Kettles in hotel rooms used to be a familiar amenity for many travelers. However, recent videos circulating online have raised concerns about the hygiene of this appliance.
Many experts advise travelers to exercise caution when using electric kettles in hotel rooms, according to India Today.
According to experts, most hotels strive to maintain clean rooms, regularly changing bed linens and towels, and tidying up the room space. These details give guests peace of mind, as the hotel understands its responsibility to ensure a clean and safe environment for its guests. However, appliances such as kettles and coffee makers are not regularly cleaned by all hotels. These items are rarely replaced or cleaned.
In addition, social media is seeing many videos and posts about hotel room kettles being used for purposes other than boiling water, from washing socks and underwear to cooking noodles or boiling eggs. While it's difficult to verify the prevalence of these cases, the circulating content still raises concerns about hygiene.
According to People magazine, coffee makers and electric kettles in hotel rooms are among the least clean items because they are often overlooked or only superficially cleaned by housekeeping staff.
Microbiologists warn that the humid environment inside these items is an ideal breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Therefore, hotel guests should disinfect these items before use.
Hotels are advised to be more transparent about room cleaning and equipment hygiene, and guests should check kettles before using them.
Many people believe that boiling water will help clean kettles. However, Dr. Pooja Pillai, an internal medicine specialist at Aster CMI Hospital (Bengaluru), says that boiling water can only kill some bacteria in the water and does not guarantee that the kettle is completely clean.
However, experts say there's no need to worry too much. Millions of travelers use hotel kettles every day without any problems. Controversial stories usually stem from a few cases of improper use of the device, but these are easily spread on social media. If necessary, travelers can bring their own small kettle or ask the hotel to clean the device before use.
Khanh Linh