The Germiest Places in America

Hotel-Room Remote

What’s the first thing you do when you settle in at a hotel? You grab the remote control and switch on the TV. You, and the hundreds of other guests who’ve stayed there. How dirty is it? Owen Hendley, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and infectious disease at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and his colleagues recently tested various surfaces for the cold virus after a group of sick people had stayed overnight. “We found the virus on the remote, door handles, light switches, pens, and faucet handles,” he says.

Reduce the risk: Clean the remote control, phone, clock radio, door handles, and light switches with germicidal wipes. While you’re at it, throw on a pair of slippers and throw off the bedspread. “We’ve found urine and semen on both carpets and bedspreads.” They may not make you truly sick, but it certainly is enough to make you feel queasy.