Peter Greenberg has some tips on avoiding bacteria and making sure your room is properly cleaned.

Q: What’s the most surprising hotel secret you’ve learned?



A: The high level of bacteria on the TV remote control unit. I advise taking anti-bacterial wipes for the remote, the phone and the clock radio.

…

Q: So how clean is the average hotel room?



A: I assume the worst and take a proactive role. First, I take the bedspread off. Most hotels clean them at most three times a year.



If you stay in a hotel that claims to change the sheets daily, pull back the top sheet and blanket and put a match on top of the bottom sheet near the foot of the bed. If the match is still there when you come back, they didn’t change the sheets.



You take another match and put it under the bed (near the edge). If the match stays there, they didn’t thoroughly vacuum and you can ask them to do it over.