Spending a night in a hotel room can be relaxing.

That’s why she says she creates “a sanctuary” while she’s away.

She requests a room far removed from the noisy elevator or busy street.

Woman holding remote in hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

She also makes sure to travel with her white-noise machine and ear plugs just in case.

This is a problem that can’t be solved withBath & Body Worksscented candles or earplugs.

After all, there are quite a fewsecrets hotels don’t want you to know.

Drinking glasses in a hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

According to the state of Arizona’s health code, hotel drinking glasses must be properly cleaned and sanitized.

OtherABC Newsstations conducted their own investigations and found similar results across the United States.

At another hotel in Cincinnati, investigators witnessed a housekeeper drying drinking glasses with a dirty hand towel.

hotel room coffee machine, something you should absolutely avoid touching

In total, 11 of 15 hotels across the country failed to properly clean and sanitize their drinking glasses.

For one, coffee makers need to be thoroughly cleaned and descaled.

Otherwise, mold and bacteria will take over.

Hotel room beds with bedspreads, something you should absolutely avoid touching

All of the machines were found to contain a “moderately to highly abundant” amount of bacteria.

This is because housekeepers can transfer germs from one room to the next during cleaning.

She then took that same towel and wiped down the coffee pot.

hotel room bed pillows, something you should absolutely avoid touching

Cincinnati Health Department’s Dale Grigsby likened this method to “playing with a loaded gun.”

Otherwise, you’ll want to steer clear of the bedspread.

“Your best bet is to avoid contact,” Reynolds explained.

hotel room bathroom counter, something you should absolutely avoid touching

That’s where you put your face.

That’s what you sleep on."

That just gets it even more dirty."

toilet area of hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

You may want to consider bringing your own pillowcases on your next trip.

As part of the study, rooms in three-, four-, and five-star hotels were analyzed.

It was revealed that, on average, the bathroom counter is the most contaminated surface in the rooms.

bathtub in a hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

The bathroom counters in 5-star hotels are the only exception, coming in second place to the TV remote.

In addition to the counters, the sink, too, is likely to be contaminated.

A study by the University of Houston (viaReuters) found hotel sinks to contain fecal bacteria.

TV remote on hotel room bed, something you should absolutely avoid touching

So, what are you to do?

Oh, and you may just want toavoid using hotel hair dryers, too.

Unfortunately, it’s likely not just the seat that’s filled with bacteria.

bedside lamp in a hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

As much as we wish the bathtub was unaffected, science says otherwise.

This is why Tierno recommends showers over baths when staying in a hotel.

“You’re reducing the number of organisms that collect,” he explained.

hotel room phone, something you should absolutely avoid touching

Showers aren’t full-proof, though.

“Whatever’s loose can drop out and that’s ideal,” the expert added.

A separate investigation led by Rossen Reports found similar results.

hotel room desk, something you should absolutely avoid touching

The tests also revealed that one of the remotes was contaminated with E. coli.

“This indicates there was fecal contamination on the remote,” Ikner explained.

“So perhaps someone used the restroom and didn’t wash their hands when they were done.”

ice bucket with drinking glasses in hotel room, something you should absolutely avoid touching

Another remote contained MRSA, a contagious antibiotic-resistant bacterium.

you might also seal the remote in a plastic bag.

Now think about all the things you touch after turning onoroff the lights.

housekeeper vacuuming carpets in hotel

Tierno simply recommends using alcohol wipes on the light switches to kill off all those nasty germs.

Then, and only then, should you touch them.

This is why it makes sense that hotel phones are among the germiest places in a hotel room.

bed with headboard in hotel room

PerTravelmath’s study, the phone is, on average, the fourth-most contaminated surface in hotel rooms.

Yes, even in those expensive, five-star resorts.

“There can be housekeeping staffers who cut corners in any hotel.”

If you might, avoid touching the in-room phone.

Your hotel room may not have a dining table, but chances are it’ll have a desk.

Otherwise, don’t touch it.

But, before you celebrate, there are some things you should know.

The same is true for the ever-grimy TV remotes.

Even if you use a plastic liner inside the ice bucket, the ice itself may be contaminated.

According toFox 9investigators, 19 hotels in the Minneapolis area were cited for outbreaks triggered by dirty ice machines.

This just makes for another good reason forwhy you should never get ice in your drink.

Don’t get too close to hotel room carpets

Some hotels provide their guests with free slippers.

“The dirtiest part of a hotel room are the carpets,” he toldThe Sun.

He continued, saying, “Carpets need properly cleaning more than they ever are.

There’s a high chance of there fragments of smashed glass from where people have broken glasses too.”

Going barefoot is a big no-no.

What can you touch in a hotel room?

With so many hotel room surfaces teeming with germs, you may think there’s nowhere safe to touch.

But that’s not entirely true.