If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, you’ve likely heard the rumor that decorative pillows and blankets aren’t washed as often as many of the other linens in the hotel room.
This idea makes many folks squirm at the thought of cuddling up with a throw blanket or letting a toddler play with a decorative pillow, but is it true? Do you really have to worry?
Experts chatted with HuffPost about what they worry about (and what they don’t) when it comes to decorative linens in hotel rooms, and the truth about how often these items are washed. Here’s what to know:
It’s true. Generally, decorative pillows and blankets at hotels are not part of daily cleaning.
“Typically … decorative pillows and blankets are part of routine cleaning” and not daily cleaning, said Magnus Thorsson, a professor in the college of hospitality and business at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, and a former hotel owner.
Thorsson isn’t referring to the pillows you rest your head on every night at a hotel, or the sheets and comforters that touch your skin.
Decorative pillows are typically extras that are strewn on beds and couches, and the blankets we’re talking about in this story are throws that are typically folded at the foot of the bed or covers that are “non-guest touching,” he said.
These items fall in a different cleaning category than the everyday housekeeping you experience during hotel stays.
“We have daily cleaning — if a customer is in a hotel room, the bed gets made, everything gets refreshed — and the decorative pillows and blankets do not get changed between every customer,” said Thorsson. “Because the argument is that they are not customer-touching, if you will.”
Meaning, most folks use the bedsheets between their body and a decorative blanket, for example.
The ornamental items, such as decorative throw pillows and blankets, are put on a separate cleaning cycle. Just how often they are cleaned depends on the hotel brand and its star rating, but every 60 to 90 days tends to be customary, said Thorsson.
“The higher the level of service, typically the higher the frequency of cleanliness. But that’s not to say that the you know that lower tier brands don’t clean at all,” said Thorsson.
Every 60 to 90 days may not sound very frequent, but the reason these items aren’t washed as often as sheets or bathrobes, for example, is because they often don’t come into contact with the hotel guest. And, still, they do follow some sort of cleaning regimen, which may not be the case at short-term home rentals, experts warned.
“The argument is, from people in the hotel industry, when we talk about things like short stays — Airbnb, homerental.com — the standard is up to each individual operator,” said Thorsson. “So, that standard is a little bit less firmly governed.”
Jason Tetro, a microbiologist and author of “The Germ Code,” agreed and said that hotels of all levels, including budget motels, follow health and safety guidelines from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
“And those say that certain things should be washed on a regular basis … we’re talking mainly about hotels here, but when you’re talking about Airbnb, it’s kind of the Wild West,” Tetro said.
“If there’s a down side to the short-term rentals, it is that they don’t necessarily enforce a standard operating procedure or have them in place as the hotels do,” Teto added.
If you are worried about cleanliness at your hotel, “just take a look inside the cart and see what you see,” said Tetro. These are the items that are getting frequently cleaned.
“You should see sheets. You should see pillow cases. You should see blankets [like comforters or duvet covers],” Tetro said.
“Depending on what hotel, you’re most likely not going to see throw pillow cases. You’re not going to see shams, and you’re not going to see decorative blankets,” he said.
If there is a visible stain on a decorative pillow, though, that should be addressed by housekeeping.
Just because throw pillows and blankets are part of the routine cleaning cycle and not the daily cleaning cycle does not mean that they’re not checked regularly by housekeeping.
“The way that the hotel room is cleaned is the housekeepers follow the standard operating procedures,” Thorsson said. “They have a checklist that they have to check off.”
Part of the checklist is checking for stains, or issues on furniture and decorative items such as blankets and pillows, he said.
If stains or marks are found, these items will be replaced or cleaned, not just ignored until the 60- or 90-day mark.
Curly_photo via Getty Images
In hotels, things that are frequently laundered tend to be white.
The infrequent washing means that throw pillows and blankets are “absolutely germy,” said Tetro.
These items are often touched by hotel guests, hotel staff, and may come into contact spills or even the dirty floor.
