«Just in case your day wasn’t shitty enough, I want to remind you that you never the big shower gel and shampoo bottles in hotels should use,” Brittney says in a Tiktok video with two million views. “There are actually people who mess with it and put things in it,” she says. “Yuck, please what?” someone asks in the comments.
«I have as Cleaner worked in a hotel and can confirm that,” writes another person. “But this only happens with bottles with a normal screw cap. “In the hotel where I work we have special dispenser bottles that cannot be opened,” someone else objects. “Now I’m afraid that someone will mix depilatory products into the shampoo!” writes one user.
How do you handle shower gel and shampoo when you are in the hotel?
Over 70 percent of the dispenser bottles are bacterial contaminated
According to a German study from 2023, refill systems can have an increased risk of bacterial contamination by up to 70 percent after just the second refill. One comes to a similar conclusion US study from 2019. A team of researchers analyzed samples from dispenser bottles in 20 hotels – over 75 percent had higher bacteria levels than are usually permitted in cosmetic products.
Would you rather not shower with hotel soap? That’s what dermatologist says
Use the hotel shower gel from the dispenser bottle without worrying about it or would it be better to take your own products with you? We consulted with dermatologist Dr. med. Marianne Meli asked what she recommends. “For healthy adults, the risk of clinically relevant infection from refillable dispenser bottles in hotels is very low, although bacterial contamination has been proven to occur,” she says. Taking your own products with you offers additional security, but is not necessary for most travelers.
“In people with open skin wounds, weakened immune systems or chronic skin diseases, these bacteria can lead to an infection.” In their opinion, a relevant infection via such products is very unrealistic. “Donors should be avoided if they are visibly dirty, discolored or have an unusual smell,” says the expert.
But how can that be? That answers another one study. According to the researchers, bacteria can adhere to the inner surfaces of refillable dispenser bottles. A so-called biofilm forms. The more soap, shampoo or lotion you add, the more the sticky biofilm grows and is then pumped out with the product – and ends up on your skin.
Mini sizes in hotels will be banned in the EU from 2030
What does the ban mean for Swiss hotels?
“As a non-EU member, Switzerland is not directly affected,” explains Vinzenz van den Berg, head of corporate communications at Hotellerie Suisse. There is currently no directly comparable legal ban that relates to mini cosmetic products in hotels.
Swiss hotels are increasingly using refillable dispenser bottles
Although Swiss hotels are not affected by the EU ban (info box above), a rethink is also taking place here. “Our exchanges with hotels and market observations show that the use of refillable bottles for hand, body and hair care products is increasing,” says van den Berg. Two systems are used: open, in which the products are filled by hand, and closed, in which fully filled and sealed cartridges are changed.
From Hotellerie Suisse’s point of view, both systems can be used without any problems – hygienically correct handling is crucial. “In all cases, consistently implemented processes and appropriately trained employees are central,” says van den Berg.
One hotel chain that has been using refillable dispenser bottles for a long time is 25 Hours Hotels. “We have had dispenser bottles in our hotels for over ten years,” says Lukas Meier, general manager of the two hotels in Zurich. “It was a novelty at the beginning, and we also received some negative feedback from guests.”
Today, however, things are different. “Guests prefer a high-quality product from dispenser systems to a low-quality product from disposable packaging,” says Meier. “The pumps of the dispenser bottles are cleaned regularly and the liquid is replaced.”
Since 2023, 25 Hours Hotels has had a partnership with the Zurich company Soeder. The Sorell Hotels & Restaurants also offer refillable toiletries in the bathrooms and toilets of almost all of their properties. “For the correct refilling process, we follow an internal guide that Soeder provided to us,” says the company.
Not all Swiss hotels rely on refill bottles
“At the Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich we continue to consciously rely on high-quality mini bottles,” says General Manager Andreas Stöckli. For many guests, the mini bottles have emotional added value. “They are often taken as a small souvenir.”
“We generally examine refillable dispenser systems, but only on the condition that they meet our high standards of hygiene, quality and guest experience,” says Stöckli. An often underestimated aspect is logistics: “Liquid soaps in large dispenser systems consist largely of water. Transporting them over long distances causes correspondingly higher emissions, which must be taken into account in the overall analysis,” he explains.
The hotel works with the Swiss non-profit organization Sapocycle to ensure that guests’ leftover products are returned to a recycling cycle and therefore do not end up as waste. “Refill dispensers may seem environmentally friendly at first glance, but after repeated refills they can become a source of bacteria,” says Dorothée Schiesser, founder of Sapocycle. “Unfortunately, more and more hotels are switching to liquid products in refill dispensers for purely economic reasons,” says Schiesser.
Large dispenser bottles in the hotel shower or mini bottles: which do you prefer?
Laura Zygmunt (lmz) has been working for 20 minutes since 2022. She is an editor in the lifestyle department and writes about the world of travel.
