ORLANDO, Fla. – Get ready for a spring break like never before.
According to a study by Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO, 2023 is the year that people are going to travel more than ever. If you have the travel bug, you may also want to think about what bugs, viruses, and germs could be waiting for you in your hotel room.
Prior to the pandemic, the dirtiest place in the hotel was the bathroom. Now, a study from the journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases” found COVID-19 germs are still rampant in the bathrooms.
An investigation showed some cleaners use the same cloth to wipe down the toilet and the countertops. Also, never use the glasses in the bathroom. Several reports showed staff only rinsed them out and didn’t wash them.
Hotel phones are a magnet for germs as well, especially E. coli and respiratory viruses. Scientific reports found coffee makers are a breeding ground for mold.
An Inside Edition report found that in the hotels they investigated, E. coli can be a problem on TV remotes from guests not washing their hands after going to the bathroom. A tip is to cover your remote with a zip lock bag before using it.
Inside Edition also reported that the bedding in the hotel rooms investigated was not always changed. Check with your hotel if there’s any question about how often bedspreads are cleaned and always ask housekeeping for extra pillowcases so you can change them yourself.
Another dirty spot in a hotel is the carpet. Even if housekeeping thoroughly vacuums between guests according to COVID guidelines, they are probably still not thoroughly cleaning the carpets after each use. Even though the CDC recommends cleaning carpets and rugs, they don’t specify how often to do it. Besides COVID, other nastiness could be brought in on shoes and suitcase wheels from multiple guests.