# Should I "steal" hotel shampoos, lotions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500 "2010-03-15T02:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/41 "2010-03-15T15:49:08Z")
> [@robby](#): > > I generally take the shampoo, etc. with me when I check out, but I don’t pack them away on a daily basis just to get new ones. I thought it was pretty strange myself, although not out of character for this particular friend, who prides himself on “playing the system” every chance he gets. These days, I hardly ever even bother to take unused, or even used, toiletries with me when I check out, since I’m usually flying home with no checked luggage, and I don’t feel like adding them to the stuff I have to put in the magic 1-quart ziplock bag that makes them safe to take on the plane. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/42 "2010-03-15T15:51:33Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Nobody cares, including the management. […] > > It’s part of the cost of your room, sign or no sign. Yes, I know. **ALL** pilfering of hotel supplies is factored into the cost of the room. Room rates reflect not only the expectation that some people will use complimentary toiletries in the hotel and some people will squirrel away extra bottles of complimentary toiletries to use outside the hotel, but also the expectation that a smaller number of people will take away towels and other items as well. Just because the hotel covers the costs of all such losses by factoring them into the room rate doesn’t change the fact that you’re taking away something that the hotel could otherwise reuse for another guest. The difference with toiletries, as I already said, is simply that the item is cheap enough that nobody really cares about your taking it. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/43 "2010-03-15T15:51:57Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > But you’re totally crass and cheap enough to give me some stolen soaps when I stay at your house, of course. Friends that want a brand new, full size bar of soap and an unopened bottle of shampoo when they come visit are no friends of mine. Others (edited to make this a global you which was the intent) may think that giving them access to pube-riddled used bars of soap is acceptable, but I don’t. And I don’t think it’s acceptable to pay for aforementioned full size items or even waste them when my guests only stay for one or two nights. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/44 "2010-03-15T15:54:04Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Just because the hotel covers the costs of all such losses by factoring them into the room rate doesn’t change the fact that you’re taking away something that the hotel could otherwise reuse for another guest. No it doesn’t change the fact that they could use it elsewhere, but it does change the fact that your actions aren’t theft. They’re not “losses” anyways, as mentioned, they’re consumables. This is like claiming they account for the “loss” of sausage links at their complimentary breakfast buffet. No, they account for the use of it. ---
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/45 "2010-03-15T15:56:04Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Friends that want a brand new, full size bar of soap and an unopened bottle of shampoo when they come visit are no friends of mine. Others (edited to make this a global you which was the intent) may think that giving them access to pube-riddled used bars of soap is acceptable, but I don’t. And I don’t think it’s acceptable to pay for aforementioned full size items or even waste them when my guests only stay for one or two nights. lol 😃 What an image :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/46 "2010-03-15T15:57:14Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Exactly right. You should also rip a corner off the bath towel and put that in your suitcase too, because the hotel can’t reuse it in that condition, so you’re not depriving them of anything. I like how you miss the reference to your own statements: > [@](#): > > You can take away an opened and partially-used bottle because it’s already been used by you and the hotel can’t reuse it. > > But taking away UNOPENED bottles of toiletries is depriving the hotel of items that they would otherwise be able to use for another guest, So which is it? I can or cannot take away an opened-but-unused bottle in your world? What about pouring some out? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/47 "2010-03-15T16:01:50Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > They’re not “losses” anyways, as mentioned, they’re consumables. This is like claiming they account for the “loss” of sausage links at their complimentary breakfast buffet. No, they account for the use of it. Except that when you take away unopened hotel toiletries to give to your own houseguests, you’re not actually “consuming” or “using” them during your stay. Do you stock up on the hotel’s sausage links at the complimentary breakfast buffet and take them home to stash in your own freezer for future use? Why not? They’re consumables. > [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Friends that want a brand new, full size bar of soap and an unopened bottle of shampoo when they come visit are no friends of mine. Others (edited to make this a global you which was the intent) may think that giving them access to pube-riddled used bars of soap is acceptable, but I don’t. And I don’t think it’s acceptable to pay for aforementioned full size items or even waste them when my guests only stay for one or two nights. 😕 You’ve heard of “guest soaps”, right? I agree that it’s wasteful to buy new full-sized toiletries for every houseguest, but it’s perfectly possible to buy small-sized toiletries for individual guests’ use. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/48 "2010-03-15T16:12:07Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Except that when you take away unopened hotel toiletries to give to your own houseguests, you’re not actually “consuming” or “using” them during your stay. Do you stock up on the hotel’s sausage links at the complimentary breakfast buffet and take them home to stash in your own freezer for future use? Why not? They’re consumables. I don’t because I don’t want to. It’s not theft, which is my entire point. There’s no proviso with hotel toiletries or sausage links that, in effect, says “Hotel only transfers title and possession of said links and bottles only if you use them right here and now” (to the effect that your sign says “we invite you to use them in this room” or whatever the language is, I would even interpret that to mean that they’re clarifying that you can use/take them gratis as opposed to other hotels in other parts of the world that may charge for these things, not as some attempt to curtail the possessory interest they’re giving to you) > [@](#): > > 😕 You’ve heard of “guest soaps”, right? I agree that it’s wasteful to buy new full-sized toiletries for every houseguest, but it’s perfectly possible to buy small-sized toiletries for individual guests’ use. Where would I find such objects? I don’t have many guests, so unless they sell them individually for like 25 cents a piece, i’m not going to buy a 50-pack of small soap bars. