You arrive at your hotel, drop your bags, kick off your shoes and jump straight onto the bed. But have you ever stopped to think about how many people have stayed in that room before you? And more importantly, how clean is your hotel room really?
As a registered nurse and someone who loves a good cleaning hack, I know that just because something looks clean doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hygienic. But before you start packing disinfectant wipes for every holiday, let’s look at the facts. But first my travel essentials.
Are Hotel Rooms Really Full of Germs?
The short answer? Hotel rooms can contain plenty of microorganisms, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re dangerous. Every hotel room is used by different guests, & some surfaces are touched dozens of times between cleans. Think about it. Guests touch the television remote, light switches, door handles, bathroom taps and bedside tables throughout their stay. While hotels generally have cleaning procedures in place, the quality and consistency of cleaning can vary. And here’s something I learnt during my nursing career: A surface can look spotless and still have microorganisms on it. However, finding bacteria on a surface doesn’t necessarily mean those bacteria will make you sick. The type of microorganism, the amount present and how you’re exposed all matter.
7 Hotel Germ Hotspots I Always Think About
1. The Television Remote
One of the first things I notice in a hotel room is the TV remote.It’s handled by countless guests, often while they’re eating, and it’s not always the easiest item to clean thoroughly.
My hotel hack: If the remote looks dirty, give it a gentle wipe with a disinfectant wipe & avoid getting moisture inside the buttons. And remember to wash your hands before eating.
2. Decorative Cushions and Bed Runners
You know those beautiful decorative cushions and throws sitting on hotel beds? They might look lovely, but unlike sheets and pillowcases, they may not be laundered after every guest. In fact they are probably never washed.That’s why I prefer to remove decorative cushions & bed runners before getting comfortable.
My hotel hack/habit: Place decorative cushions and throws somewhere out of the way rather than putting them on the floor and then back onto the bed.
3. Refillable Shampoo and Body Wash Dispensers
Those large refillable bottles in hotel showers are convenient & reduce single use plastic. But their hygiene depends on how they’re maintained. If dispensers are repeatedly topped up without appropriate cleaning, contamination can become a concern. That doesn’t mean every refillable dispenser is unhygienic.
My hotel hack: Check that dispensers are clean, secure and working properly. If a dispenser looks dirty, damaged or tampered with, ask for a replacement or use your own toiletries.
4. Hotel Kettles and Coffee Machines
I love a cup of tea when travelling, but hotel kettles can sometimes be a little questionable. The main concern isn’t necessarily the water itself, particularly when it’s properly boiled, but whether the appliance has been cleaned and maintained. Kettles can accumulate mineral deposits, while coffee machines may develop residue in water reservoirs and other components. And I have received DM’s from people who say they worked in hospitality & said that it wasn’t uncommon for guests to wash their underwear in the kettles. I have so many questions, why?
My hotel hack: Check the inside of the kettle before using it. If there’s visible dirt, unusual residue or an unpleasant smell, ask housekeeping for a clean replacement. And please, only use hotel kettles for heating water!
5. Bathroom Taps, Flush Buttons and Door Handles
These are some of the most frequently touched surfaces in any bathroom. The concern isn’t simply that germs exist on these surfaces, but that they can transfer to our hands and potentially reach our mouth, nose or food.
My hotel hack: Wash your hands properly with soap and running water after using the bathroom and before eating.
6. Drinking Glasses & Coffee Cups
Have you ever wondered how the glasses in your hotel room are cleaned? Ideally, reusable glasses and cups should be properly washed and sanitised between guests. But cleaning standards can vary & I have never seen clean glasses on a cleaning trolley.
My hotel hack: If you’re unsure whether a glass has been properly cleaned, ask for a fresh one or use a clean cup from a trusted source or take a drink bottle. I never assume a glass is hygienic just because it looks shiny.
7. Light Switches and Bedside Tables
These are surfaces almost everyone touches, often without thinking. Light switches, bedside tables, air-conditioning controls and door handles can all collect microorganisms from hands.
My hotel hack: You don’t need to disinfect every surface in the room. Focus on hand hygiene, particularly before eating, and clean visibly dirty high touch surfaces when needed.
Can You Actually Get Sick From Hotel Room Germs?
Yes, it’s possible, but the presence of germs doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to become unwell. Some infections can spread through contaminated hands and surfaces, particularly when someone touches their mouth or handles food without washing their hands. Other infections, such as respiratory viruses, can spread through the air, so wiping down surfaces alone won’t eliminate every risk. And certain illnesses, including norovirus, can spread very easily when hygiene and cleaning practices are inadequate.
The important thing to remember is that exposure doesn’t always lead to infection.
Most healthy people don’t need to be frightened of everyday hotel surfaces. The goal is to reduce avoidable risks, not create a completely germ free environment. It’s important to understand the chain of infection 7 how to break the chain, preventing illness. The chain of infection is the series of steps a germ takes to get from one person to another and potentially make them sick. Think about the hotel TV remote. A guest with a cold wipes their nose and picks up the remote, leaving some virus behind. If you pick up that remote, the virus could transfer to your hands. If you then rub your nose, it has a way into your body.
That’s where washing your hands with soap and water can help break the chain. It removes germs from your hands before they can reach your eyes, nose or mouth. Each step has to happen for an infection to spread this way.
My 5 Minute Hotel Room Hygiene Clean
As a nurse, I believe in practical infection prevention rather than cleaning everything in sight.
Here’s what I recommend when you first arrive:
- Check the bed. Look for clean linen, visible stains and signs of bed bugs around mattress seams and the bedhead.
- Remove decorative cushions and throws. Set them aside if you don’t plan to use them.
- Inspect the bathroom. Check that the toilet, sink and shower appear properly cleaned.
- Check the kettle and drinking glasses. Request replacements if anything looks dirty.
- Wash your hands. Especially before eating, after using the bathroom and after handling potentially contaminated items.
If the room is visibly dirty, ask housekeeping to address it or request another room. You don’t need to spend your entire holiday disinfecting your accommodation. And honesty, washing your hands is the most important way to prevent getting sick.
What About Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are worth mentioning because they’re a hotel concern that has nothing to do with how many bacteria are on a surface. They can occur in expensive hotels as well as budget accommodation. Bed bugs aren’t known to transmit diseases to humans, but their bites can cause itching and discomfort, and they can hitchhike home in luggage. When arriving at a hotel, it’s sensible to briefly check mattress seams and the bedhead for live insects, shed skins or dark spotting. Keep your luggage off the bed while you inspect.
The Difference Between Clean and Hygienic
This is something I talk about regularly through my The CLEANish Method.
Cleaning and disinfecting aren’t the same thing.
Cleaning physically removes dirt, organic matter and many microorganisms from a surface. Disinfecting uses an appropriate product to kill or inactivate specified microorganisms when used according to the label. In most everyday situations, routine cleaning and good hand hygiene are enough. Additional disinfection may be appropriate when someone has been sick or when surfaces have been contaminated with bodily fluids. And remember, disinfectants need the correct contact time to work effectively.
My Final Thoughts: Should You Be Worried About Hotel Germs?
I don’t want anyone to read this and feel anxious about their next holiday. I love travelling, and I’m certainly not spending my entire trip worrying about every surface I touch. But my nursing background has taught me that a few simple habits can make a difference. Check that your room is visibly clean, practise good hand hygiene, be sensible around shared surfaces and speak up if something doesn’t look right.
You don’t need a perfectly sterile hotel room to enjoy a holiday. You just need a few sensible hygiene habits.
And that’s exactly what my CLEANish Method is about keeping things clean enough without making cleaning your entire life.
