January 28, 2026 | 10:16 am
One of the pleasures of staying in a hotel is that guests do not have to tidy up the bed or take out the trash because there is a special team for that. However, this does not mean that guests are exempt from responsibility for cleanliness when leaving the room.
Etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, Diane Gottsman, told Travel and Leisure that despite having a special team for room cleanliness, guests still need to pay attention to etiquette and cleanliness standards. While guests do not need to clean the room as usual, they should not give the hotel staff additional work.
Here are the do's and don'ts according to etiquette experts:
1. Do not use the bathrobe as a tissue
Do not use the bathrobe provided by the hotel to wipe your nose or clean your makeup. "Although it can be washed, it's difficult to remove stubborn stains," said Gottsman.
2. Do not tidy up the bed
No need to tidy up the bed before check-out, according to modern etiquette expert Myka Meier. "The bed will be immediately changed, so you don't need to worry about making it," she told Travel and Leisure.
3. Clean up pet waste
Some hotels allow guests to bring pets. Nevertheless, make sure to bring enough bags to pick up pet waste. Do not throw the waste bag into the toilet as it could cause a blockage.
4. Dispose of trash
Do not leave trash scattered in the hotel room. According to Meier, guests should dispose of trash in the provided trash cans.
5. Do not leave wet towels on furniture
Meier suggests hanging used towels or leaving them neatly stacked in the bathroom. "Never leave wet towels on the carpet or furniture, as it can damage wood or fabric and leave wet stains (or cause mold) on the carpet that may not dry in time for the next guest," said Meier.
6. Clean up anything broken
If you break a glass or bottle, make sure to clean up the shards and fragments as much as possible. This way, the shards or fragments will not cause harm to others due to ignorance.
7. Do not leave dirty dishes in the hallway
When ordering food to the room, do not leave dirty trays in the hallway. Besides being impolite, a pile of dirty dishes can also cause others to stumble and leave unpleasant odors. Once finished, contact the housekeeping or room service to take the dishes directly from the room.
8. Return the furniture to its original position
Guests may rearrange the hotel room furniture for a specific purpose, such as childproofing or simply to make the room more comfortable. If done, return everything to its original position before check-out. This also applies to small items such as television remotes.
"It is important to leave the hotel room tidy and respectful, just as it was when you first entered," said Meier. This action may seem trivial, but it will lighten the workload of the hotel staff when cleaning the room.
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