Here are the little-known secrets of hotel rooms… absolutely shocking!

The first thing to do when entering your room—beyond the usual knock and greeting—is to check the peephole on the door. If it’s damaged or tampered with, request a room change, as a compromised peephole could hide a hidden camera. Normally, the view through the peephole should be clear. For safety, it’s recommended to block the peephole with a small piece of paper and only remove it when needed. Also, if someone knocks but you can’t see anyone through the peephole, never open the door—instead, call the front desk.

The dirtiest thing in a hotel room, according to us, isn’t the oft-mentioned bathtub—it’s the electric kettle. Kettles are standard in almost every room and may look clean, but who knows what the previous guest used it for? What did they put in it? Imagine vomit, cigarette butts, or even…

It’s best not to use the glass cups next to the bathroom sink, especially not for drinking. These items might be overlooked during cleaning, just quickly rinsed with tap water, and rarely undergo high-temperature disinfection. If you must use one, think twice.

The dirtiest item in a hotel room may surprise you. If there’s one object that every guest is bound to touch, that’s the dirtiest thing in the room. In any hotel, it’s definitely the TV remote control—used by countless people but seldom cleaned by staff. The remote becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and a cleaning blind spot. Similarly, another item most guests use without a second thought is the bedside lamp switch. So before touching either, it’s best to quickly sanitize them with an antibacterial wipe or spray.

Cups, slippers—especially plastic ones—as well as the bathroom anti-slip mat, toilet, and bathtub may also cut corners on disinfection. Whenever possible, place a piece of paper over them before use. Don’t trust the “disinfected” labels, or you might end up with some kind of illness…

Upon entering the room, also check whether the sheets have been changed. Pull back the corners to see if there are any hairs. Clean, washed towels will also have square, neatly folded creases—you should pay close attention to these signs.

The “seven essential travel items” (toothbrush, toothpaste, slippers, comb, shampoo, body wash, shower cap)—hygiene has always been a major concern. Quality control is often questionable. We’ve even encountered cases where laundry detergent was passed off as shampoo. So, it’s really better to bring your own to stay on the safe side!

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