-boil-hotel-kettles-spread-bacteria-health-risk-heather-hendrickson-hostels-a7909941.html

c. http://www.asiaone.com/world/people-have-been-boiling-their-underwear-hotel-kettles-and-its-super-gross

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

"Real question: does anyone I know clean their underwear in a kettle when travelling?"

 

Scrolling through social media this morning, these 14 words, in one foul (pun intended) swoop, ruined every relaxing cup of tea I've ever had in a hotel room.

My mind was racing. Who would do this? Why?

 

And is it really as gross as it sounds? I reached out to some experts on the matter to find out if the simple fact the underwear is literally boiling means this actually a safe thing to do, or nah.

 

"Please tell your friend to knock it off! Boil the water and pour it into the sink for washing items. Don't put your dirty underwear into the kettle!"

 

Dr Heather Hendrickson is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biosciences at the Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at Massey University in Aukland.

She knows what she's talking about.

 

"It is super super super super gross," Dr Hendrickson says.

Here's the science of the matter, as explained by Dr Hendrickson.

 

Boiling kills most, but not all microorganisms.

 

For example, some bacteria form spores that are highly resistant to anything other than 120 celsius and high pressure for extended periods of time. The Clostidium botulinum spores ( which causes botulism) are a prime example of this sort of resistance to the environment, Dr Hendrickson says.

 

"These don't cause sickness if they are consumed, but their presence in certain environments can encourage them to produce a toxin that can be deadly."

Dr Hendrickson points out that bacterial pathogens in water that has been contaminated in this way will either be killed by boiling, or be brought to a low level that is unlikely to negatively affect health.

 

"However, who knows how long that water, with nutrients that have been introduced and then sterilised, sits around in the kettle before someone else uses it?" Dr Hendrickson says, calling the act "unbelievably irresponsible."

 

Why risk other people's health in any way by doing something like this?

 

"Your friend is unlikely to have a large number of highly heat resistant pathogens in his dirty undergarments but we do not know what he DOES have in there or how sick he might be," Dr Hendrickson horrifying points out.

 

"There are simply too many unknowns and hotel kettle's are not industrial strength cleaning facilities."

 

Look, it should be obvious, but introducing and then removing items from inside the kettle is not a sanitary behaviour, and Dr Hendrickson backs me up on this.

"Be respectful of other people and don't do this!" Dr Hendrickson pleads, and I along with her. "I am totally grossed out by your friend!"

 

Me too, Dr Hendrickson.

 

 

[CKW]

That's the reason I never use the kettle or ice cubes from the fridge in a hotel room.

 

I normally buy many bottles of mineral water and occasionally, soft drinks, and drink from those when I am overseas.

[Guest Hotel Guest]

3 hours ago, CKW said:

That's the reason I never use the kettle or ice cubes from the fridge in a hotel room.

 

I normally buy many bottles of mineral water and occasionally, soft drinks, and drink from those when I am overseas.

 

What if you want to make a cup of hot beverage?

[cutejack]

27 minutes ago, Guest Hotel Guest said:

 

What if you want to make a cup of hot beverage?

Once boiled all the bacteria is killed.lol

[sgmaven]

24 minutes ago, cutejack said:

Once boiled all the bacteria is killed.lol

 

6 hours ago, HendryTan said:

Boiling kills most, but not all microorganisms.

 

For example, some bacteria form spores that are highly resistant to anything other than 120 celsius and high pressure for extended periods of time. The Clostidium botulinum spores ( which causes botulism) are a prime example of this sort of resistance to the environment, Dr Hendrickson says.

 

@cutejack You obviously missed part of the article...

[Guest Hotel guest not]

My friend work in a hotel. He advice me not to use kettle on the hotel.. some unhappy chamber maid would use toilet scrub to scrub it.. socks and underwear were  left inside the kettle by guest too ..anyway.. all kind if people uses those kettle!

[CKW]

3 hours ago, Guest Hotel Guest said:

 

What if you want to make a cup of hot beverage?

 

Good question but even in S'pore, I almost never drink hot beverages, so when I am overseas, I don't at all  

[doncoin]

Well, you can always clean the kettle first yourself before using it  though I have to admit that why anyway would use the kettle for laundry is beyond my comprehension. 

[CKW]

I think some of my relatives will bring a small kettle with them when they travel or stay at chalet. 

 

It doesn't hold a lot of water so at most you just have to boil many times if the whole family wants to drink coffee, for example.

 

But at least you can drink with peace of mind.

[Guest guest]

33 minutes ago, CKW said:

I think some of my relatives will bring a small kettle with them when they travel or stay at chalet. 

 

It doesn't hold a lot of water so at most you just have to boil many times if the whole family wants to drink coffee, for example.

 

But at least you can drink with peace of mind.

Yes ,i bring my own travel kettle when travelling too. Why ? After I saw my colleague boiling his socks in the kettle in his room.

