6 Of The Dirtiest Things In A Hotel Room

When you plan a vacation, do you think about the cleanliness of the hotel room where you’re staying?

Most hotels do a decent job with housekeeping. However, certain spots in a room collect more germs than others just from frequent use. Housekeepers get busy, and sometimes things can get overlooked.

As you plan your next vacation, keep these six common items in mind. They tend to be the dirtiest and germiest things in a hotel room.

You might want to pack some disinfectant wipes in your suitcase after reading about them.

1. The Bed Spread

After you’ve checked your hotel bed for bugs — a must on any trip, no matter where you stay — take that bedspread off the bed!

The covers are not usually changed between guests. Some experts claim the bedspreads may only get washed and changed out about four times a year. Ewww — not exactly something you want to curl up in!

2. Remote Control

Everyone touches this thing, so it’s no wonder it’s full of germs. In fact, a “Today” show investigation found that remotes are the dirtiest thing in hotel rooms.

They even found one remote control containing colonies of E. coli, which most often comes from fecal contamination. Again, wipe that thing down before picking it up and using it!

3. Drinking Glasses

Plastic cups may seem cheap, but they actually offer more germ protection than the fancy glasses. An ABC investigation found that some hotels don’t follow health codes when cleaning glasses. The glasses should be cleaned in the dishwasher and sterilized.

However, ABC found that some workers didn’t replace glasses between guests; they only wiped them down — sometimes using the same rag used to clean the bathroom!

After you check in, go to the front desk and swap those germ-infested glasses for some cups wrapped in plastic.

RELATED: How To Avoid Bringing Bedbugs Home From Your Next Trip

4. Hotel Information/Menu Folder

You might not think of room service menus as one of the dirtiest things in a hotel room, but it makes sense. Many people pick up and flip through the hotel information binder. However, it’s not certain how often that book gets a thorough cleaning.

Easy solution to this problem: Wipe it down with one of those disinfecting wipes you packed before you order your dinner.

5. Phone

Hotel phones are a hotbed of germ activity. Even though everyone has a cell phone these days, hotel guests still use the phone to call the front desk or housekeeping. Hotel phones typically have up to three times as much bacteria as nearby areas.

Solution: Use your own phone whenever possible, and wipe down the hotel phone before you touch it.

RELATED: Investigation Finds Some Hotels Don’t Wash Sheets In Between Guests

6. Pillowcases

This isn’t from a lack of changing the pillowcases. Clean pillowcases get dirty in the process of changing a bed. How? Housekeepers sometimes put clean pillows with new cases down on adjacent furniture.

These chairs are typically not deep cleaned often. As a result, people’s skin cells, hair or other things left behind can get on the clean pillow before it’s put back on the bed. Consider bringing your own pillowcases for a sound — and clean — night’s sleep.

Do you avoid these six items in hotel rooms?