The Useful But Gross Hotel Item Every Traveler Should Avoid Touching

There are plenty of gross spots in a hotel room you shouldn't be touching. The comforter is often washed less than you'd hope, the room phone carries more germs than you'd think, and the carpet is questionable at best. But there's one item many guests don't think twice about: the welcome booklet or information cards in the room.

These guides usually sit on the desk or bedside table, filled with details about hotel services, dining options, or local attractions. It is one of the hotel room items you should avoid, but what could possibly be the problem with something so unoffensive? Well, they're handled by countless guests and are almost never properly sanitized. Unlike fresh sheets or cleaned bathrooms, paper materials are easy to slip under the radar when housekeeping prepares a room for the next visitor. That means the next time you flip through a hotel's welcome pack, you could be picking up more than just dinner recommendations.

They seem harmless and actually helpful, but did you know that welcome booklets are often among the most-touched items in a room? Guests pick them up after checking in, browse them while eating, or use them to decide where to head for dinner. Each of those touches leaves behind bacteria and germs that remain long after the previous guest has checked out. And these could easily go months (or longer) without being cleaned or replaced.

The issue with welcome booklets isn't just the ick they give when you think about it; there's science behind it. Studies have shown that bacteria can live on paper products for hours, sometimes days, especially in environments with limited airflow. So, when you think about how many people stay in the same room every month, it becomes clear how those innocent-looking pages could be one of the dirtiest surfaces in a hotel room. And unlike the bathroom or bedding, which are obvious targets for cleaning staff, these items rarely make the cut when it comes to regular sanitization.

Fortunately, it's easier than ever to avoid them. Many hotels now provide QR codes that take you directly to digital guides with restaurant hours, room service menus, and activity suggestions. If a code isn't visible, you can usually find the same information on the hotel's official website, often under a "guest services" or "dining" section. Another simple option is to call the front desk directly if you need recommendations or help.

If you do happen to handle the welcome pack, wash your hands afterwards, keep hand sanitizer nearby, or travel with a small pack of antibacterial wipes for quick clean-ups, which are a good way to disinfect your airplane seat, too. It's a simple precaution that takes just a few seconds but can make a big difference. Hotel rooms will always have their share of high-touch surfaces, but skipping the welcome booklet or wiping it down before use is one of the easiest ways to avoid unnecessary germs while traveling.