I love to travel… but I hate to pack. I enjoy flying… but I dread the boarding process. And, I treasure staying at hotels… as long as they are clean. I have touched on the issue of hotel cleanliness in prior blogs, but this new finding warrants additional coverage. A new study, released just a couple of days ago, reveals that many hotel rooms are havens for germs.
Initially, I wasn’t that surprised. After all, I saw the “20/20” investigation on filthy hotel mattresses and unsanitary bedspreads (by the way, experts did conclude that on items like bedspreads, cloth dries out germs, making them far less likely to survive than they do on smooth or moist surfaces), but this study dissected the entire hotel room. The results: experts detected viruses on TV remotes, phones, faucets, shower curtains, coffee makers, alarm clocks, light switches… even on hotel pens. I must note that the germ testing was done before the rooms were cleaned, so it likely overstates the risks that most travelers would face. Nevertheless, as medical experts accurately point out, it shows “the potential hazards if a hotel’s turnaround amounts to little more than changing the sheets and wiping out the tub.” (Basically, when you check in you better hope the cleaning person did a good job.)
The goal of the study was to test the survival of rhinoviruses, which cause about half of all colds, especially in children. Researchers had 15 people with lab-confirmed rhinovirus colds spend a night in individual rooms at a nearby hotel and, after they checked out, tested 10 items they said they had touched. About one-third of the objects were contaminated with rhinovirus. In the end, doctors said they were surprised to find so many items were contaminated.
Apparently so were the hotel’s managers. The corporate director of housekeeping for Hilton brand hotels, which has 1,900 hotels around the world claims the hotel chain does have rules for disinfection, including wiping down “everything from the remote control to the telephone.” In addition, Hilton managers say, like many hotels, it has taken steps to make common items easier to clean, like “encasing phone books in plastic and replacing bedspreads with duvet covers that can be washed between each guest.”
If you are planning to stay at a hotel anytime soon and are fearful that you may be sharing your room with germs, here are a few steps you can take:
Bring your own disinfecting products. I’m not talking about packing an entire cubby of cleaning supplies; rather consider bringing a container of Clorox disposable disinfecting wipes. Then, wipe down surfaces such as doorknobs and light switches. Don’t use the bedspread. Don’t walk on the floors with your bare feet. And most importantly, doctors recommend lots of hand washing.
Related Articles:
Travel Tips–Hotel’s Unwanted Guests
Packing Part 1: What To Know Before You Go
Have You Hugged Your Housekeeper Today?