# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/81 "2010-03-15T20:37:41Z")
Do your guests a favor- skip the hotel soaps (cheap crap, almost without exception) and pick up some new travel sized bar or liquid soaps from the travel aisle at the drugstore. No pubes to pick out, everyone is happy win/win. And your guest doesn’t have to use off brand Schmivory soap or whatever that crap is. Gah. ---
**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, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/82 "2010-03-15T20:45:45Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > This isn’t really that complicated. You are allowed to use complimentary items during the course of your stay. You are not allowed to use them in a different context. Nearly every hotel room will have a sign saying just that. Just because you haven’t noticed them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. > > Thus, taking them is theft. I would consider even taking used items without permission theft, since they aren’t yours to take. Just because it is theft though, doesn’t make it a big deal. The cost to the hotel is minimal, so I think it is fine to take items if you can get more practical use out of it than the hotel would have. > > The fact that the hotel accounts for patrons stealing their items, doesn’t mean they consent to it. It is just simply good business to account for what will likely happen whether or not you believe it should happen. If a store raises prices to make up for losses from shop lifting or fraud, it doesn’t mean they are okay with you stealing their stuff. Am I stealing if I take the newspaper left in front of my door, or the mint on my pillow? Here is one [hotel](http://www.hotelmetro.com/the-hotel/rooms/) that lists the newspaper and toiletries as _ **complimentary** _. Regarding signs: If hotels care enough to have multiple signs explaining that you’ll help save the environment if the maid doesn’t change your sheets and towels every day–signs that are quite obvious and in pretty much every hotel I’ve stayed in over the past 3+ years–then you’d think that if they really cared about consumable toiletries they’d have a sign saying “Please Leave Unused Toiletries” or something equally obvious. But they don’t. Or maybe they wouldn’t leave you new stuff when the other stuff is quite obviously sitting half-used in the shower or by the sink. But they do. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/83 "2010-03-15T21:00:04Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > We do the opposite. > > As a child I was always taught “its the curls that let them know you care” > > Maybe my upbringing wasn’t as fancy as yours… Well, I pick 'em off the soap, but I like to feel that I put a lot of myself into my cooking, if you know what I mean. And I think you do. Floss? ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/84 "2010-03-15T21:00:16Z")
I haven’t heard the “but but but it’s free advertising for the hotel” angle yet. > [@billfish678](#): > > As a child I was always taught “its the curls that let them know you care” > > Maybe my upbringing wasn’t as fancy as yours… I wonder if there’s a class where you can learn how to make little rosettes out of pubes for guest soaps. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/85 "2010-03-15T21:03:02Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > …if they really cared about consumable toiletries they’d have a sign saying “Please Leave Unused Toiletries” or something equally obvious. Someone with poor English skills might interpret that as, “please leave the toilet unused”. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/86 "2010-03-15T21:23:23Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > I haven’t heard the “but but but it’s free advertising for the hotel” angle yet. > I wonder if there’s a class where you can learn how to make little rosettes out of pubes for guest soaps. True fact In the fancy hotels of Japan they make fancy decorative bonzai trees out of that and tooth picks. Believe it or not. ---
**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, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/87 "2010-03-15T21:36:00Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > If hotels care enough to have multiple signs explaining that you’ll help save the environment if the maid doesn’t change your sheets and towels every day–signs that are quite obvious and in pretty much every hotel I’ve stayed in over the past 3+ years–then you’d think that if they really cared about consumable toiletries they’d have a sign saying “Please Leave Unused Toiletries” or something equally obvious. But as I keep saying, the hotel DOESN’T really care if you carry off the unused complimentary toiletries. That doesn’t change the fact that the complimentary toiletries are provided for your use in the hotel, and they can be reused for another guest if you don’t carry them off. ---
**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, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/88 "2010-03-15T22:49:21Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > But as I keep saying, the hotel DOESN’T really care if you carry off the unused complimentary toiletries. That doesn’t change the fact that the complimentary toiletries are provided for your use in the hotel, and they can be reused for another guest if you don’t carry them off. And the fact that they can reuse them doesn’t change the fact that you haven’t committed theft if you take them. