Hotel Rooms: Where are germs hiding?

The tourism business is booming in Boston, and millions of people from around the world came to our fair city last year to visit places like the Museum of Science, the Freedom Trail, the New England Aquarium and many of the historic sites that make us proud to be Bostonians. They spend over $13 billion dollars each year, supporting nearly 78,000 jobs and filling our hotel rooms.

One of the most important things vacationers look for in those hotel rooms is cleanliness. Unfortunately, although most hotel rooms appear to be clean, they are often full of germs. Where are they hiding? Check out this list of most-neglected spots by cleaning staff, then keep reading for tips on how you can reduce your own risk of germ exposure in hotels.

The Dirtiest Spots in Hotel Rooms

• Remote controls
• Decorative shams and bedspreads
• Bathroom faucets
• Water glasses and coffee cups
• Light switches
• Door handles
• Telephones
• Curtains

Using the right cleaning supplies in Boston can help custodial staff better clean these areas, and many of them should be disinfected too.

Protecting Yourself When Traveling

Don’t leave home without sanitizing wipes, slippers, a travel-size spray bottle of sanitizer and a clear plastic bag. As soon as you enter your hotel room, wash your hands (because you’ve already likely pressed elevator buttons, handled money and touched the door handle). The vast majority of infections are spread by hand, so wash up before touching anything else in the room.

Next, do a visual inspection of the room, then use wipes to disinfect frequently-touched surfaces, like door handles, telephones, the clock radio, sink taps, the toilet flush and the light switches. Place the television remote in your clear plastic bag so you can use it safely without having to disinfect every nook and cranny.

Wear your slippers to avoid coming in direct contact with furniture and the carpet, and don’t touch the curtains, which can hold months of accumulated germs, allergens and debris.

You can also ask the hotel staff to leave janitorial supplies in Boston, like disinfectant spray, in the room so you can sanitize each day.