Should you and can you take Lysol on board?

[knittinggirl]

I ordered some of the individually wrapped medical grade wipes. Also, bring the alcohol wipes as well.

 

I picked up several plantars warts after our last two cruises. Must have spent almost $1,000 getting rid of those warts! And the last time, we used sandals in the shower, but not the bathroom floor. I'm bringing some shower shoes on the next cruise, as well as some slippers for the bathroom.

[lady_cruiser]

We take the Lysol wet wipes and use them to wipe down the door handles, remote control, bathroom counters, toilet, phone, etc. We just find them easier to pack.

[rere827]

Us too.....

 

We actually put our remote control in a ziplock bag so we don't have to touch it!! Works through the bag just fine.

[sail7seas]

I bring chlorox wipes and when we enter our cabin, I wipe the remote control, telephone, toilet flush button, drawer and closet pulls, faucets in bathroom, door knobs, light switches and any other innocuous spot that I suspect could possibly be 'dirty'. I know the cabin stewards do a great job but they can't spend the time in every cabin seeing to every little spot.

 

The best thing we can do to avoid being infected is to wash, wash, wash hands with plain soap, using friction, often and well. Keep hands away from eyes, nose and mouth.

 

[Ashland]

Try Wally World: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Professional-Lysol-Brand-III-Original-Scent-Disinfectant-Spray-19-oz/21437201

Thanks...I just checked my can of Lysol and printed really small on the front is the (lll) never noticed it before...and yes I got it at WalMart ;)

[sauvichick]

Great minds think alike! We also bring Lysol spray & chlorox wipes. Everything we plan on touching gets a dose including the airplane seat area. My best tip is to not touch your face! If you see a woman wearing latex gloves at the wipeout café or Windjammer that would be me. I am actually packing them this time. With so many dining options we may be able to avoid the buffet. Seeing other people eat on line and touch those serving spoons over & over freaks me out.

[JustCruiseMe]

Just remember lysol wipes do NOT kill Noro. You can check it on their website.

[dibh1129]

I'm interested. What exactly are you buying? Thank you.

 

 

I ordered sani cloths bleach (the orange top) and cavicide1 surface spray. I'm traveling with 2 asthmatic little ones so getting sick is an adventure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[donaldsc]

Time4u2go: YES, we did, constant wiping of our cabin and bathroom. But as I said, I am immuno-compromised, so it was important for us. We even wiped our seapasses, camera, cellphones, zippers on backpacks, straps on bags, sunglasses, anything of ours we touched while out and about on the ship, etc. in case we picked up germs and deposited them on our belongings. YES, EVERYTHING, DAILY.

 

You have a good reason to be super careful.

 

As for the rest of us, I don't bother to take any major precautions besides using the cleaner when I go to the buffets and also washing my hands after I use the toilet. I tough everything and wipe down nothing and I have never gotten sick on a cruise. I should also point out that I am never sick when I am not cruising.

 

Does this prove not being a clean freak is a waste of time - no. Maybe I just have an enhanced natural immunity. Maybe I have enhanced my natural immunity by touching everything, not taking precautions, and rolling in the dirt. Maybe I have just been lucky.

 

The only way to actually know is to figure out how to do an experiment involving a significant population size in a controlled environment with 2 groups - clean freaks and normal people - where all other parameters of the same except for exposure to pathogens. This obviously will never be done.

 

I truly believe that the clean freaks are actually creating problems for themselves because they are not exposing their bodies to the pathogens that will help their bodies develop antibodies. Am I right - who knows.

 

DON

[LrgPizza]

You can bring it, but Lysol doesn't kill Norovirus. All it does is weaken your immune system's response to other pathogens.

 

Fact.

 

You can try to live in a plastic bubble, but when you get out, you will be much more likely to get sick more often than those who didn't.

[sail7seas]

Fact.

 

You can try to live in a plastic bubble, but when you get out, you will be much more likely to get sick more often than those who didn't.

 

 

You're right. Being obsessed about anti-bacterials and no exposure to any germs is not a good thing. There has to be a happy medium. One needs to help their body build natural resistance and immunities IF they have no underlying health condition that dictates otherwise.

 

I've never been a fan of all the anti-bacterial soaps and cleansers some load up on. Plain soap and water is my choice but I understand eveyone has their own perspective and preference.

 

 

[LBeeE]

I certainly did not cause myself to become immuno-compromised by being a "clean freak" and I do not appreciate the suggestion.

[dkjretired]

I find it really funny and/or pathetic that most of you are are spending all this time and effort using products that don't work against norovirus. Feel good measures, that's all your doing.

[sail7seas]

LBeeE....