[cutejack]

1 hour ago, Guest guest said:

Yes ,i bring my own travel kettle when travelling too. Why ? After I saw my colleague boiling his socks in the kettle in his room.

Sinful ppl.confirm go to hell

Y must do that!

[CKW]

11 hours ago, Guest guest said:

Yes ,i bring my own travel kettle when travelling too. Why ? After I saw my colleague boiling his socks in the kettle in his room.

 

That's damn disgusting!!!

 

If I know anyone who does that kind of thing, I will avoid that person. Because if he can exhibit such a highly unsanitary and completely self-centred behaviour, then there is no limit to how low he can go in other matters e.g. steal company documents, pilfer money, backstab colleagues, etc.

[Guest Guest]

I was told by a guest services manager from a top hotel to always put away my toothbrush after use on an extended stay in a hotel. You never know if a disgruntled chamber maid may do something with it.

[Guest Kotex]

This is old news.  I know of certain person who boil her sanitary napkin so that she can reuse it for another month. 

[Guest Guest]

China obasans use hotel kettles to boil/sanitise their used panties

[Guest guest]

same like the nasi kangkang that I mentioned. The vagege juices seeps into the kettles and makes the tea and coffee making more delicious and unforgetable.

 

 

Stand over hot steamy rice clad in a sarong and let steam condense and drip down into the rice and then feed it the man of your dreams. 

 

its to keep his heart.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have encountered all kinds of strange phenomenon in my travels and stays in hotels.

 

There are many cases of people  using the hot water kettle to cook instant noodles and then leaving the ruined noodles stuck at the heating elements of the kettle, causing  tremendous cleaning difficulties to the room cleaner and financial loss to the hotel . 

 

I wont be surprised if  some people actually boil their dirty socks to wash them in the kettles.

[Guest Pointer Sister]

Recycling old news from 2017, already a thread on BW.

 

https://www.blowingwind.io/forum/topic/90305-people-have-been-boiling-their-underwear-in-hotel-kettles-and-its-super-gross/

[Steve5380]

2 hours ago, Guest guest said:

I have encountered all kinds of strange phenomenon in my travels and stays in hotels.

 

There are many cases of people  using the hot water kettle to cook instant noodles and then leaving the ruined noodles stuck at the heating elements of the kettle, causing  tremendous cleaning difficulties to the room cleaner and financial loss to the hotel . 

 

I wont be surprised if  some people actually boil their dirty socks to wash them in the kettles.

 

LOL!  I have used hot water kettles in hotels to boil eggs and to... cook lentils and other beans.  And I cleaned well the kettles thereafter.

But I never had the need to boil my clothes, be it stinky underwear or stinky socks.  My germs seem to be unable to survive some good laundry detergent

.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Steve5380

[Guest Guest]

Reminds me that some people put their wet socks into microwave.

[shyc]

Hmm interestingly I have heard of Stocking MIlk Tea whereby tea strain thru silk-like filter bag gives off so called smoother tea.

But boiling 'the so called items" mention above, what do u get? Assam tea perhaps... 

[Guest guest]

On 8/30/2017 at 2:26 PM, Guest Guest said:

I was told by a guest services manager from a top hotel to always put away my toothbrush after use on an extended stay in a hotel. You never know if a disgruntled chamber maid may do something with it.

 

That is why I always be nice and speak politely to the room housekeeping people and tip them when I am in the room while they tidy up my room. 

 

Some of them are sexually vulnerable to monetary incentives, imagine a Pakistani , Bangladeshi young virile , hairy , aromatic male room housekeeper who is away from home, everyday day on day out , same job scope, low salary and pussies are expensive and dangerous to fuck in our neighbouring countries . Prostitution is illegal, 

 

A little monetary incentive, a little word of seduction , a promise of a time of total relaxation and no cares in the world at another hotel not at his employ, a weekend of sheer bliss, and balls draining, to be pampered 

 

Who can say' NO, I don't want to have my balls drained' ?

[Guest Guest]

What about socks and bra? Can boil too....oh...also soaking dentures in kettles?

[Guest old kettle]

58 minutes ago, Guest guest said:

 

That is why I always be nice and speak politely to the room housekeeping people and tip them when I am in the room while they tidy up my room. 

 

Some of them are sexually vulnerable to monetary incentives, imagine a Pakistani , Bangladeshi young virile , hairy , aromatic male room housekeeper who is away from home, everyday day on day out , same job scope, low salary and pussies are expensive and dangerous to fuck in our neighbouring countries . Prostitution is illegal, 

 

A little monetary incentive, a little word of seduction , a promise of a time of total relaxation and no cares in the world at another hotel not at his employ, a weekend of sheer bliss, and balls draining, to be pampered 

 

Who can say' NO, I don't want to have my balls drained' ?

