cleaning of the cabins

[gooch47]

Question for those of you who wipe down your cabin:

 

Do you also do it every time your steward leaves the room? I'd think he or she could re-contaminate it.

Edited April 24, 2014 by gooch47

[Medtech2]

Not to my knowledge. There are some products that are available to health care professionals, that contain benzethonium chloride, but consumer products containing this are at too low a concentration, and the professional stuff comes with all the warnings. The ships use Virkon or similar sanitizers, but it comes in concentrate, and must be handled by licensed personnel.

 

If you go to the USPH/CDC website and look under norovirus, you will find a link to the EPA list of registered agents effective against noro. While you may find some products with familiar names there, and some of the ingredients may be in consumer products, you have to check the concentrations, as well as the application methods and contact time (time the wet sanitizer must contact the virus in order to kill it).

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This is what we use in the lab....and apparently available on Amazon...

 

http://www.amazon.com/CaviCide-Disinfectant-160-Count-Wipes/dp/B000S2ILT2

 

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[SissasMomE]

Meanwhile, I'm the guy who opens all public bathroom doors with paper towel. I use toilet paper to lock the stall door, and where a manual flush is required, I use my feet. And I know some people that are way more germophobic than me.

 

I do the same thing. I would never touch a toilet handle with my hands! Ick!

[SeagoingMom]

Exactly…. for all, I normally bring a whole bunch of bleach wipes and I was asking so I didn't have to bring so many…

 

this is the first time with a tub… was trying to prepare.

 

Lisa

To all posters who bring "bleach wipes" (Clorox and perhaps others), you know, I presume, that Clorox Disinfecting Wipes sold in grocery stores contain no bleach, right?

 

Alcohol, ammonia. http://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-disinfecting-wipes/

 

According to the website, this product:

• Kills 99.9% of germs that can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours
  
• Kills 99.9% of Viruses* and Bacteria
  
• Kills Staph, E. Coli, Salmonella, Strep
  

*Human Coronavirus, Influenza A2 Virus

 

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are not advertised to be effective against norovirus.

[dalgirl]

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but...

 

1. Some public toilets don't have the tank of water attached to the back like at home, so they don't have a flush handle like at home. They have a metal bar at the way back and close to the seat level. Do you also take a piece of toilet paper and flush with your hand. Because some toilets spray when flushed. And even if you can't see or feel anything, I've read that particles can be sprayed up to 3 feet in the air when a toilet is flushed. If you flush with your hand, congrats, you now possibly have urine or fecal matter on your hand and arm, and since you have to lean down a little to flush that bar with your hand, you have possibly inhaled it too.

 

2. Children should be taught to wash their hands after using the bathroom. Additionally, I have taught my children to flush with their feet as well and I have seen other children do the same in public bathrooms.

 

3. I don't feel at all sorry for adults who use a toilet, flush it, open the stall door, and then fail to wash their hands.

 

4. If you are washing your hands, then it really shouldn't matter to you how others flush the toilet.

 

The whole point is to avoid particle spray, and better on your foot/leg (which you are less likely to touch) than your hand/arm/face. In the end, I think everyone should be responsible for their own cleanliness, and I can't worry about how the next person is going to take care of himself.

 

Unfortunately, some people aren't going to wash their hands no matter what, and that's why noro is so dangerous on cruise ships. I saw so many people complete ignore the washy washy happy happy lady. There's a reason why there are signs on the walls near the public bathroom door exits on the NCL ships encouraging you to use a paper towel to open the door, and yet I saw some guys not wash their hands after urinating and then just opening the door with their hand. I guess I worry about keeping myself healthy, and can't do anything about other people's habits. If everyone took it upon themselves to keep themselves healthy, there would probably be less noro incidents onboard ships.

 

Yes, I stand by my opinion - and I wonder, do you also through your paper napkin in the floor by the door for someone else to clean up so you aren't "contaminated"???

 

I respect everyone who comes after me - I wish others had the same courtesy.

 

Washing your hands thoroughly is the best way to combat disease, not increasing the disease pool by adding what you have walked through to the mix.

[Ewoodspark]

 

I use toilet paper to lock the stall door, and where a manual flush is required, I use my feet.

I have been trying to work out just how you can pull a loo chain with your feet !!!

[Cubechick]

Ironically, the one time I did wipe down our cabin with wipes, we both got Noro. :rolleyes:

 

Frequently washing hands in hot, soapy water is the best defense.

[calex]

---------

 

This is what we use in the lab....and apparently available on Amazon...

