When you check into your hotel, you expect to start your vacation, but it could also be where you start spreading germs. Hotels are full of high-touch surfaces that many people touch with unclean hands. The problem is that you cannot trust fellow travelers to practice good hand hygiene.
Why Hotels Are Germ Hotspots
Microbiologist Jason Tetro, known as 'The Germ Guy,' explains that people often neglect proper hand washing, especially on vacation. Fecal bacteria and Staphylococcus are two easily spreadable germs to watch out for. 'If you come into contact with any bacteria or virus, you have about a four-hour risk of getting exposed if you touch your face or put your fingers in your mouth,' Tetro said.
The Biggest Culprit: First Floor Elevator Buttons
Among all high-touch surfaces, elevator buttons for the first floor are the biggest overlooked culprit. Chuck Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, notes that 'everybody touches the first floor elevator button to get out.' He now uses his knuckle to press elevator buttons due to frequent contamination found in sampling.
Mary Spitzer, formerly a researcher at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, led a study on viral spread in hotel lobbies. She found that first-floor elevator buttons were the most frequently touched fomite, or object that transmits infectious diseases. Spitzer observed that people consistently touch the hotel button first when entering the lobby.
How Germs Spread
Even a quick press of an elevator button can spread viruses, as they can survive for hours or days. Tetro says flu and COVID viruses can live on elevator buttons for four to eight hours. If someone coughs or sneezes on the button, pressing it briefly is enough to pick up virus residue.
Other high-touch surfaces in hotels include doorknobs, remote controls, light switches, alarm clocks, telephones, and ice buckets. Tetro warns that ice buckets 'probably never get washed or disinfected.'
Solutions for Hotels and Guests
Targeted cleaning of high-touch surfaces can significantly reduce viral load. In Spitzer's study, cleaning refrigerator handles and credit card readers led to a notable decrease in germs. Guests can also protect themselves by washing hands or using hand sanitizer after touching communal surfaces. 'Touching things is unavoidable in hotels,' Spitzer says. 'Be mindful of where you put your hands afterward—avoid touching your face, your child's face, or eating without washing first.'
By practicing good hygiene, you can ensure your vacation doesn't end early due to illness.
