Introduction: Staying in a hotel is supposed to be a pleasant thing, but Liu encountered some troubles. After checking into a fast hotel, he unexpectedly developed hives. Liu suspected that it might be due to the unclean towels in the hotel. The hotel refused to pay Liu for the so-called treatment fee. How harmful are hotel towels to the skin?

After staying in the hotel, I found that my skin had inexplicable allergies. Recently, I have been frequently troubled by skin problems caused by staying in the hotel. In recent days, secret investigations have been conducted on some hotels in Nanjing. After testing, it was found that the pH value of the public textiles (commonly known as linens) used in these hotels generally exceeded the standard, and some even had alkaline indicators similar to laundry detergent, which is surprising.
　　
I got hives after staying in the hotel for two days
　　
Liu, who works in Beijing, recently went on a business trip to Nanjing and stayed at a fast chain hotel. However, to her surprise, after staying for two days, her skin began to itch. After returning to Beijing, the situation became increasingly severe. After seeking medical treatment at the hospital, the doctor told her that based on the red bumps on her arms, she was likely suffering from urticaria. According to the doctor's preliminary assessment, it is possible that it was due to exposure to unclean substances. Liu suspects that the towels at the express hotel he stayed at in Nanjing may not be clean.
　　
She said that when she entered the hotel room, she saw hair on the duvet and requested that the hotel replace the duvet cover. Later on, she also discovered that the hotel's shower towels were not very clean. After finding the hotel, the hotel stated that it was currently the peak period for hotel stays and could not be replaced, so she did not change the towels afterwards.
　　
After being diagnosed with a skin disease, Liu negotiated with this express hotel in Nanjing and demanded that they pay for the treatment fee. However, the hotel stated that although Liu had stayed at their hotel, there were many reasons for his skin disease, and the responsibility could not be directly shifted to their hotel. Moreover, there were many guests in their hotel, and no one had complained about them because of their skin disease. So they refused to pay the so-called treatment fee to Liu.
　　
On average, we receive more than ten complaints per month about unsanitary hotel linens, "said Gao Hongshun, president of the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association. This number has more than doubled compared to last year.
　　
In the thick complaint and consultation registration form of Nanjing Laundry Association, among numerous complaints, more than half of them are caused by skin diseases due to suspected unhygienic hotel linens.
　　
Bedsheets with excessive pH can 'burn' the face
　　
However, in the face of these consumers' appeals for rights protection, Gao Hongshun frankly stated that it is difficult to resolve. He said that because consumers were unable to provide the "linen" products used at the time for testing, they were unable to obtain strong evidence to demand compensation from the hotel. In recent days, Yangtze Evening News reporters have teamed up with the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association to secretly visit multiple hotels in Nanjing, including both affordable and fast hotels, as well as four hotels. They focused on testing the pH value of towels and bed sheets, but the results were surprising.
　　
A certain fast chain hotel
　　
Location: Shuiximen
　　
There is a 'black ball' in the towel
　　
The store manager admitted, 'I dare not use it myself.'
　　
Entering the randomly selected room, the reporter took out a towel from the bathroom, which had a noticeable greasy feeling when touched. Experienced inspectors said that this towel did not need to be tested and must have not been washed thoroughly. Subsequently, the testing personnel unfolded the towel and exposed it to sunlight. The seemingly white towel appeared as a cluster of black areas under the sunlight. The testing personnel told reporters that the "black mass" indicates that the towel was not cleaned thoroughly during each wash, and the accumulated stains were absorbed by the towel core. The manager surnamed Wang of the hotel was also surprised to see that her own towel was like this. She said that even she dared not use this towel.
　　
Experimental results: In the acidity and alkalinity testing, the bed sheets and towels in the hotel showed a tendency towards alkalinity.
　　
A certain fast chain hotel
　　
Location: Zhonghua Gate
　　
There is a strange smell as soon as I enter the guest room
　　
The alkalinity of towels is equivalent to laundry detergent
　　
The vehicle that came to transport the washed linen products was a van. The driver opened the back door and found several large bags of things wrapped in cloth haphazardly piled up inside. Due to the loose wrapping, some white sheets or towels had already been exposed, rubbing against the non dry van. As soon as they opened the door and walked into the guest room, reporters and inspectors smelled a strange smell. The inspectors said that this smell was left by unwashed linen products in the room. Indeed, obvious stains could be seen on the bed sheets and pillowcases in the hotel's guest rooms.
　　
Experimental results: The alkaline pH index of the hotel towels reached 9.5, which is almost equivalent to the pH value of laundry detergent.
