Boiling a hot cup of water for tea or coffee can be a relaxing way to unwind in your hotel room after a long day of traveling, but new information might have you thinking twice before using that kettle.
Some guests may be using the hot water boiling appliance to clean dirty underwear.
Real question: does anyone I know clean their underwear in a kettle when travelling?
— Guy 'Yug' Blomberg (@YugSTAR) August 22, 2017
The alarming action came to light when someone presented a question to Twitter followers: “Real question: does anyone I know clean their underwear in a kettle when traveling?”
But the question wasn’t an isolated incident. Similar rumors about people washing their undergarments in hotel kettles have been seen on Weibo, China’s Twitter-esque online social media site.
Experts are warning of the dangers this type of action can leave for the next hotel guests.
Dr. Heather Hendrickson, a senior lecturer in molecular biosciences at the Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at Massey University in Auckland, told Gizmodo about the serious health repercussions.
Hendrickson explained that boiling kills most but not all microorganisms.
For example, some bacteria, like the Clostridium botulinum spores that cause botulism, form spores that are highly resistant to anything other than 120 celsius (about 250 Fahrenheit) and high pressure for extended periods of time.
“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.”
While people are unlikely to have large quantities of highly heat resistant pathogens in their undergarments, you just never know how sick someone might be, or what that person does, she explained.
Hendrickson said, “There are simply too many unknowns, and hotel kettles are not industrial strength cleaning facilities.”
So while you’re not likely to get sick from it, it is very unsanitary behavior.
“It is supper, super, super gross,” Hendrickson said. “Be respectful of other people and don’t do this!”
(h/t Southern Living)
See also, bacteria helping athletes gain an edge.