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/49 "2010-03-15T16:16:35Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > So which is it? I can or cannot take away an opened-but-unused bottle in your world? What about pouring some out? Well, I thought I made the answer perfectly clear with my bath towel example, but I’ll spell it out: I think that because a hotel provides supplies for you to use during your stay, you should not take away hotel items that otherwise could be reused for another guest. Deliberately damaging or depleting an item specifically for the purpose of making it impossible to reuse for another guest, just so that you can feel okay about taking it away with you on the grounds that it doesn’t count as “depriving” the hotel of a useful item, seems to me like a silly and transparent rationalization. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/50 "2010-03-15T16:21:22Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Well, I thought I made the answer perfectly clear with my bath towel example, but I’ll spell it out: I think that because a hotel provides supplies for you to use during your stay, you should not take away hotel items that otherwise could be reused for another guest. > > Deliberately damaging or depleting an item specifically for the purpose of making it impossible to reuse for another guest, just so that you can feel okay about taking it away with you on the grounds that it doesn’t count as “depriving” the hotel of a useful item, seems to me like a silly and transparent rationalization. There’s only one person attempting to rationalize here, and it isn’t me. What do you think is a more efficient answer, here? There are all of these provisions and conditions under which you are allowed to use/take or not use/take hotel toiletries? or that they transfer a complete possessory interest to you for you to do with as you please? edit: If you have a different opinion on the ethics/morality of this, that’s fine. But it’s assuredly not a criminal act. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/51 "2010-03-15T16:23:55Z")
I keep seeing people say that the hotels don’t care. My philosophy has always been that, if a rule is not enforced, it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t matter how many signs you put up or how often you tell me. If I can do it right in front of you, and you don’t care, then you were lying when you said it was a rule. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/52 "2010-03-15T16:27:12Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Where would I find such objects? I don’t have many guests, so unless they sell them individually for like 25 cents a piece, i’m not going to buy a 50-pack of small soap bars. They’re fifty cents apiece for fancy animal-shaped soaps at [bulksalts.com](http://www.bulksalts.com/soap/?gclid=COmowvGUu6ACFQk65Qod4ULrUA), but you could probably get a set of them somewhat cheaper in drugstores. I don’t think they even come in packs of 50 for the retail trade: more like 6 or 12. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/53 "2010-03-15T16:37:09Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > What do you think is a more efficient answer, here? There are all of these provisions and conditions under which you are allowed to use/take or not use/take hotel toiletries? or that they transfer a complete possessory interest to you for you to do with as you please? I think it’s a more efficient answer to say that there’s **one** condition for using **any** supplies provided by a hotel: namely, you use what you need during your stay, and can take with you any partially-used items that they’d have to throw away. Anything that can be reused for another guest you should leave behind. It’s really not that complicated. However, as I’ve said from the start, it’s quite true that the cost of toiletry items is so low that nobody really cares whether you abide by this condition or not in the case of soaps and shampoos. They only start caring when you fail to apply the condition to things like sheets and towels and TV remotes. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/54 "2010-03-15T16:46:42Z")
One I just remembered: I was once talking with someone who did groundskeeping work for a motel, and he said that he took partially-used bars of soap and dumped them in a big bucket of water, and then used that water to spray on the plants. Apparently, the slight amount of soap dissolved in the water is enough to keep the aphids off. So the hotel can get at least some use out of the leftover product that way. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/55 "2010-03-15T16:46:54Z")
Are the lightbulbs for me to take as well ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/56 "2010-03-15T16:52:48Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I think it’s a more efficient answer to say that there’s **one** condition for using **any** supplies provided by a hotel: namely, you use what you need during your stay, and can take with you any partially-used items that they’d have to throw away. > > Anything that can be reused for another guest you should leave behind. It’s really not that complicated. > > However, as I’ve said from the start, it’s quite true that the cost of toiletry items is so low that nobody really cares whether you abide by this condition or not in the case of soaps and shampoos. They only start caring when you fail to apply the condition to things like sheets and towels and TV remotes. You lump in televisions with soap and claim that they are subject to the same global transfer of possessory interest while you lease your hotel room. I do not. The soap is given to you for your use without condition, the TV and towels are clearly not. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/57 "2010-03-15T16:55:51Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Where would I find such objects? I don’t have many guests, so unless they sell them individually for like 25 cents a piece, i’m not going to buy a 50-pack of small soap bars. Try [Minimus.biz](http://www.minimus.biz/Soap.aspx), they have 'em for as cheap as $0.19 each with free shipping for orders over $20 in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/58 "2010-03-15T17:02:53Z")
I hate those little bars of soap. I prefer a full size bar of soap. So, I don’t ever take a little bar of soap. My wife, on the other hand, loves those little soaps and of course, brings them home. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/59 "2010-03-15T17:07:11Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > The soap is given to you for your use without condition, Only if you ignore the condition stated by the little sign in the bathroom to the effect that the complimentary toiletries are “for your use during your stay”. Sure, as I said, in practice nobody is going to care if you interpret that condition as equivalent to “for your use during your stay or for permanent removal by you up to and including however many of the little bottles we put in your bathroom until you check out”. But I think it’s simpler just to interpret it as written. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/60 "2010-03-15T17:15:15Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Only if you ignore the condition stated by the little sign in the bathroom to the effect that the complimentary toiletries are “for your use during your stay”. > > Sure, as I said, in practice nobody is going to care if you interpret that condition as equivalent to “for your use during your stay or for permanent removal by you up to and including however many of the little bottles we put in your bathroom until you check out”. But I think it’s simpler just to interpret it as written. Not all hotels have this little sign of which you speak. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500.md?page=4)