FlyerTalk Forums - The Hot Towel

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- TravelBuzz (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz-176/)

- - The Hot Towel (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/294103-hot-towel.html)

Often take the 1:20 AM from LAX to IAH on Continental arriving at 6:33 AM, most of the F/C passengers are asleep as soon as we can recline and do not want beverage or "light snack" service.

Recently we received the towel just before landing - clean or not, your just waking up, cannot get up to use the head to splash cold water in your face. You have just tried to get a full night's sleep in 2.5 hours ( I wish they would leave earlier and fly the plane slower)

A welcome service, I just wish they would make it standard. Pack another tray of Towels Gordon

I never understood the face thing. You have no ides what they are using in these things, and for that matter the fragrance is often foul.

Never. I've always seen men do it but never any women. But as I read this thread, it looks like many male FTers here also avoid putting the towels to their faces.

Quote:

Originally posted by Analise:
Never. I've always seen men do it but never any women.

I don't wipe my face with it usually because I don't want to ruin my mascara! Great for the hands though.

Face, neck, hands, and when I am bored, the hard surfaces in the area around me. And usually towel is too hot to use at first which has always been comforting (tossing between hands to cool it off). I think you're more likely to catch those scary germs putting your head on the blanket at a hotel room or using a pay phone. But hey, I'll drink water from a public bubbler on occasion too.

Quote:

Originally posted by gregseattle:
But hey, I'll drink water from a public bubbler on occasion too.

I skim read that and thought for one *horrible* second that you said 'public bladder'... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/eek.gif

I use them on my hands because my fingers and hands get really chapped. It sort of re-hydrates my hands for a little bit.
While I do not use them for my face, it is not because I am worried about them being unsanitary, I just have extremely sensitive skin and there is some kind of fragrance in there and I am afraid I would react badly to it.
I bring my own face mist when flying. I get it from my salon and I use that. As well as chapstick and hand cream.

Quote:

Originally posted by aura:
...Anyway, what would you prefer? Using a towel straight from the manufacturer, or one that someone once blew their nose on, wiped their kid's bum, cleaned up vomit etc and that you *hope* someone cleaned properly? I can see how a company would try to avoid this potential psychological aversion, even if it's totally irrational...

Have you ever considered what happens to hotel towels? If you really want me to paint a mental picture for you, think feces, ear wax, blood, semen, saliva, etc. Hotels (most anyway http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif ) seem to be able to clean and reuse their towels. As for straight-from-the-factory towels, I wouldn't want that unless they were washed first.

Wouldn't the handle or doorknob on a public bathroom door be just as bad or worse than a public phone?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ord26:
...the handle or doorknob on a public bathroom door...[QUOTE]

Using a paper towel to open the door upon exiting is always a good idea.

Quote:

Originally posted by TransWorldOne:
Using a paper towel to open the door upon exiting is always a good idea.

Yes, very true. I will open it with a paper towel or if it is the swinging doors, I push it open with my foot.

On the way out, I push the public bathroom door open with my elbow after I've washed my hands...

Quote:

Originally posted by geo1004:
On the way out, I push the public bathroom door open with my elbow after I've washed my hands...

I've always amazed at the gamut we have to run after carefully washing our hands with hot soapy water (while humming two choruses of Row, Row, Row, your Boat!), then shut off the water, unlock and finally open the door. I'm thankful that I seem to have a first rate immune system.

And let's not speak of the aerosol cloud generated by flushing... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

From: http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97sep/water.htm

Quote:

Microbially, the best public restrooms are in hospitals. "If you want the cleanest, pull in to the emergency room. Next are your fast-food restaurants, and the worst are airports and bus stations. The more stalls the better, by the way. And the first stall is the safest, because fewer people use it."

Toilets have an aerosol effect that remains widely unrecognized. "Droplets are going all over the place -- it's like the Fourth of July. One way to see this is to put a dye in the toilet, flush it, and then hold a piece of paper over it. You'll get what we call a commode-o-graph. Every toilet has a characteristic ... well, that's a whole other story."

Cheers,

birdstrike

[This message has been edited by birdstrike (edited 07-08-2002).]

Quote:

Originally posted by R&R:

Yes use them to clean the armrests after you whipped your face and hands

So when I see someone hitting themselves in the face and hands with their towel, I'll know it's R&R http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

Juvenile jokes about misspellings aside - everytime I've flown UA, CO, and NW trans-Atlantic coach I've had the hot towel, but I wonder if in these times of cost-cutting if anyone has noticed that being discontinued as well.

It's those little things that I love...so I'm hoping I'll get it on my upcoming AC trans-Atlantic journey. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...m/rolleyes.gif

(edited for content)

[This message has been edited by javail (edited 12-11-2002).]

[This message has been edited by javail (edited 12-11-2002).]