Yeah, It's a Me Problem

At a recent hotel, coffee is available all day for free. The machine is in the breakfast area where some people, including me, do some work.

A woman came in and got herself a cup of coffee. I didn't think anything of this. When she was done, she went over to the sink, rinsed out the cup, and then put it back.

I caught her and asked her not to do that. She insisted she rinsed it out. I explained the hotel has to run it through very hot water for sanitary purposes.

She really didn't understand and says she does it because she can't help herself.

It might be okay for her kitchen but not for a hotel.

Frank, that's kind of scary. I hope I've never picked up a cup or glass that has just been rinsed by a customer. Especially post-COVID.

Consider this perspective … cleaning up after a customer is part of an employee’s job description.

Think of their livelihoods.

Exactly, Claudia. I completely understand and obviously it's their job, which is why I know it's a "me" problem. It's just hard to override an entire lifetime of conditioning! 😊

Recycling. Plastic and glass bottles in the blue bin, organics in the green, garbage in the black. I try do do the same when someplace else but every community has its own set of rules. I feel guilty when I can't find where to sort my garbage and so I put the glass or plastic bottles on top of the garbage can in hope they have a home somewhere besides the garbage.

"...which is why I know it's a "me" problem."

That's a much better "me" problem than most I see. Good on ya.

VAP, I’m smiling because I do the same. I have returned my dirty ceramic coffee cup or tray to the workers behind the counter when they’re not waiting on customers if I don’t see a spot to place them. They smile when they take them from my hands, so I assume they appreciate it. My other option when the place is busy is to place them on a table that has dirty dishes to open my table for the next people.

…and I probably have one of the cleanest hotel rooms when I’m leaving a hotel as I’m guessing you do, also. LOL!

…and I probably have one of the cleanest hotel rooms when I’m leaving a hotel as I’m guessing you do, also.

Jean, that made me laugh! I am so anal about cleaning the hotel room when I leave! I pick up everything, make sure it's all in the trash, make sure the trash is not overflowing but easy to access, wipe the sinks, and in general, I clean it like my own room.

I figured the housekeeping staff has enough to do pulling the bed sheets off and cleaning the really messy rooms (and I'm sure there are some), so at least they won't have too much to do in mine. It helps that I usually don't have kids with me. 😊

LOL, Jean, Mardee, probably within the theme of my original post. When I started staying at Locke properties, I'd fill a trash can and wouldn't know what to do. They're aparthotels, the bins are not all that large, and of course I'm going to fill it. I asked at reception where I dispose of the filled bag? Clearly there has to be a larger receptacle for these things. No, she said nonchalantly, "leave it outside your door." OH my I couldn't believe it, you mean you want me to just set it outside my door? "Yep!" Are you telling me there's a bin bag fairy? Do they leave a pound coin too? I put the bag of trash outside my door and woosh it was gone. But alas no £1. That was much easier to get past than bussing my own table.

Frank II, I watched a woman at Yumm Bowl the other day, do something similar, bussed her table to the clean up bins but then took her water glass back and set it with the clean ones at the self serve water station…huh? The employees, when told, had to replace all the other clean glasses….people!!!

It would seem the Leave No Trace practices expand into the indoors, too! Just can’t NOT do it, right? :)
But the glasses thing… ugh!

This last trip I even had one of my kids go to the Co-Op to buy more toilet paper the morning of checking out because we were leaving the one bathroom with like three squares on the roll. I couldn’t bear the thought of not leaving enough, even though I just knew the cleaners would be coming in and adding more! What if they didn’t? Yeah, VAP, it’s a Me Problem!