Whether you are staying in a five star luxury suite or a cheap and cheerful budget hotel, your room may be harboring any number of germs brought in by guests from around the world. Fortunately, germs tend to have a fairly short survival time and the majority are unlikely to cause any adverse health effects.

It won’t be possible to avoid all germs in hotel rooms, but understanding where germs are likely to be found, can help you reduce your chances of picking up any nasty illnesses during your stay.


How germs are spread

Most germs are likely to be brought in by the previous inhabitants of your room, i.e. the guests. Germs may be spread through the air as tiny droplets where they can be inhaled by people in the nearby vicinity. The rest will settle onto inanimate objects where they may survive for anything up to 48 hours. Anyone touching these surfaces is liable to pick up the germs on their hands and infect themselves. It’s also possible to ingest germs through drinking contaminated water or food.

What germs might be found?

Germs most likely to be found in hotel rooms are cold and flu viruses. Anyone recently vacating the room who may have been suffering such an illness at the time, could easily have left a few germs behind. There is also the remote possibility of a room harboring Legionnaires’ disease or bacteria such as E. coli.

Where germs can be found

Anything which guests are likely to touch or hold, have the potential to harbor germs. Typical examples include all door, window and cupboard handles, taps, alarm clocks, remote controls, the toilet seat, cups, glasses or spoons, coat hangers, tables and chairs, information packs, books and room service menus. The Legionella bacteria thrives in warm, moist environments. As such, certain air conditioning units and spa baths may harbor this germ which can be inhaled through steam and air droplets. Additionally, rooms with unsafe drinking water may also be contaminated with the Legionella bacteria or E. Coli.

How to avoid germs

Naturally, it won’t be possible to avoid all germs in your hotel room. However, if you are worried about picking up an illness, the easiest way of avoiding them is to frequently wash your hands, especially after touching objects in the room. Antiseptic wipes can be used to wipe down handles and remote controls for further germ removal. It’s also usually wise to avoid drinking water from the bathroom, especially in countries known to have poor sanitation.

Wherever you go in the world, there will usually be at least a few germs in residence, and hotel rooms are no different. While the level of cleanliness may vary from hotel to hotel, the chance of picking up a debilitating disease from your hotel room is remote.

Those germs which may be found in hotel rooms are those from the common cold, which tend not to survive too long anyway. But, to play it safe, generally the best way of avoiding germs in hotel rooms is to be aware of where they are most likely to be found and to wash your hands on a regular basis.