“And there’s this hide-the stain-rule where if it’s going to be something that’s going to be washed every single time in between guests, it’s usually white,” said Tetro. “But if it’s something that’s not going to get washed regularly … then it tends to have colors and designs on it.”
Think about it: The throw pillows at the last hotel you checked in to likely had some sort of floral print or geometric design, while your sheets, towels and pillowcases were likely stark white.
“When you have something that is highly colored or highly textured, you can’t wash it with hot water,” Tetro said. And, in order to launder something so it’s truly clean, hot or very warm water is necessary, Tetro added.
White, cotton linens are going to be able to go through a hot or very warm wash cycle, Tetro noted, which is likely the reason many hotels choose this option.
Since comforters and duvet covers are often bright white in mid-range and high-end properties, it is safe to say they’re washed frequently and between guests.
Yet, these blankets may not be bright white in all hotels, which may mean they aren’t being washed as frequently.
“Main-use comforters or blankets for sleep [and] rest could see frequent wash in high-end or luxury properties,” said Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University.
But, low-cost, mid-range or even hotels in densely populated areas may keep these items on the beds for weeks, Khubchandani noted.
You likely won’t get a cold or flu from decorative pillows and blankets, but skin infections are a more common risk.
Will you pick up a cold or the flu from a throw pillow at your hotel? It’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely for most people.
“There’s a rule in microbiology where you have to be exposed to a certain number of the microbes in order for it to cause an infection. And the majority of times, when we talk about this, we’re talking about either ingestion or inhalation,” said Tetro.
So, in the case of decorative blankets and pillows, it’s unlikely that you’ll be ingesting or inhaling the item.
“Normally, in those particular cases, there’s not going to be that much to worry about,” added Tetro. “Even if you’re breathing in, there really shouldn’t be that much there to be able to cause an infection.”
“For healthy individuals, the risk of getting sick could be lower,” said Khubchandani.
If you are immunocompromised and are exposed to certain bacteria, though, you could end up with a respiratory problem, Tetro said. But, again, that’s rare.
Khubchandani noted that, in addition to immunocompromised folks, older people and children should also be extra careful.
Where experts tend to worry more about, though, when it comes to germs and decorative bedding is skin infections.
“Since we tend to be putting these throw pillows either on our arms or faces … then there is a risk that you could potentially be exposing your skin to bacteria that you’re not aware of … and that could potentially lead to irritation, rashes, and possibly infections, like skin infections,” said Tetro.
Dust mites and bed bugs are also a concern, said Khubchandani.
It’s probably a good idea to ‘push aside’ things like decorative throw pillows.
Cozying up with a decorative blanket or pillow at a hotel isn’t the best idea.
“My perspective is just simply that when you get into the hotel room or the Airbnb, you find all the throw pillows, you find a nice little comfy place for them — on a chair or something like that — and you can use them for your back, you can use them for your butt, whatever it is, but just don’t use them for your face,” Tetro said.
Khubchandani agreed. “So, if I was traveling … I would push aside all decorative stuff like pillows and blankets,” and instead use the fresh linens that can be changed after every guest.
If you want to be extra safe, it could also be smart to check for certain things as soon as you get into your hotel room, said Khubchandani. Check pillows and blankets for stain, smells, dirt, defects and tears.
“If anything seems off, report to front desk and get immediate attention,” Khubchandani said. Changing rooms is the best option, but if that isn’t possible, ask for new linens and pillows.
Yet, not all experts think you need to check every surface for issues.
“As far as cleanliness … I’m not afraid to stay in hotels,” said Thorsson. “The only thing that I do still check for is bed bugs when I’m in a hotel of some dubious reputation.”
Hotels want you to have a safe and enjoyable time at their property. Even if the decorative linens aren’t washed as often as towels or pillowcases, there is a reason for that and guidelines in place to keep you safe.
Should you eat food off of a decorative pillow? Absolutely not. But, should you stop visiting hotels out of fear of germs? Also no.
Instead, take precautions, put aside these items and try to have clean hands as much as possible.