The Dirtiest Spot in Your Hotel Room? It Might Be the Elevator Button
Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Experts warn that hotel elevator buttons, particularly the ground floor button, are frequently touched and can harbor dangerous bacteria and viruses.
- These surfaces can easily transmit germs like fecal bacteria and staphylococcus, posing a risk of infection for travelers.
- Studies indicate that elevator buttons are among the most contaminated surfaces in hotels, with viruses like influenza and COVID-19 surviving for hours.
As travelers ourselves, we at Veฤernji List understand the desire for a relaxing hotel stay. However, our recent investigations reveal a hidden danger lurking in plain sight: the humble hotel elevator button. While guests meticulously check their bedding and bathrooms, they often overlook this high-traffic surface, which experts now identify as a prime breeding ground for germs.
People just don't wash their hands properly, and they wash them even worse when they are on vacation.
Microbiologists like Jason Tetro, known as "The Germ Guy," and Chuck Gerba from the University of Arizona, have sounded the alarm. They explain that common bacteria and viruses, including staphylococcus and even those responsible for influenza and COVID-19, can thrive on elevator buttons for hours, sometimes days. The sheer volume of people using these buttons, often without proper hand hygiene, creates a perfect storm for transmission.
Everyone touches the ground floor button to get out of the elevator.
Research, including a study from the University of Arizona, has confirmed that the ground floor elevator button is particularly problematic. It's one of the first surfaces many guests touch upon entering or exiting the hotel. While a brief touch might seem insignificant, it's enough to pick up a dangerous dose of microbes. As Dr. Gerba noted, he now uses his knuckle to press the button, having seen firsthand what lingers there.
Today I have to press the elevator buttons with my knuckle, because we have sampled them enough to know what is on them.
This is a critical reminder for all of us to be more vigilant about our hygiene, especially when traveling. While hotels have a responsibility to maintain cleanliness, individual awareness is paramount. The next time you step into a hotel elevator, remember that this seemingly innocuous button could be carrying more than just you to your floor.
Almost always, the first thing would be the elevator button, obviously, because they are going down to the lobby.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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