 

You explained above you are immuno-compromised.Most of us certainly understand your need to be cautious. I actually mentioned in my last post about people who have underlying health condition. Sorry you took offense to contrary opinions.

Wishing you the best of good health.

 

 

That is a whole different thing.

[sail7seas]

I find it really funny and/or pathetic that most of you are are spending all this time and effort using products that don't work against norovirus. Feel good measures, that's all your doing.

 

 

 

Am I mistaken that chlorox (bleach) is a useful agent to use against noro like virus?

 

[LBeeE]

You are right, clorox and lysol wipes do not kill noro, they do not contain bleach. However, I believe peroxide does and lysol has some new wipes that contain peroxide. This is what I used. Also as several of us have stated, hospital grade sanitizing wipes like CaviWipes kill noro and can be ordered online. There are also several hand sanitizers that kill noro and can be ordered from places like Amazon. However, it is often the scrubbing action that kills many pathogens that can make people ill, other than noro, so clorox and lysol wipes are still good for those other germs. Lots of germs other than noro on cruise ships.

 

I do agree that over-antibacterializing our lives isn't good for us, and I don't use these products in my home because of this. I use natural cleansers that I make myself, unless someone gets sick, then I pull out the heavy duty cleansers.

 

However, traveling on an expensive vacation that many of us have scrimped and saved for is a different story entirely, and I do not think sanitizing everything in sight for a week-long trip is going to hurt anyone's immune system.

 

Actually, I think the bigger issue with the "over-sanitization" of America is allergies. Many more food and environmental allergic people these days due to the antibacterializing. Not sure about weakening the immune response. That hasn't been proven yet.

Edited January 28, 2014 by LBeeE

[screwsmcernst]

I take Clorox wipes with me in my carry on. I start the wipe down on the plane. Touching things on the plane is how you get sick. I know the wipes won't kill noro, but it will take care of other germs and dirt.

Edited January 28, 2014 by screwsmcernst

[LBeeE]

I think the thing most people don't realize about viruses is that it takes exposure to a certain number of particles of a virus to become sick. I read that for many of the most common viruses the number of particles a person must be exposed to in order to become sick is around 1000. But there are some viruses that only require a much smaller amount of exposure (less than 100 particles), so I do think all of these products mentioned help keep us from getting sick, and good handwashing, not touching your mouth or face, etc, is probably what keeps people from getting sick, rather than the "having been exposed to more germs equals better immunity theory". There are many viruses that can be caught repeatedly, therefore this theory doesn't hold water.

[dkjretired]

Am I mistaken that chlorox (bleach) is a useful agent to use against noro like virus?

 

 

Could be but I'm on vacation and prefer to do something other than clean my room, I can do that at home. You can get Noro on your plane, hotel room,taxi on the way to the pier, shore excursions or a thousand other places. Enjoy your vacation but it still goes back to using products that don't work and think your doing something. 35 or so cruises never sick

[iheartbda]

I'm still scratching my head about the cruise LBeeE said they were on that was over capacity by 500 people.:confused:

[DRS/NC]

Don't visit an elementary school, day care center or assisted living/nursing home within a few days before your cruise -- most frequent sources of norovirus!

[dkjretired]

I'm still scratching my head about the cruise LBeeE said they were on that was over capacity by 500 people.:confused:

 

Agree,coast guard doesn't allow that.

[Sherlock43031]

I always bring Lysol spray. I use it in the elevators when the women with cheap perfume get on or the guys in the wife beater shirts.

[MrsPete]

It is important to realize that Clorox wipes don't contain actual bleach. People tend to think that they do because of the name. I suspect it's because the wipes would fall apart in the presence of real bleach over time.

 

However, if this really appeals to you, I have made by own sunscreen wipes in the past. I set out a box of baby wipes and let them dry up. Then I squirted sunscreen into the plastic box and mixed it with some water. Then I put the wipes back into the box and made sure they were all "wet though". These were easy for my kids to manage when they were little. I suspect you could create your own wipes using dish soap and bleach -- but I'd experiment first to see how long they'd last.

 

As to whether we're destroying our immune systems through uber-cleanliness, the whole question is pointless in this discussion. How you live your life all the time at home may make a difference . . . But what you do in one week on your vacation is neither a make nor break choice. Similarly, you're in contact with more people in a smaller space on a cruise, so a bit of extra vigilance isn't out of place.

 

Aside from hand washing, which is just common sense, if I could only do one thing to stay healthy on a cruise, however, I think it'd be to use my cabin bathroom exclusively. Bathrooms are pretty nasty places, and confining yourself to your own space could make a real difference.

[Laurie S.]

The only alcohol products we use is what we drink. I would never waste time "sanitizing" our cabin.