10 Of The Dirtiest Places In Your Hotel Room You Probably Didn't Even Think About

When travelling for vacation, nothing feels better than plopping down on your fluffy, clean hotel bed. After a long day of travel, a sparkling clean hotel room, fresh sheets, and a hot shower feel almost euphoric. However, hotel rooms are not always as sparkling clean as they appear. As is often the case, appearances can be deceiving. Here are 10 of the dirtiest places in your hotel room that you probably never thought about.

1. Toilets

Okay, so you probably thought about this one. I figured we would start with ones that make sense. Obviously, a toilet is going to be crawling with bacteria. Luckily for us, most of us are not sticking our hands into the toilet bowl. However, it wouldn't hurt to wipe down the seat and the handle before you go.

2. The Sink

Ironic, isn't it? The place you typically go to rid yourself of germs is also crawling with bacteria. Not too crazy when you think about it, though. The sink is a moist environment. People are washing dirty things in it all day long. Additionally, you brush your teeth and spit into it; it is nasty. Insidehook shares the disturbing fact that "A hotel sink faucet is the dirtiest place in virtually every hotel bathroom," with "over 55,000 times the bacteria of a toilet seat." So yea, think about that before you lean your toothbrush there.

3. Bathtubs

Yet again, one of the dirtiest places in your hotel room is a place that you go to get clean. The irony truly is astounding. Tubs are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, especially considering you never know the types of activities happening in them. The NY Post shared a staggering statistic from a 2023 investigation by WaterFilterGuru. They shared "the bathtub is also infested with germs, harboring up to 40 times more bacteria than a toilet seat." I bet that toilet seat is starting to look pretty good right about now, huh?

4. The Coffee Maker

If you thought you were safe as long as you weren't in the bathroom, think again. That morning cup of Joe could be loaded with a lot more than just strong flavor. Reader's Digest shares how "coffee makers can harbor mold and respiratory viruses." So if you crave that morning caffeine, go and pick it up from the hotel cafe, where things are regularly cleaned. After all, hotel staff often only spend 30 minutes cleaning each room. Do you think they are cleaning the coffee pot each time?

5. Ice Bucket

Similar to the coffee maker, ice buckets are some of the dirtiest places in your hotel room that you probably never considered. Reader's Digest shared comments from Dr. Stagg, noting that ice buckets are notorious for housing the norovirus. Why is that? Because many guests use the ice bucket as a vomit bucket when they are ill. Yeah....think about that the next time you fill that ice to put in your nightly glass of water.

6. Decorative Elements

While decorative elements can make the room come together, they can also bring all the germs together. Think about throw pillows, decorative runners, and even your duvet cover. Things that would take additional time to clean and that don't necessarily touch your skin the same way the sheets would. Those are loving little breeding grounds for bacteria. In a Reddit post, one user even admitted that "Most hotels do not wash the big duvet. They only wash the sheets."

7. The Carpet

This one may or may not surprise you. For me, it was no surprise to learn that the carpet was one of the dirtiest places in my hotel room. It makes sense to me. You walk around outside all day with your shoes, then you come into your room with those same shoes and spread the love and germs all over your carpet. Vacuuming can only do so much. Sure, it picks up those crumbs you dropped on the floor, but not all the bacteria from the bottom of your shoe. To avoid this, the carpets would need to be deep-cleaned after each guest, an act that most hotels do not have the time for. So, avoid going barefoot on the carpet and do not sit or lie on it either.

8. High-Touch Areas

For this category, consider items such as door handles, the phone, the TV remote, and light switches. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, most people do not wash their hands, and they frequently touch these surfaces. They open their door handle multiple times a day, and I have never seen housekeeping wipe those down. Additionally, people are literally putting their mouths close to the phone. Don't get me started on the TV remote. How many times have you been snacking, licked your fingers, and then touched the remote? Yeah, you get my point.

9. Hard To Reach Spots

I guarantee these are the dirtiest spots in your hotel room that you never considered. I am referring to items such as curtain rods, shower heads, and ceiling fans. I mean, honestly, who stops to consider if their curtain rod has been cleaned? I barely clean those at my own home! Although I will start being more diligent now! All of these areas can collect dust and bacteria, and while you may not be rubbing up against a curtain rod, you are still breathing the air that all that junk is floating around in.

10. Glassware

Perhaps this last item will no longer come as a surprise to you, given all that you have learned. The glassware in your hotel room is likely to be filthy. Oftentimes, housekeeping will wipe off glassware between guests rather than replacing it. I feel that I don't need to explain in detail here why that's disgusting and leads to a lot of bacteria. The point here is not to instill fear, but just to make you aware so you can create your own clean and healthy habits. Simple tricks like packing disinfectant wipes, slippers, and grabbing coffee outside of your room can be game changers.