Microbiologists Reveal the Germiest Spots in Your Hotel Room, and It's Not the Toilet

From TV remotes to the in-room coffee maker, some everyday hotel amenities may be far less sanitary than guests assume. Researchers and cleaning professionals say tight schedules and outdated inspection methods are partly to blame.

All it takes is one bad experience at a single hotel to make you wary of every room you step into — particularly when it comes to cleanliness. You may spare no expense on good accommodation for your next trip, but it still pays to come prepared.

Knowing which spots in your hotel room are the dirtiest is a good place to start. Even in the most upscale stays, rooms can appear spotless at first glance, even as germs and grime hide in unexpected places.

Back in 2012, researchers from the University of Houston collected bacteria samples from a range of items in hotel rooms across three regions of the United States.

While the toilet and the sink were expected to carry high levels of bacteria, researchers also uncovered some more surprising culprits with high contamination levels, such as the remote and the switch on the bedside lamp.

Telephones and carpets also made the list. On top of that, the bacteria lingering on housekeepers' sponges and mops could easily be transferred from one room to the next.

"The current validation method for hotel room cleanliness is a visual assessment, which has been shown to be ineffective in measuring levels of sanitation," said researcher Katie Kirsch, adding that she hopes her team's findings will help hotels develop more effective ways to target the most contaminated items that could pose a health risk to guests.

Hotel rooms "don't have to have it ready for surgery," added study researcher Jay Neal, a microbiologist at the University of Houston, but hotels could still stand to raise their cleaning standards.

Aside from the obvious offenders, such as TV remotes, toilet flush handles, and decorative pillows, many easily missed areas can harbor more germs than you'd think. Daily housekeeping keeps rooms looking neat, but quick turnarounds between guests leave little time to give every surface a proper clean.

"With check-out at 11 a.m. and check-in at 3 p.m., that limits how long housekeeping can spend cleaning each room," said Mona Murahwa, a professional cleaner with experience in boutique hotels and the founder of natural cleaning supply brand Cleaning Mama.

She continued, "If they have 15 rooms to finish in that four-hour window, they only have about 15 to 20 minutes for each. That is not long enough to deep clean every surface, as disinfectants need to sit for five to 10 minutes to effectively kill bacteria."

Given those time constraints, housekeepers are taught to focus on the most frequently touched and most noticeable surfaces, such as counters and mirrors. "If a carpet looks clean, they might skip a thorough edge-to-edge vacuum to save three minutes for the bathroom," added Murahwa.

Here are a few more spots most people overlook:

• The coffee maker: Beyond the bacteria that can build up in a poorly cleaned machine, there's no telling what previous guests have used it for. In late 2025, a woman went viral for suggesting that travelers who run short on clean underwear wash them in the hotel coffee maker, placing the garment where the grounds would normally go.
• Decorative bedding: It's best to steer clear of fluffy textiles like comforters, quilts, decorative pillows, and fabric couches, as they aren't washed as often as sheets, towels, and duvet covers. Throw pillows are among the worst offenders, since they often end up on the floor and go unwashed between guests.
• Hairdryers: Though in plain view, hairdryers rarely top housekeeping checklists. "If you have room in your bag, bring your own hairdryer," advised Murahwa. "If you have to use the one in your hotel room, wipe down the handle and buttons before turning it on and let it run pointed away from your face for a few seconds to clear out dust and loose particles."
• Barware, utensils, coffee cups: These items are sometimes rinsed by hand rather than run through a dishwasher. If you're unsure, wash them with soap and hot water before use.

None of this means travelers need to spend their getaways on high alert, but a few simple precautions can go a long way. Packing some disinfecting wipes and giving high-touch items a quick once-over upon arrival could help ensure the only souvenirs guests bring home are the ones they bought.