What Are the Germiest Surfaces in Hotel Rooms? You May Be
Surprised You’ve probably seen those reports about how germy
hotel beds can be. But a new study shows something else in a
room is likely to be far more contaminated. Researchers from the
University of Houston discovered television remote controls and
bedside lamp switches are the germiest surfaces in hotel rooms
and contain the highest levels of harmful bacteria. Also on the
list? Toilets and sinks, of course, but also telephones and
carpets. In addition, the germs found on the sponges and mops
hotel used by hotel housekeepers use could pose a risk for
cross-contamination between rooms. “The current validation
method for hotel room cleanliness is a visual assessment, which
has been shown to be ineffective in measuring levels of
sanitation,” said researcher Katie Kirsch, who hopes her team’s
findings will help hotels develop more effective ways to target
the most contaminated items that could pose a health risk to
guests.