 

That works in those countries maybe if you are a bottom.

What shall a top do?

 

And in the case you did not give much tips. then the Pakistani will jerk into your fresh undies at the suitcase. LOL

[Guest joker]

1 hour ago, Guest old kettle said:

 

That works in those countries maybe if you are a bottom.

What shall a top do?

 

And in the case you did not give much tips. then the Pakistani will jerk into your fresh undies at the suitcase. LOL

 

There is still your mouth, 

 

a bj to the high havens.

 

 

[Guest old kettle]

26 minutes ago, Guest joker said:

 

There is still your mouth, 

 

a bj to the high havens.

 

 

 

Hm sure. But I would be very careful in such countries. never tested if gay apps would work there, but if yes, I would prefer chatting up a guy in advance or during the stay. It can happen that the housekeeping you approach is a very strict religious guy and you end up being blown away (but surely not by an awesome blow job).

And why offend someone in a country that probably is not famous for security (and clean jails).

Why resort to such desperate acts, when the world of gorgeous young big tooled nice boys just lies in front of you with little or few effort (on gay dating apps)?

I would be even very sure that in the big cities there is something like a Starbucks type of meeting spot, where guys come together and that old play of eye contacting works excellent to find some evening distraction.

Approaching hotel staff seems very offending to me and why risk your life and image?

Due to safety reasons mostly the housekeeping in such countries would consist of 2 guys, they never clean a room alone (out of good reasons).

 

Even in KL nowadays with those Nepalese housekeeping staff I never dared any approach. Anyway, I usually leave the room for 1 1/2 hours for the housekeeping to shift around alone. if you talk to housekeeping, they dislike if the hotel guests are still around and would just do a quick job.

 

Nowadays, I always leave some tips there on the bed or table with a note and thank for the cleaning, which works very well because they will replenish the water/coffee/tea and will leave extra shower gel in the bathroom and mostly even bind some swan or something with towels (and for sure I m not the type who leaves a mess at the hotel room like what I sometimes see when passing by rooms of other guests...)

 

to sum it up: I prefer to date a guy who deliberately enjoys having fun with me instead of a guy who's just out for quick bucks and wouldn't even blow me to heaven...

 

[Guest joker]

good on yer, mate.

[Guest joker]

just love the musky body odors of the Nepalese and those of the same type. 

 

So animal.

[Guest anti mosquito detergent]

I don't understand what's the issue with boiling underwear in kettles?

The hot boiling water will kill off all bacteria in the underwear and no bacteria can survive.

So what's the big deal??

[doncoin]

6 hours ago, Guest anti mosquito detergent said:

I don't understand what's the issue with boiling underwear in kettles?

The hot boiling water will kill off all bacteria in the underwear and no bacteria can survive.

So what's the big deal??

 

I read that and my first thought was it is some kind of tea people drink after boiling their underwear in it. Definitely not my cup of tea. 

[Guest anti mosquito detergent]

1 hour ago, doncoin said:

 

I read that and my first thought was it is some kind of tea people drink after boiling their underwear in it. Definitely not my cup of tea. 

 

But there's no more bacteria and viruses left after boiling? So why is it not your cup of tea still?

[lonelyglobe]

There are thousand of things that are worse than the kettle in hotel....pillow, bedsheet, towel, bathrobe, light/aircon control, tv remote control, room menu etc...especially the last 2 items have been proven that is hundred time worse than the toilet bowl.

[Guest aarc]

I agree. I used to work in a hotel and I can tell you that those little pillows/cushion, comforter, bed and sofa are way worse. Women having period blood staining the sheets and bed is very, very common and it’s unsustainable for the hotel to change bed protector everyday. Cushion, comforter and also those small piece of cloth at the feet end of the bed are also only changed once every month or two. And you can imagine the kind of things that get on them when people are left to their privacy of a hotel room. Oh, don’t even get me started on the carpets - we basically just vacuumed and maybe have it completely sterilized once a year. 

[Guest disclosed yourself]

On 1/23/2019 at 12:48 PM, Guest aarc said:

I agree. I used to work in a hotel and I can tell you that those little pillows/cushion, comforter, bed and sofa are way worse. Women having period blood staining the sheets and bed is very, very common and it’s unsustainable for the hotel to change bed protector everyday. Cushion, comforter and also those small piece of cloth at the feet end of the bed are also only changed once every month or two. And you can imagine the kind of things that get on them when people are left to their privacy of a hotel room. Oh, don’t even get me started on the carpets - we basically just vacuumed and maybe have it completely sterilized once a year. 

 

 

Aiyoh so disgusting.  Singapore should have a law forcing hotels to clean their items at least once a day.

[Guest Hibari_0912]

This is my cup of tea then

[Guest guest]

boil socks, underwear, bra, very common.....it is sharing economy....or microwave them to dry