Donate unused Hotel Soaps and Sundries
Jul 7, 2012, 10:45 pm
#1
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Donate unused Hotel Soaps and Sundries
I travel a lot (like the rest of you) and recently started saving all my unused hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, mouthwash, and bath gel. I gather these things at each stop and place them in a gallon size ziploc. At the end of the trip I donate them to my local food bank or women's shelter. They are so thankful of the donation and I have been told it is one of the most popular items at the food bank and shelter.
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Jul 8, 2012, 4:18 am
#2
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Moderator action
Post moved to TravelBuzz because there is no discusion of earning or redeeming miles or points.
Jul 8, 2012, 5:52 am
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,439
Although a nice gesture, I wonder how much extra carbon is generated fly thousands of tons of soap and shampoo around the world with this practice? Maybe you are making the world a worse place with this practice. 
Jul 8, 2012, 7:17 am
#4
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i'll bet the old food bank could also use towels, bedding, tv's and anything else you can get your hands on. if you play it right, you can get into the maid's cart in the hall and really clean up on toiletries. i presume those things cost the hotel a quarter or so each, so you can grab a buck's worth a day.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
Jul 8, 2012, 7:40 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
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If you don't use it, leave it. Yeah, I know some maids err..., room technicians will probably nick it anyway, but that's not the point.
Jul 8, 2012, 7:58 am
#6
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,843
I disagree, the in-room amenities provided in small bottles are yours for the taking should you want to. The cost of these is included in the room rate.
Jul 8, 2012, 8:18 am
#7
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i'll bet the old food bank could also use towels, bedding, tv's and anything else you can get your hands on. if you play it right, you can get into the maid's cart in the hall and really clean up on toiletries. i presume those things cost the hotel a quarter or so each, so you can grab a buck's worth a day.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
Jul 8, 2012, 8:48 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
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Posts: 8,691
I travel a lot (like the rest of you) and recently started saving all my unused hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, mouthwash, and bath gel. I gather these things at each stop and place them in a gallon size ziploc. At the end of the trip I donate them to my local food bank or women's shelter. They are so thankful of the donation and I have been told it is one of the most popular items at the food bank and shelter.
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Perhaps the housekeepers should just leave the prior guest's soap and shampoo in the room for reuses.... Maybe they shouldn't change the sheets for a week or two either.....
i'll bet the old food bank could also use towels, bedding, tv's and anything else you can get your hands on. if you play it right, you can get into the maid's cart in the hall and really clean up on toiletries. i presume those things cost the hotel a quarter or so each, so you can grab a buck's worth a day.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
^^^
Jul 8, 2012, 8:53 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 971
Just wondering...what happens to the slightly used soap (or the shampoo that only has a tiny bit removed)? Do they toss it in the garbage? I can see a maid taking some (just rinse it off), but the rest?
Jul 8, 2012, 8:57 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 1999
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton GLD
Posts: 974
i'll bet the old food bank could also use towels, bedding, tv's and anything else you can get your hands on. if you play it right, you can get into the maid's cart in the hall and really clean up on toiletries. i presume those things cost the hotel a quarter or so each, so you can grab a buck's worth a day.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
i notice at the starwood chain, the maids refill the liquid soap and shampoo containers.
although that stuff is set out for you, it is not for the taking, it is for the using. you want to donate to the food bank, do so with a check, and fill in the proper line on your irs statement.
Jul 8, 2012, 9:58 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 640
I gather these things at each stop and place them in a gallon size ziploc. At the end of the trip I donate them to my local food bank or women's shelter. They are so thankful of the donation and I have been told it is one of the most popular items at the food bank and shelter.
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Instead of leaving them behind, consider keeping them and donating them, I know your community would appreciate it. :-:
Global Soap Project
Clean The World
Jul 8, 2012, 10:00 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Jul 8, 2012, 10:12 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
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Posts: 4,817
You can also consider donating them to an old folks home. Some of the ladies in those (and there are far more ladies than men) enjoy getting them and have very limited incomes to just go out and buy them
Jul 8, 2012, 5:01 pm
#14
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Do you really think that the
local food bank or women's shelter.
Jul 8, 2012, 5:05 pm
#15
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Ever wonder what happens to leftover soap and shampoo at hotels?
Most are thrown away. About 1 million partly used bars of soap are tossed out daily by U.S. hotels, according to Clean the World Foundation, a non-profit organization that recycles used soap for distribution to developing nations and homeless shelters.
But recycling organizations such as Clean the World, based in Orlando, and Global Soap Project, based in Atlanta, are starting to get more attention from large hotel companies
Most are thrown away. About 1 million partly used bars of soap are tossed out daily by U.S. hotels, according to Clean the World Foundation, a non-profit organization that recycles used soap for distribution to developing nations and homeless shelters.
But recycling organizations such as Clean the World, based in Orlando, and Global Soap Project, based in Atlanta, are starting to get more attention from large hotel companies
