The advice comes from Margarita Sidiroglou, who runs her own hotel housekeeping team. In a clip that has been watched 4.8 million times, she and a colleague are seen using tissues to pick up the bed runner from the mattress and place it on a chair in the corner of the room.
Sidiroglou recommends every guest does this immediately after checking in and definitely before going to sleep. The reasoning is simple: these additional bed dressings are not always cleaned in between guests, though cleaning measures differ from hotel to hotel, so this is not the case for all establishments.
What hotel workers and guests say
Margarita's video struck a chord with viewers, including others in the hospitality industry. Travel fans also asked hotels to stop putting these unnecessary dressings on beds.
One TikTok user commented: "If it's a hassle to clean or replace they just shouldn't have them in the rooms. I don't need decorative pillows or bed runners."
A fellow hotel worker added: "As a hotel manager now I remove all linens and bring my own. And cleaning wipes to clean the TV remote and thermostat."
A third commenter suggested: "As an ex Housekeeping Supervisor, ask for new sheets and don't use any utensils or blankets in the closet, some hotels have ready-filled water in the fridge, there's a high chance that those bottles were filled from the bathroom sink and also, swap out the towels for fresh ones."
A fourth recalled: "I used to work at a big resort and we only washed them when there were visible stains on both sides."
Quick jobs to do after you check in to a hotel
For those worried about hygiene, there is more to consider than bedding. High-touch items such as TV remotes, light switches, door handles and air-con controls can harbour germs, while bathroom hotspots include tap handles, the flush button and shower controls.
Some guests also avoid decorative bed runners and scatter cushions, which may be washed less often than sheets, and prefer to steer clear of reusable cups or kettles if they don't look spotless.
If anything seems unclean, you can ask reception for a re-clean or to move rooms.
