Microbiologist Warns About Germs, Infection Risks in Hotel Room Even if It Looks Clean, Expensive

Hotel rooms are meant to be clean before you occupy them. However, even if it appears sparkly clean, you should still be careful because there are still hidden germs.

Invisible Dangers in Hotel Rooms

Dr. Primrose Freestone, who has academic expertise in clinical microbiology, shared some tips on avoiding bacteria in the hotel you are staying in on your upcoming trip in an article published on Science Alert.

According to her, the assessment of hotel room cleanliness is based on sight and smell observations. However, bacteria, viruses, and fungi are invisible to the naked eye, making them easy to miss.

She suggested that you be careful with the following:

Lift

According to Freestone, everything starts at the lift because the buttons you press to reach your room are germ hotspots. They are pressed by many people, which means the microorganisms are transferred from the button surface to the presser's fingers.

She suggests you wash your hands and use sanitizers after pressing those buttons before you touch your face, eat, or drink. She noted that the most common infections people pick from hotel rooms are tummy bugs, diarrhea and vomiting, temporary viruses like colds and pneumonia, and COVID-19.

She added that toilets and bathrooms are cleaned more thoroughly than the other areas in the hotel room, suggesting they have the least bacteria.

However, even if the drinking glass in the bathroom is not disposable, it is still best to wash it before using it, as you can never be sure if it is cleaned well. You can use body wash or shampoo to clean the glass because they are effective dishwashers.

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Remote

Bed, sheets, and pillows can be home to unwanted visitors. A 2020 study found significant viral contamination after a pre-symptomatic occupied a hotel room.

However, less thought is what lives on the hotel room desk, bedside table, telephone, kettle, coffee machine, light switch, or TV remote. You should beware of these surfaces because they aren't always sanitized between occupancies.

A 2012 study of hotel rooms found that television remotes are among the most heavily contaminated with bacteria and items on housekeeping carts that carry the potential to cross-contaminate rooms. Bedside lamp switch is also prone to bacteria.

You have to sanitize these items because housekeepers don't always do, and viruses like norovirus can live in infectious form for days on hard surfaces. The typical time interval between room changeovers is often less than 12 hours.

Also, soft fabric furnishings like cushions, chairs, curtains, and blinds are not easy to clean and may not be sanitized other than removing the stains between guests, so it's highly recommended that you wash your hands after touching them.

Bed Bugs

Aside from the dirty surfaces and germs, you should beware of bed bugs. These bloodsucking insects can remain dormant without feeding for months and may be found in narrow, small spaces like cracks and crevices of luggage, mattresses, and bedding.

Bed bugs are widespread throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and the U.S. They are often found in hotels. Just because your hotel room looks and smells clean doesn't guarantee it's bed bug-free.