The next time you stay in a hotel, you might want to bring some
extra hand sanitizer. A study on contamination levels in hotel
rooms led by the University of Houston, presented on June 17 at
the American Society for Microbiology, reported that two of the
most contaminated items were TV remote controls and bedside lamp
switches. Just as badly contaminated were surfaces more likely
to be dirty, such as bathroom toilet seats and sinks, the study
said. Of greater concern, the study said, was that some of the
highest levels of contamination were found on items on
housekeepers’ carts, such as sponges and mops. If these items
are contaminated, they can lead to cross-contamination of rooms,
making entire hotels dirtier. The researchers sampled 18
surfaces in each hotel room, testing the total levels of
bacteria and fecal bacteria on each one. Fecal bacteria was
found on 81 percent of all surfaces. There are no regulatory
limits for contamination of items in hotel rooms, the study
said, but its findings suggest possib