Finally opening the door of your hotel room after a long journey usually brings about a sense of jubilation. You plop down on the bed, kick off your shoes, and suddenly you’re in “vacation mode.”

But not so fast. Before you start making yourself too comfortable, you need to understand just how dirty your fancy digs are. 

While every hotel has a housekeeping staff to clean rooms between guests, their version of “cleaning” can make your skin crawl. The goal of a hotel is to turn a profit, and part of that is getting rooms clean and ready for use again as quickly as possible. Sure, they’ll change the sheets, vacuum, and wipe down surfaces if needed, but the goal is only to make the room appear clean. How clean is it actually? Let’s just say that looks can be deceiving. 

The Dirtiest Spots in Your Hotel Room

While the room might smell nice and appear clean and organized, it’s almost guaranteed that these particular spots will be full of germs:

• Blankets/comforters – Even though the sheets on the bed get changed with every guest, most hotels only change the top blanket if it gets stained or smells bad. Otherwise you’re sitting on the same blanket as every other guest before you. It’s best to throw it on the floor and avoid touching it. 
• Light switches and doorknobs – If you think these get sanitized between guests, you’re sorely mistaken. You should properly disinfect them as soon as you arrive.
• Solid surfaces – This includes desks, nightstands, bathroom counters, toilets, etc. They may get a cursory wipe-down by housekeeping, but no actual cleaning occurs unless there’s a mess or stain. Disinfect these surfaces as well. 
• Remotes, iron, and coffeemaker – The remote you’re flipping channels on has likely never been cleaned since the TV was new. The iron may have been used to cook the last guest’s panini (thanks to TikTok). And the coffeemaker…let’s just not go there. Disinfect the remote, avoid using the iron if at all possible, and get coffee from somewhere else.
• The carpets – They aren’t getting vacuumed unless absolutely necessary, so it’s a good idea to avoid walking barefoot whenever possible. 

Tools to Help Tackle Unclean Hotel Rooms

Outside of complaining to hotel management about a dirty room, there are supplies you can bring along to help protect you from unseen germs:

• Disinfectant – Bring along a disinfecting spray like Lysol for soft surfaces, disinfectant wipes for hard surfaces like counters and tables, and liquid sanitizer for your hands. Use all of them to help reduce your exposure to germs.
• Bedroom slippers – It’s understandable if you'd prefer not to wear your shoes in your room, but you still don’t want to walk on those dirty carpets barefoot. Bring along a cheap pair of slippers to insulate your feet from any potential dirt. 
• Plastic hangars – Since you’re best off avoiding using the iron, bring some plastic hangers to hang your shirts on in the bathroom with the hot shower on. The steam will get rid of those wrinkles in short order.
• Proper insurance – Even the most prepared traveler can get sick. But it doesn’t have to ruin your vacation. A travel medical insurance or travel insurance plan can ensure you’ll be able to access to best available medical care for an affordable price, no matter where you are in the world.