Happy Valentine’s Day!
If part of your Valentine’s Day plans is to check into a hotel for the weekend or night and bring a bathing suit to sit and relax in the hotel jacuzzi, you might want to read this first.
Think twice
Hot tubs might be relaxing, but they’re also pretty gross. That’s according to a microbiologist who just weighed in. She wrote a big piece for TheConversation.com that talks about why Jacuzzis at HOTELS are even grosser.
Here are her five main points . .
5. Those chemicals themselves are bad for you!
They do kill germs, but they’re also toxic. So experts say limit yourself to a 15-minute dip, especially kids and pregnant women. Two common issues are skin irritation and stingy eyes.
And speaking of irritated eyes: That’s usually caused by chloramine . . . a chemical created when chlorine mixes with URINE or other bodily fluids. It smells a little like bleach.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
4. Hotels don't clean them enough
In general, the water in hot tubs is only supposed to be changed out once every THREE MONTHS. And a lot of hotels don’t use enough chemicals to keep them clean.
3. People are gross!
One of the main reasons hotel hot tubs are disgusting is people just don’t practice good hygiene. And the chances they showered right before they got in are slim.
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2. Viruses, funguses, and bacteria love hot tubs
The temperature makes them a perfect breeding ground for things like E. coli, staph, and the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.
(Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
1. There's definitely Poop in there
Fun fact: The average person has around 100 milligrams of it hanging out between their cheeks at any given time.
That’s only around a 50th of a teaspoon. But if 50 people have used your hotel jacuzzi that day . . . well, you do the math. And it’s not just getting on your skin. You could swallow some without knowing, or even breathe it in.
Poop emoticon on pink background.