　　
A certain four hotels
　　
Location: Yuhua Road
　　
Waiter: Are the bed sheets contaminated? Testing personnel: It was not cleaned thoroughly
　　
As soon as we walked in, the reporter saw that the hotel lobby prominently displayed the certificate of China Hotel Group's Top 60. Due to the fully booked rooms, our experiment could only be conducted in the warehouse where the "linens" were placed in the hotel. After taking out the pH value reagent, the pH value of the sampled linen showed alkaline.
　　
When asked by the waiter next to the test results if "our bed sheets were contaminated", the testing personnel answered with a wry smile that it was not "contaminated", but not washed thoroughly.
　　
Experimental results: Although it is a fourth hotel, the alkaline pH index of the hotel towels in the pH test also exceeded 9, and the alkaline index may also harm the skin of guests.
　　
The pH value of the tested hotel textiles does not meet the standard
　　
The problem of alkaline linen is very common in this undercover investigation, which has caused concern for the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association. This is because the pH value of public textiles exceeds the standard, which can easily cause itching and even allergies to the human skin. This is also why the association frequently receives complaints from customers about their skin allergies after staying in the hotel.
　　
You are simply making consumers sleep on laundry detergent, "said Dan Jun, a technician from the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, in response to the test results of this express hotel located in Zhonghua Gate. Because according to the pH value, the alkaline index of laundry detergent is around 9.5, and the value of a hotel towel in the test also reached 9.5. How can guests use such high-quality towels without problems?
　　
These 'burning face' sheets haven't been washed properly?
　　
Not using neutralizing agents to save costs resulted in excessive alkalinity
　　
Qualification fraud: Dishonest laundry factories cooperating with hotels
　　
Among the hotels under investigation, one of the three hotels provided a contract with a laundry manufacturer. However, it was surprising that the company only had a second level qualification, but in the qualification certificate provided to the hotel, the company upgraded itself to a first level qualification. Such fraudulent behavior raises concerns about whether the company can wash with integrity. In the undercover investigations of the remaining three hotels, there are many doubts about the so-called cooperation agreements with washing companies that these hotels have presented, and none of them can be found to be registered with the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association.
　　
Cutting corners: The cost of neutralizing agents accounts for 20%, and companies are unwilling to add them
　　
The fundamental reason for the excessive alkalinity of linen is to reduce costs. ”Gao Hongshun, the president of the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, analyzed that neutralizing agents should be added in the last stage of the washing process, but many companies are unwilling to add them in order to save money. He pointed out that the cost of neutralizing agents in washing accounts for nearly 20%.
　　
The person also analyzed that in addition to eliminating neutralizing agents, some companies may have added excessive detergents or used inferior industrial detergents during the washing process, resulting in many chemical residues that cause pH values to exceed the standard.
　　
In fact, in addition to exceeding the pH value, exceeding the total bacterial count is also a major cause of unsanitary conditions in many express hotels. The reason for this is also that the enterprise did not carry out high-temperature washing and sterilization as required in order to reduce washing costs, which can easily lead to cross infection of diseases.
　　
In fact, the underlying reason is that it was too late to wash
　　
Only five washing enterprises in the city have met the standard, far from meeting the demand
　　
Some express hotels, in order to save money, will send used towels, bath towels, bed sheets, etc. to specialized washing centers, and the cheaper the price, the better. The entire washing process is not supervised, which is also a common cost saving strategy of express hotels. "The President of Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association reminded that people who often go out should bring their own towels, pillowcases, and even bed sheets.
　　
President Gao pointed out that in the previous stage, due to the non environmental impact assessment and non compliant emissions of enterprises, more than 40 washing enterprises in Nanjing were shut down during special inspections by the environmental protection department. Currently, there are only five compliant enterprises in Nanjing, which can only meet one tenth of the city's washing needs.
　　
Industry call
　　
Hope the government can support qualified enterprises
　　
The association will expose hotel ratings
　　
In addition, washing enterprises in the surrounding areas of Nanjing generally suffer from outdated equipment, chaotic management, and poor environment. President Gao hopes that the Nanjing Municipal Government can support the laundry industry in the city and ensure the hygiene and health of guests staying in hotels. The Yangtze Evening News reporter learned that in the next step, the Nanjing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association will call for hotels to publish the names and qualification levels of their cooperating laundry manufacturers in the hotel lobby for the convenience of guest supervision. At the same time, the association will also start rating the laundry hygiene conditions of hotels and expose those with poor hygiene conditions.
Article link: China Chemical Instrument Networkhttp://www.chem17.com/news/detail/77994.html