I’m a doctor — here are my 4 dos and don’ts for staying in hotels

Don’t get a room with an eww.

NYC board-certified dermatologist Charles Puza, who studied at Harvard and Duke universities, is sharing four tips for staying in hotel rooms — check for bedbugs, avoid touching TV remotes and uncovered glassware, ignore the free toiletries, and say hi to your neighbors.

“No. 1, make sure your hotel is not on the Bed Bug Registry and always check the corners and under the bed for any signs,” Puza said in his TikTok, which has scared up 29,600 views since it was posted this month.

The Bed Bug Registry has collected about 20,000 reports of bedbugs at a total of 12,000 locations since it was created in 2006 — although it appears to be inactive, with broken links. Bed Bug Reports has more recent information.

Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia recently topped Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List, a January 2024 ranking of the metros with the most bedbugs.

Orkin recommends checking mattresses, box springs, headboards, footboards, bed frames, and furniture within 5 to 8 feet of the bed for “clusters of dark brown or black spots of dried excrement” left by live bedbugs.

Once you’ve settled into your hotel room, Puza advises steering clear of the hotel-provided TV remotes and uncovered glassware.

“And here’s why — that same rag that cleans the sink and the toilet is usually the rag that wipes down those surfaces,” he explained about hotel cleaning services.

A 2012 study by the University of Houston found that TV remotes are among the most bacteria-laden items in a hotel room, along with bedside lamp switches.

Researchers also reported a startling amount of bacteria on housekeeping supplies such as sponges and mops, which could lead to cross-contamination between rooms.

So, stay away from the remote — and the complimentary bath collection, Puza counsels.

“No. 3 is tempting, but don’t use these hotel products — they’re usually extremely drying and loaded with fragrance,” Puza said as he waved toward the shampoo, conditioner, and body soap lining the hotel sink.

And “No. 4 is optional, but you can always say hi to your neighbors. And that’s how you have the best vacation,” Puza concluded.

Hotel Indigo research from November determined that people interact with their neighbors less than ever before because they’re too shy, don’t want to be an inconvenience, or don’t have a relationship with their neighbor — even though it’s been shown that even the smallest human interaction can make for happier communities.

In the comments section of Puza’s 30-second video, his followers offered their own hotel tips.

“After 35 yrs with the largest airline in the world, never leave your toothbrush in the bathroom. Keep it in a case in a drawer or your suitcase,” one TikToker suggested.

“I started a job at a hotel supervisor and the shampoo and conditioners were expired but they still were refilling them. I mentioned it but no one listened,” another claimed.

“If you need to use the remote, cover it with the shower cap. Works like a charm!” a third exclaimed.