 

http://www.amazon.com/CaviCide-Disinfectant-160-Count-Wipes/dp/B000S2ILT2

 

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I just checked Metrex's website (manufacturer of CaviCide) and they do not list the norovirus is killed by CaviCide - http://www.metrex.com/surface-CaviCide

 

They do have a newer formulation called CaviCide1 which they do claim is effective against the norovirus - http://www.metrex.com/cavicide1

 

The norovirus killing CaviCide1 does not appear to be as readily available to consumers as the CaviCide unless you purchase it directly from a medical distributor. A couple listings show up on Google in retail quantities on eBay, but these listings have been pulled off eBay. Are there distribution restrictions on the CaviCide1 product?

[blackwing]

To all posters who bring "bleach wipes" (Clorox and perhaps others), you know, I presume, that Clorox Disinfecting Wipes sold in grocery stores contain no bleach, right?

 

Alcohol, ammonia. http://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-disinfecting-wipes/

 

According to the website, this product:

• Kills 99.9% of germs that can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours
  
• Kills 99.9% of Viruses* and Bacteria
  
• Kills Staph, E. Coli, Salmonella, Strep
  

*Human Coronavirus, Influenza A2 Virus

 

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are not advertised to be effective against norovirus.

 

They might not kill noro, but they kill the common cold, the flu, and other nasty stuff. I do what I can.

 

My brother in law has taken two cruises, and to put it simply, he's a bit of a dirty person. The kind that gets off an airplane, doesn't take a shower and gets into bed. Made fun of me when I wiped down the cabin. Poohpoohed me when I used table toppers and toilet liners for my babies/toddlers. He puts the food (cheerios, etc.) directly on the table and sits his kid right on the toilet without lining. He and his family got sick on both cruises he took, mine hasn't gotten sick yet.

[blackwing]

Yes, I stand by my opinion - and I wonder, do you also through your paper napkin in the floor by the door for someone else to clean up so you aren't "contaminated"???

 

I respect everyone who comes after me - I wish others had the same courtesy.

 

Washing your hands thoroughly is the best way to combat disease, not increasing the disease pool by adding what you have walked through to the mix.

Many bathrooms have a garbage can by the door for the express purpose of collecting paper towels that people use to open the door with. If not, I typically take it with me and find a garbage can.

[blackwing]

I have been trying to work out just how you can pull a loo chain with your feet !!!

I'm assuming you're from Europe, I think Blackburn is the site of that ballroom dance championship, right?

 

Almost no public toilet in the U.S. has the tank near the ceiling with a pull chain like they sometimes do in Europe. :)

[Ewoodspark]

I'm assuming you're from Europe, I think Blackburn is the site of that ballroom dance championship, right?

 

Almost no public toilet in the U.S. has the tank near the ceiling with a pull chain like they sometimes do in Europe. :)

Ballroom Dancing?? I think you are confusing Blackpool with Blackburn.

So in Europe, I guess you would not use your feet to flush the loo !

[Tyskie]

Sorry, edit. Sent from my XT907 using Forums mobile app

Edited April 25, 2014 by Tyskie

[Medtech2]

I just checked Metrex's website (manufacturer of CaviCide) and they do not list the norovirus is killed by CaviCide - http://www.metrex.com/surface-CaviCide

 

They do have a newer formulation called CaviCide1 which they do claim is effective against the norovirus - http://www.metrex.com/cavicide1

 

The norovirus killing CaviCide1 does not appear to be as readily available to consumers as the CaviCide unless you purchase it directly from a medical distributor. A couple listings show up on Google in retail quantities on eBay, but these listings have been pulled off eBay. Are there distribution restrictions on the CaviCide1 product?

Probably, and with a kill time listed as less than 1 minute I wouldn't want to casually handle it.

A notable addition is ethanol, besides that other chemical switch, which I'm too lazy to type.

In my lab we are mostly interested in Hepatitis and MRSA.

Truthfully I am haphazard about whether I wipe down a cabin or hotel room. I am way more paranoid about the remote or phone. I also always wash my hands, and use a paper towel to leave the bathroom. If the trashcan is movable and not positioned by the door I have been known to move it. I have done this at church enough that they are leaving it there now.

I am also always trying to remember not to touch my nose or eyes, I sneeze into my shirt (through the neckline/collar-just pull it up around my mouth) and I go to the restroom to blow my nose, so I can wash my hands afterwards. Of course the joke in my job is that we always wash our hands BEFORE going to the restroom....(and after)

If I need to hold a railing I try to use a long sleeve or the outside of my wrist just to steady myself. I use a knuckle to push an elevator button. I could go on and on...

[DrNora]

Noro is just one of the nasties one can pick up at Publix, in your cabin or on an airplane or in your hotel loo.

 

Many other poppies problems are blamed on noro, anything from eating too many jalapeños to imbibing in too many martini flights.

 

Some of us are lucky to have unfettered access to purchase surgical grade noro-killin',

Viralcidal wipes and sprays . Doesn't,t mean we won,t get diarrhea from another

Source.

