The most disgusting spots in hotel rooms – and how to avoid germs hiding there
IT CAN be hard to relax on holiday when you imagine that your hotel room is a Petri dish of previous guests’ germy remains.
Even if there aren’t the usual telltale signs of uncleanliness, there is almost certainly something grim lurking.
So you know what to watch out for this summer, germ experts have shared all the disgusting details about some of the most used items in a hotel room.
It's not just scaremongering though — they also reveal the best ways to protect yourself while hitting the road this summer.
Shower surfaces
The hotel tub is teeming with existing bacteria, so it’s best to skip the bath and limit exposure by showering.
Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and clinical professor of microbiology and pathology at the NYU School of Medicine said: “Keep in mind there’s a [film] that forms over time in the tub and that holds organisms."
But even showering isn’t without concern — the moist setting is a breeding ground for fungus (which can cause athlete’s foot), and mould (which can trigger allergies in people with sensitivities, prompting sneezing, nasal congestion and itchy, watery eyes).
Dr. Clifford Bassett, medical director of Allergy & Asthma Care of New York said: “If you smell mildew, you’ve got mould exposure."
Tierno advises running the hot water for one minute and squirting some shampoo or shower gel onto the bath surface before stepping in.
He said: "“You’re reducing the number of organisms that collect.";
Toilet
If the hotel toilet is visibly soiled, request a room change, or head to another hotel.
Even if it isn’t, Tierno advises travelling with alcohol wipes, or even buying some Lysol, to clean the seat and the flush handle for safety.
He revealed that the chances of you coming down with something are slim, but exposure to fecal particles can cause norovirus.
Shower head
Ideally, these fixtures should be replaced every year, and if they’re not, legionella exposure is a potential concern.
This bacterium, which appears in potable water supplies, can spray out and — for older adults or those with weakened immune systems — lead to deadly Legionnaires’ disease.
Tierno recommends running the hot water for a minute or two before stepping in, so that “Whatever’s loose can drop out — and that’s ideal.”
Remote control
The remote — handled by many hands — can house all sorts of gross stuff in its many crevices.
Tierno said: “There’s human hair, bodily excretions based on what [people] touch before they touch the remote ... insect parts that may be part of the room’s dust ... cosmetics, even food.
“Of course, you perspire, and that serves as a nice medium that assists in the growth of organisms over time.”
Before channel-surfing, Bassett recommends placing the remote in a large Ziploc bag.
Bed
When you arrive, take off the bedspread — a layer long suspected to house semen, urine — you name it.
Tierno said: “If [it’s] put away in the corner, you don’t have to worry about it," adding that it’s useful to place a note on top telling housekeeping not to put it back on the bed.
Beyond bodily fluids, allergens are the primary concern here, due to dust mites.
To lessen an allergic reaction, handle the fabrics gently, and keep medications, such as steroid nose sprays, inhalers or eye drops, on hand during hotel stays.
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Carpet
Carpeting can also be a source of those pesky dust mites.
If allergens are a major concern, Bassett suggests seeking out a hypo-allergenic room with in-room medical-grade air purification, as well as microfibre pillow cases and mattress covers to nix dust and dander.
Under humid conditions, fungal spores can also grow, so Tierno recommends walking around in slippers.
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Soft furniture
It’s best to avoid that comfy-looking upholstered recliner.
Tierno reveals, “People sit there nude,” potentially spreading staphylococcus bacteria via their underarms and rectal cavities, which can potentially lead to staph infections.
This story originally appeared on the and was republished with permission.