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/89 "2010-03-16T00:09:39Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > But as I keep saying, the hotel DOESN’T really care if you carry off the unused complimentary toiletries. That doesn’t change the fact that the complimentary toiletries are provided for your use in the hotel, and they can be reused for another guest if you don’t carry them off. The toiletries universally have the name of the hotel on them, are reusable, and are thus advertising items, like matchbooks back when people smoked in hotel rooms and restaurants. I’ve never seen a sign saying to leave the toiletries - I suspect the toiletries at such a place would be such I wouldn’t want anyway. I have seen the common sign about reusing towels, always hang mine up, and always get fresh ones anyway. (Unless hotel maids have a magic towel pressing and drying machine.) I’m allergic to perfume soap, so bring my Ivory from home, and so they’re ahead of the game for me. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/90 "2010-03-16T01:52:59Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Does anyone know what happens here? I’m late to this thread, but since I have relevant info, I’m posting as soon as I read the initial question. Sorry if I’m just repeating what someone else said. My best friend owns a motel. Any opened bottles are tossed by law (NY law, other places may be different), and fresh put in. If you use it, take it home. They expect it, and it saves them some work cleaning up after you. If you are staying for several nights, leave the first one out, and if they leave it for your second night, use it. If they toss it and give you fresh, then every night you stay there, put the used one in your luggage, and use the new one. That way it won’t go to waste. They may think you’re a cheapskate, but so what. At least it won’t go to waste when they toss your used one and give you a new one. I used to work in a field that required me to live in motels most of the summer. That’s what I always did. Meeting my friend merely confirmed my assumption of how it worked. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/91 "2010-03-16T02:42:55Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > I’m late to this thread… And after reading the entire thread, I am apparently the _ **ONLY** _ one who understood the OP’s original and only question. It’s not a matter of _ **theft** _, legal or moral. It’s not about if the hotel/motel _ **expects** _ you to take it, used or unused. It’s about “_ **should** _ I steal it?” In other words, not about morality, practical or otherwise, but what is _ **BEST** _ to do from a _ **PRACTICAL** _ standpoint. After reading the whole thread, it looks like I’m the only one who actually tried to answer that question, instead of arguing about things utterly irrelevant to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/92 "2010-03-16T02:54:31Z")
Ok, the OP is finally back! Whew, what a day. I had no idea my thread would generate such buzz and angst in General Questions. > [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > And after reading the entire thread, I am apparently the _ **ONLY** _ one who understood the OP’s original and only question. It’s not a matter of _ **theft** _, legal or moral. It’s not about if the hotel/motel _ **expects** _ you to take it, used or unused. It’s about “_ **should** _ I steal it?” In other words, not about morality, practical or otherwise, but what is _ **BEST** _ to do from a _ **PRACTICAL** _ standpoint. After reading the whole thread, it looks like I’m the only one who actually tried to answer that question, instead of arguing about things utterly irrelevant to it. Cheshire, I do go along with you comment most of the time. I am frequently irritated at people’s non-applicable anecdotes and personal opinions in GQ, but I think my question was sufficiently answered in the first 10 or 20 replies. Apparently they DO throw them away if they are seen as “used,” so I should take them. Apparently they leave them there for the next guest if they are unused, so I should not take them (despite what anyone else here thinks). Frankly, I am surprised this has not been moved to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/93 "2010-03-16T03:05:28Z")
Yeah, as I said, that’s what I always do, and for the same reasons you originally asked. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500/94 "2010-03-16T11:09:57Z")
If you take too many, and they are complimentary, drop them off at the local food pantry rather then throw them away. A lot of the poor and homeless use them and they are easy to carry. My Mom gets tons at the Casino and she does this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-steal-hotel-shampoos-lotions/532500.md?page=4)