 

Use Wipes of your choice, flush how you like, but be vigilant- I have been known to loudly remark to folks as they attempt to exit a restroom without washing that"oh- you must have missed the sink and soap- let me show you how they work on this ship" .it happens every cruise, and I don,t care how embarrassed anyone gets. Gently remind kids at the buffet not to touch stuff with their fingers-and if you see that someone has done something vile at the buffet, alert a staff member or remove that tray of soiled cheese or doughnuts! ( I have done this , too- last summer on Grandeur a woman wiped her nose on her hand and then picked up some rolls with said hand from a basket. I picked up the basket and marched it off to a waiter and announced that the rolls had been sullied. He dumped them in the dirty bin. Easy-peasy) We all worry about getting sick, so we cannot worry about speaking up- all that good ol' teamwork stuff.

[kirsty_r]

Look at ncl's reported outbreaks on the cdc vessel sanitation website... Very low i believe.

 

 

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[dalgirl]

Many bathrooms have a garbage can by the door for the express purpose of collecting paper towels that people use to open the door with. If not, I typically take it with me and find a garbage can.

 

Thank goodness:)

 

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[harbede]

Take a look at the Clorox healthcare hydrogen peroxide cleaner disinfectant wipes. We wiped down our cabin with them. We got them at Amazon.com.

[calex]

Look at ncl's reported outbreaks on the cdc vessel sanitation website... Very low i believe.

 

 

Sent from my RM-892_eu_euro1_249 using Tapatalk

 

According to the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm), there have been 3 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships between 3/28/14 and 4/12/14 this year. With 8 incidences on cruise ships so far in 2014, it appears the pace of outbreaks has increased again compared to the 9 outbreaks in 2013. The only NCL activity this year was the NCL Star in early January. Sure hope they keep her sanitized since we will be on her later this year.

 

We were on the Celebrity Solstice in 2013 and do not really want to experience the mandatory measures required like no self serve in the buffet, or no bread and salt/pepper shakers on any table in the dining venues. Fortunately, NCL is big on preventive precautions. Now if they could only figure out how to deal with the unsanitary passengers that bring it onto a clean ship from home or a port of call.

[NayRN]

Noro is just one of the nasties one can pick up at Publix, in your cabin or on an airplane or in your hotel loo.

 

Many other poppies problems are blamed on noro, anything from eating too many jalapeños to imbibing in too many martini flights.

 

Some of us are lucky to have unfettered access to purchase surgical grade noro-killin',

Viralcidal wipes and sprays . Doesn't,t mean we won,t get diarrhea from another

Source.

 

Use Wipes of your choice, flush how you like, but be vigilant- I have been known to loudly remark to folks as they attempt to exit a restroom without washing that"oh- you must have missed the sink and soap- let me show you how they work on this ship" .it happens every cruise, and I don,t care how embarrassed anyone gets. Gently remind kids at the buffet not to touch stuff with their fingers-and if you see that someone has done something vile at the buffet, alert a staff member or remove that tray of soiled cheese or doughnuts! ( I have done this , too- last summer on Grandeur a woman wiped her nose on her hand and then picked up some rolls with said hand from a basket. I picked up the basket and marched it off to a waiter and announced that the rolls had been sullied. He dumped them in the dirty bin. Easy-peasy) We all worry about getting sick, so we cannot worry about speaking up- all that good ol' teamwork stuff.

 

Amen, DrNora! Words of wisdom! 👍

[OhJinkies]

Two items to keep in mind: many of you probably choose to use the stairs instead of the elevators. Remember that you were touching the same handrail that thousands of others are touching. Be sure to wash your hands frequently.

 

Also, the drop-down trays and seat pockets on airplanes are some of the worst places for germs. A lot of people will set their infants down on the tray with dirty diapers, or even worse, place those diapers in the seat pockets. How often do you think these are cleaned and sanitized? It's a good idea to wipe down those trays with antibacterial cloth. Don't ever eat snacks, such as peanuts, directly off your seatback tray.

 

 

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[depwa45]

Bleach does not kill Noro...but we still take a container of the wipes for general sanitizing.

I also ordered a tub of Clorox Hydogen Peroxide wipes on Amazon, as that does kill the Noro. (14$ for 155 wipes). First thing we do is give everything a good rub down with the wipes. And when cleaning, don't forget the phone, tv remote, etc!

 

 

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[rbrugler]

NCL consistently ranks among the cleanest ships at sea. There was a thread about this not too long ago that confirmed this. So, wash your hands many times, sing Happy Birthday Mr Hood as you do, and use a towel to open the washroom door.

[dalgirl]

What I always think about are the menus, everyone touches them. Worse than self serve IMHO.

 

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